On January 5th, it was announced that the 63rd annual Grammy Awards, which was set to be presented on the 31st, will be delayed due to COVID-19 concerns. The award show is now set to air on March 14th, according to the Rolling Stone.
This announcement comes as the Coronavirus continues to spread rapidly throughout the Los Angeles area, where the award show is set to take place. As of January 4th, the LA Public Health Department announced that 1 in 5 Los Angeles residents were texting positive for the Coronavirus. In an effort to combat the spread, many unions and entertainment industry groups have called for the suspension of in-person TV and film production in the LA area, according to the New York Times.
Much like everything else this year, the 2021 Grammys will stand apart from its predecessors. It is likely that there will be no live audience this year, and only presenters and performers will be allowed on-site during the show. Normally, the event attracts a live audience of over 18,000 people, according to Variety—a crowd which would be profoundly irresponsible in the midst of a pandemic. There have also been talks about staging the show at multiple venues in and around downtown Los Angeles, rather than a centralized location.
With that being said, there will still be an abundance of talent at the 2021 Grammys. The show is going to be host by comedian Trevor Noah and has announced a star-studded list of nominations. Beyoncé has currently picked up nine nominations including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
While Beyoncé leads in nominations, artists Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, and Roddy Rich are tied for second place—with six nominations each. Fans are also excited about the first time nominees such as: Megan Thee Stallion, BTS, and Harry Styles— all of which were very productive in 2020.
While there is lots of uncertainty surrounding the 2021 Grammy’s, fans still have plenty to be excited about. It will definitely be a unique show, but it has also been a unique year—even for the music industry.
