The Weeknd Makes Surprise Return to 2025 Grammys 4 Years After Boycotting Awards Show

Mar. 15, 2025

The Weeknd performs onstage during the 67th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on in February 2025.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty

Kevin Winter/Getty

The Weekndhas made amends with The Recording Academy.

he Weeknd performs onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards in February 2025.Kevin Winter/Getty

Back in 2021, the Weeknd revealed hewas “done” with the Grammys.

“Because of the secret committees. I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys,” the “Starboy” hitmaker toldThe New York Timesat the time.

The Weeknd’s statement came months after he was completely left off of the 2021 nominations. After the list of nominees was revealed, he broke his silence to criticize the awards show.

“The Grammys remain corrupt,” he wrote then. “You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…”

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, referenced the newsmaking event ahead of the Weeknd’s performance at this year’s awards show.

“I remember waking up to the headlines that the Weeknd called out the Academy for a lack of transparency in our awards,” said Mason Jr. “He went so far as to announce he was boycotting the Grammys. Well, that made for some interesting reading over breakfast. But you know what? Criticism is, okay.”

Check out all of PEOPLE’s full Grammys coveragehere.

The Weeknd performs onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards in February 2025.Kevin Winter/Getty

“I heard him. I felt his conviction. What we all want is an organization dedicated to the well-being of all music makers, and one that reflects the entire music community for now and for future generations. So over the past few years, we’ve listened, we have acted, and we’ve changed,” he continued.

After expressing how the Recording Academy has launched initiatives including diversifying its community of voting members, Mason Jr. said, “There’s still work to be done, but I firmly believe we’re on the right path.”

“As we’ve seen tonight, music is a powerful force for good in the world. It heals us… it unites us. And we need that in this city right now,” he said.

The Grammys are broadcasting live fromCrypto.comArena in Los Angeles on CBS or stream them live and on-demand on Paramount+.

source: people.com