Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for BillboardCould it be that the Grammys will have to do without one of the hottest artists in pop music? Word is Ariana Grande not only won’t perform on this Sunday’s broadcast, she won’t even attend the ceremony.
Variety reports Ariana herself made the decision to pull out after producers allegedly declined to allow her to perform her latest single, “7 Rings,” as a stand-alone song. Producers are said to have offered to allow her to perform it as part of a two-song medley, but only if they got to pick the second song — a condition supposedly not placed on other performers.
Variety says they reached out to Grammy producers for comment but as of early Wednesday morning hadn’t received a response. Neither has Ariana posted anything on her social media about the alleged kerfuffle.
Likely adding to Ariana’s irritation — if the story’s true — is the fact that her new album, thank u next, drops Friday, and she was no doubt counting on the Grammy performance to promote the project.
But the folks who’ll suffer the most from Ariana pulling out most certainly are the Grammys, who were using Ariana’s appearance to promote the February 10 show, where she’s nominated for two awards: best pop vocal performance, for “God Is a Woman,” and best pop vocal album, for last year’s Sweetener. It’ll be more than a little awkward if Ariana wins and isn’t there to accept in person.
Here’s hoping Ariana and Grammy producers can come to a compromise between today and Sunday.
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