The Grammy Awards 2022 has been postponed indefinitely due to concerns over the continued coronavirus pandemic, it has been reported.
The now-postponed ceremony is the second year in a row that the annual awards show has been pushed back because of COVID-19.
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Variety reports that a spokesperson for the Recording Academy confirmed the delay to the publication, but no new date has been agreed on at present. The ceremony was due to take place on January 31 at Los Angelesâ Crypto.com Arena (formerly known as Staples Center).
The postponement comes as cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continue to rise across the US and around the world, with many concerts, tours and sporting events postponed and cancelled because of it.
According to Variety, enough artists and music industry figures expressed reluctance about taking part in the Grammys 2022 to convince the Academy it would be best to hold the show later in the year.
Sources told the publication that both the Academy and its broadcaster CBS are hoping to be able to put on a full show, including a live audience, compared to last yearâs scaled-down event. The 2021 ceremony was held on March 14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center instead of its traditional arena home, with the audience made up of rotating groups of nominees that were changed every 45 minutes. Many of the performances at last yearâs event were also pre-recorded.
Grammys Week events, including the MusiCares Person Of The Year concert, which will celebrate Joni Mitchell, will likely also be postponed until the week of the new date, although that has yet to be confirmed.
At present, Trevor Noah is still on board to host the Grammys 2022 for the second year in a row.
Jon Batiste leads the nominations for the Grammys 2022 with nods in 11 categories. Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R. are up for eight trophies, while Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo could take home a maximum of seven awards each.
Last month, the head of the Recording Academy spoke about The Weekndâs boycott of the Grammys, saying the starâs move âdoesnât affect us or offend usâ. The star vowed not to submit his music for consideration at the awards show in future after he was snubbed for his lauded album âAfter Hoursâ at the 2021 event.
Drake, meanwhile, was in the running for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Performance this year, but has since withdrawn his nominations. It has not been revealed why he made the decision to remove himself from the running.
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