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In 2020 many were stunned when The Weeknd’s record-breaking hitBlinding Lightsearned him zero Grammy nominations. Since then, The Weeknd has refused to submit his music for consideration.
So, his surprise appearance at the Grammys on Sunday had everyone talking. Now that the Recording Academy has made peace with him, many are asking, if he’s back, why haven’t Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande been welcomed yet?
Grammy welcomes The Weeknd back!
After announcing three years ago that he’d boycott the Grammys following his 2021 snub,The Weekndmade a surprise return to the stage at the 2025 ceremony. His absence was sparked by the Recording Academy’s decision to overlook his blockbusterAfter Hoursalbum, which topped the Billboard 200 for weeks, and his smash hitBlinding Lights, which was snubbed for Record of the Year.
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The Recording Academy’s CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., took a moment to reflect on the backlash they received, especially from The Weeknd himself. He said on the stage (viaBillboard),
Criticism is OK. I heard him. I felt his conviction. So over the past few years, we’ve listened, we’ve acted, and we’ve changed…
In his long speech, he shared how the Academy has since introduced initiatives like the Black Music Collective, Women in the Mix, and Academy Proud, adding over 3,000 women voting members. The voting body is now younger, with nearly 40% people of color and 66% new members.
The Weeknd makes his return to the 2025#Grammysstagepic.twitter.com/6T2JrrA4uV
Mason Jr. then announced The Weeknd’s return to the stage, acknowledging the hard work the Academy has done to make changes. The Weeknd, in turn, took the stage to perform two new songs from his latest albumHurry Up Tomorrow.
Many raised eyebrows as to why artists like Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj were left out!
After The Weeknd’s unexpected return to the Grammys, many eyebrows were raised as people began questioning whereother artists who had boycottedthe show, likeAriana Grandeand Nicki Minaj, were. Both had their reasons for staying away.
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Ariana Grande chose to boycott the Grammys after feeling that her creative freedom was being restricted. In 2020, the show’s producers reportedly tried to control her performance, leaving her frustrated. While the singer claimed she could have easily pulled off a performance on short notice, it was the lack of artistic expression and control over her own work that led her to step away from the show.
Nicki Minaj, on the other hand, has had her own issues with the Grammys for years. She’s voiced frustrations over her work being overlooked or miscategorized, which she believes affected her chances of winning. This is what the fans are saying,
what about Nicki & Ariana ?pic.twitter.com/wMKobNUTcY
they disrespected ariana, nicki, katy plus many more but ofc they choose to make amends with a MAN. Ns to the weeknd but this shit is ridiculous.
now do the same with ariana grande, lana del rey, katy perry, mariah carey and nicki minaj
they need to change the way they treat women, specifically how they treat Nicki Minaj. I absolutely love the Weeknd, he’s one of my favorite artists, but it’s very telling that they’ll prioritize making amends with a man, but not the many women who they’ve wronged.
so they can make amends with him but can’t with…this is how you know they are corrupted.. they pick and choose.
While the Grammys made amends with The Weeknd, fans couldn’t help but wonder why other music legends, who’ve faced similar issues, were left out of the reconciliation.
Artists like Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey, and many others remain on the outside. It seems the Recording Academy’s idea of “making amends” isn’t as inclusive as many had hoped. Fans are hoping the years ahead could bring some reconciliation.
Sampurna Banerjee
Articles Published :1803
Sampurna Banerjee is an Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, and she’s written over 1,700 articles! She covers everything from celebrity news to the latest superhero buzz, streaming shows, and fan theories. If it’s trending in pop culture, Sampurna’s probably already on it.When she’s not working, you’ll probably find her rewatching The Office (again), getting into debates about Marvel’s timeline, or diving deep into Christopher Nolan movies for the hundredth time. She’s not just writing about entertainment, she’s living it.
