People – The Weeknd is speaking out after he was left off the nomination list for next year’s Grammy Awards.
The 30-year-old singer sent out a scathing tweet about his lack of recognition from the Recording Academy on Monday, hours after the nominees for the 63rd Grammy Awards were announced.
The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) November 25, 2020
“The Grammys remain corrupt,” he wrote. “You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…”
Amid The Weeknd’s tweet and a TMZ report that The Weeknd’s snub may have stemmed from his decision to headline next year’s Super Bowl, Harvey Mason Jr., Recording Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO, tells PEOPLE in a statement “that in no way could” The Weeknd’s headlining of the Super Bowl “have affected the nomination process.”
Despite seeing success, The Weeknd’s latest album, After Hours, failed to receive an album of the year nod. His single “Blinding Lights,” which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 40 weeks in the Top 10, also did not make it onto the list of final nominees for song and record of the year.
“We understand that The Weeknd is disappointed at not being nominated,” Mason Jr. says. “I was surprised and can empathize with what he’s feeling. His music this year was excellent, and his contributions to the music community and broader world are worthy of everyone’s admiration.”
According to TMZ’s report, the Grammys officials issued the musician an ultimatum between the two events, but came to an agreement where the musician could perform at both after heated negotiations.