by: Eliza Moore
For over 60 years, the Grammys have encapsulated American viewers with everything from flashy performances to heartfelt speeches. The 2021 Grammys show brought about a significant amount of conversation from both celebrities and the public regarding racial representation.
The Grammys have a history of centering whiteness, and lacking diverse representation. Both the nominating committees and nominations have historically lacked racial diversity, as well as a lack of women nominations. While there has been some improvement, many artists nominated in the hip-hop and R&B categories have made statements about their lack of success in the Grammys. According to New York Times, “the show has alienated more and more hip-hop and R&B stars — like Drake, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Frank Ocean — by failing to give them the most prestigious prizes.”
The 2021 Grammys show aired after years of accusations of bias against black artists within the awards organization. Artists have begun to speak out against the Grammys, with The Weeknd spurring much public discourse regarding a boycott against the 2021 showing. With a chart-breaking record and a superbowl halftime show, The Weeknd is critically acclaimed and widely popular, yet he received zero nominations.
Historically, the Grammys nomination process has included “anonymous expert committees” who make all the final determinations regarding who is nominated and who receives the awards. This committee has awarded relatively few people of color with Herbie Hancock to be the last Black artist to win album of the year in 2008, and Lauryn Hill to be the last black woman artist to win in 1999.
The Weeknd’s public boycott was certainly effective, as he was backed by other major artists such as Jay-Z, Frank Ocean, and Kanye West who publicly boycotted the show as well. What does this say about the value of winning a Grammy if so many successful artists of color are clearly not represented? Drake stated that he had to “accept that what once was the highest form of recognition may no longer matter to the artists that exist now and the ones that come after” (https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55084287).
The Weeknd’s efforts to call attention to the lack of representation in the Grammys were not in vain, as the show invited thousands of new members to its academy, hired a diversity officer, and a new advisory group whose intent is to “amplify Black voices”. Hopefully, these changes will be effective and apparent in the 2022 showing, as inclusivity is better enforced. This has the potential to bring about other representational issues. Are the nomination committees truly representative if women and people of color are “tokened” into the committees to save the Grammys from further boycotts and negative public discourse?
Controversies like these are part of a perceived growing lack of value in award shows such as the Grammys. According to the New York Times, the 2021 viewership fell to 8.8 million, showing a 53 percent drop from the previous year of 18.7 viewers. With the apparent issues regarding racial representation, the process and presentation of the show need to be fully reconstructed. While there certainly are some steps being taken in the correct direction to revise the disparities within the nominating process, I think it will take years before the show reaches complete and true revision.
The Weeknd’s public boycott of the 2021 Grammys has been successful in bringing awareness to the lack of representation in American award shows. He was not only able to rally the support of many other Grammy-nominated artists, but provoke change within the nominating system.
