By Goodluck Ikiebe.
The Grammy awards celebrating music slated for January 31 in Los Angeles have been postponed due to COVID-19, which has been rapidly spreading in California. The event would now hold on March 4, 2021
The 63rd annual ceremony’s delay comes less than four weeks before it was set to take place in the shadow of the pandemic that has dealt devastating blows to the music industry.
“After thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear, we are rescheduling the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards to be broadcast Sunday, March 14, 2021,” the organizers said.
“ The deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do.
“Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show.
“We want to thank all of the talented artists, the staff, our vendors and especially this year’s nominees for their understanding, patience and willingness to work with us as we navigate these unprecedented times.”
The organization had said the show set for late January would be mostly virtual, but had not released specific plans.
Beyonce, Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift and rapper Roddy Rich are the top nominees at the normally star-studded gala.
Comedian Trevor Noah was set to host the 2021 show.
The nominations were rolled out by stars across the globe speaking via video chat.
Other awards shows, like the Emmys and the Latin Grammys, have been forced to go partially or fully virtual in light of pandemic restrictions on large gatherings.
Los Angeles is now among the centers of the coronavirus pandemic, with hospitals reeling from record cases and residents under a stay-at-home order.
The southern California surge follows Thanksgiving and the holiday season, with reports of oxygen rationing and patients forced to spend hours waiting in ambulances for beds to open.
