Grammy Awards postponed due to coronavirus surge
This year's Grammy Awards ceremony due to take place on Jan. 31 has been postponed because of the coronavirus surge in Los Angeles, California, according to the Jan. 8 reports of USA TODAY and Variety.
The media outlets referred to multiple sources that claimed that the ceremony might move to March 14, 2021, in the hope that the COVID-19 surge will have gone down by that time.
The Grammy Awards present the highest, most prestigious awards in the music industry. The Recording Academy, which organizes the Grammys, and broadcaster CBS have not yet returned requests for comment.
The Screen Actors Guild, however, expressed disappointment over this new development, mainly because the Grammy Awards is being rescheduled to happen on the same day as the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The Screen Actors Guild's organizers told USA TODAY in a statement that the organization is "extremely disappointed" about the conflicting date and wants to "find ways to make this year's awards season as successful as possible.”
The guild also added: "We announced the same date for the SAG Awards last July with the intent to give the greatest possible scheduling consideration for other awards shows. We expect the same consideration from sister organizations throughout the industry," USA TODAY reported.
Los Angeles is currently experiencing a high increase in coronavirus deaths and hospital admissions in the past few months, making it among the US's COVID-19 hotspots.
During the earlier months of the pandemic, a stay-at-home order was imposed in California. As the months passed, the state slowly re-opened.
In December 2020, however, the state was again placed under stay-at-home orders after a spike in coronavirus cases. Gyms, hair salons, and restaurants have been shut down and residents urged to stay at home as much as possible.
Grammy organizers mentioned late last year they were seeking to change the way the annual show was held, without a large audience and the traditional red carpet for the celebrities. Organizers also said they were planning on staging some performances in small outdoor venues rather than the large indoor Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.
Singer Beyoncé leads this year's Grammy Awards nominations as she's nominated in nine categories, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Performance, Best Music Video, and Best Music Film.
Voting for the Grammy winners are chosen by members of the Recording Academy. It has ended on Monday, January 4.
The 62nd Grammy Awards back in 2020 featured singers Billie Eilish, Lil Nas, Lizzo, and Aerosmith as some of the big winners.
Check out some of the major events cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19: