Grammys 2022 postponed due to Omicron

This is according to a 5 January joint statement by the scheme’s oversight body, the Recording Academy and US broadcaster CBS, who say going ahead with the ceremony “simply contains too many risks.” Last year, the awards ceremony was postponed due to similar reasons.

“After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual Grammy Awards show,” the statement reads. “The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audience, and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remains our top priority.”

The organisers add that a new date will be communicated in due course.

Widely touted as music’s biggest night, the Grammys celebrate “artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position.” The 2022 edition will honour musical work across 86 categories. Nominees were selected from about 22 000 eligible entries released between 1 September 2020 and 30 September 2021. The winners will be voted for by a Recording Academy composed of more than 11 000 members.

West African stars including Ghana’s Rocky Dawuni and Benin’s Angélique Kidjo, as well as Nigeria’s Wizkid, Femi and Made Kuti have all secured nominations at the forthcoming awards. With South Africa’s Wouter Kellerman and Black Coffee also scoring nods, the 64th Grammys will be the edition with the most nominees from Africa. Last year, Burna Boy won the Best Global Music Album award.

Rocky Dawuni credits the continent’s recent success at the awards to the internet’s role in democratising music distribution and eliminating gatekeepers, adding that it testifies to the fact that African music has “always had that power.”

This year, jazz singer Jon Batiste leads nominations this year with 11 nods, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best R&B Album. He is followed by Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R. with eight nominations apiece. Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo are up for seven trophies each.