Liam Payne Grammy Tribute Brings One Route Followers to Tears

5 years after boycotting the Grammys, the Canadian-singer, whose precise determine is Abel Tesfaye, returned to the stage for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards Sunday night time time.

Performing a medley of music from his new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd had the Grammys crowd on their toes as they witnessed the monumental second, with Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys and additional giving the Starboy singer a standing ovation on the end of his set.

The effectivity was introed by Grammys chief, Harvey Mason Jr., who spoke about The Weeknd’s criticism of the group, which began in 2020, when his smash single “Blinding Lights” — which was shattering streaming info all over the place within the globe on the time, and nonetheless stays the most-streamed tune in Spotify historic previous — was nominated for zero awards that yr.

Calling the Grammys corrupt, The Weeknd took to his Instagram to call out the group.

“The Grammys keep corrupt,” he wrote on the time. “You owe me, my followers and the whole enterprise transparency.”

Scooter Braun echoed the musician’s disappointment on Twitter, tweeting out, “I agree. Congrats to the entire nominees nevertheless @theweeknd and Sal you deserved to be there as successfully and deserved larger. Good artist and smart album.”

Justin Bieber, Teyana Taylor, Nicki Minaj and The Killers moreover voiced their frustrations with the Grammys on the time.

All the chatter prompted a response from Mason, who cited the rising rivals in all genres, with an astounding 23,000 file entries per an interview with Choice for what many perceived as a shortage of vary amongst the 2020 nominees.

“We understand that The Weeknd is dissatisfied at not being nominated. I was shocked and will empathize with what he’s feeling,” Mason talked about on the time.

He went on to reward the artist, together with, “His music this yr was fantastic, and his contributions to the music neighborhood and broader world are worthy of all people’s admiration.”

The beautiful development not solely led to The Weeknd’s boycott of the Grammys, nevertheless for Mason Jr. to overhaul the current’s awards division and course of, making a youthful and additional quite a few voting physique that’s largely to credit score rating for a number of of Sunday night time time’s nominees and winners.

Whatever the modifications, The Weeknd has declined to submit his music for the awards — nevertheless that will seemingly change now that at truce has been struck between him and the Grammys and he has a newly launched album and tour on the way in which through which.

Hurry Up Tomorrow, the long-awaited third chapter of his After Hours trilogy, choices Lana Del Rey, Travis Scott, Future, Florence + the Machine, Giorgio Moroder, Anitta and others.

The album, which was launched Thursday, was initially scheduled to be launched the week prior, nevertheless was delayed out of respect for the tragedy of the Los Angeles wildfires. Proceeds from the album monitor “Take Me Once more To LA” will be donated to LA Regional Meals Monetary establishment, who’re providing emergency meals assist to those instantly impacted by the LA wildfires.

Out of respect for these impacted by the catastrophe, The Weeknd moreover chosen to cancel the deliberate album launch reside efficiency at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl and donated 1 million {{dollars}} to LAFD Foundation, GoFundMe’s Wildfire Help Fund, and LA Regional Meals Monetary establishment as an alternative.

The album will be adopted in Might by the film of the an identical determine, starring the Weeknd with Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.