The Recording Academy and CBS announced on Wednesday that the annual Grammy Awards 2022 show is postponed indefinitely. It owes to the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
In a joint statement, CBS and the Recording Academy said, “Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on January 31 simply contains too many risks.”
“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 remain our top priority.”
According to the statement, “We look forward to celebrating Music’s Biggest Night on a future date, which will be announced soon.”
The music awards show was going to happen on January 31.
The award nominations were out in November. Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Rodrigo were among the leading nominees for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. Also veteran crooner Tony Bennett, 95, who won his first Grammy in 1963, is a nominee. Jon Batiste, a jazz and R&B performer, television personality, and bandleader, received the most nominations with 11.
Grammys Awards 2021
The Grammy Awards for 2021 did not happen because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony took place in March rather than January. It was a mix of pre-recorded and live pieces performed in front of a small, socially distant audience.
The show last spring was the first of the pandemic era’s Grammys. It was a more television-friendly, socially distanced cabaret-style presentation with a heavy-on performance.
The Grammy Awards 2022 (postponed), was likely to return to the traditional arena-style celebration at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Omicron
In the week ending January 1, the extensively altered omicron strain, which is the most transmissible to date, also accounted for about 95 percent of US cases.
Omicron’s death and hospitalization rates have been declining over the world, boosting expectations that the virus will evolve into a mild seasonal sickness.
On Tuesday, however, the World Health Organization in Europe issued a dire warning, warning that rising infection rates could have the opposite impact.
