Ariana Grande was going to perform at the 61st annual Grammy Awards this Sunday, but now, she won’t even be in attendance for Music’s Biggest Night due to a dispute with producers, according to Variety.
An insider for the 25-year-old singer told Variety that Grande felt “insulted” when she learned that Grammy producers initially weren’t going to let her perform her latest single, “7 Rings,” which broke Spotify’s record for the most plays within a 24-hour period with almost 15 million. (RELATED: Ariana Grande Is Headlining Coachella. Her Performance Is Raising Awareness For This Cause)
They ultimately reached a compromise in which Grande could perform “7 Rings” as part of a medley along with some of her other hits, but the producers reportedly insisted that they choose the second song. That’s when the “thank u, next” singer decided to pull out.
This isn’t the first time the Grammys disputed with a young female artist. They didn’t allow Lorde to perform a song from her “Melodrama” album last year, even though the album was nominated for Album of the Year. They instead asked her to be a part of the show’s tribute for Tom Petty, but she declined.
Grande is nominated for two Grammys this year, Best Pop Vocal Performance for “God Is a Woman” and Best Pop Vocal Album for “Sweetener.” If she wins, don’t expect her and her signature ponytail to take the stage and make an acceptance speech because she won’t be there.
While the “God is a woman” singer is a huge loss for the award show, the Grammys will still feature highly anticipated performances from other major names, including Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, Miley Cyrus, Cardi B, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Dan + Shay, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone and more.