The Grammy Awards ceremony due to take place on 31 January has been postponed to 14 March because of the coronavirus surge in Los Angeles, organisers say.
Trophies from the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in New York in 2018. Photo: AFP
The Recording Academy told members in a memo that the ceremony to present the highest awards in the music industry was being delayed after talks with health experts and musicians.
"After thoughtful conversations with health experts, our network partner CBS, our host, and artists scheduled to appear, we have made the decision to postpone the 63rd Grammy Awards to March 14, 2021," Recording Academy interim president Harvey Mason Jr said in the message seen by Reuters.
"The deteriorating Covid situation in Los Angeles, where hospital services have been overwhelmed, ICUs have reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do," he added.
Los Angeles is experiencing a spike in Covid-19 deaths and hospital admissions. Gyms, hair salons and restaurants have been shut down and residents urged to stay at home as much as possible.
Beyonce leads nominations for this year's Grammys with nine nods, in a November announcement that was overshadowed by a stunning snub for Canadian musician The Weeknd.
- Reuters