‘You’re lying about me’
Grande hits back at Grammys producer, saying she offered to collaborate on show
Ariana Grande has fired back at Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich’s claims that she’s not performing at Sunday’s ceremony because she felt it was “too late for her to pull something together.”
“I’ve kept my mouth shut but now you’re lying about me,” Grande tweeted Thursday. “I can pull together a performance over night and you know that, Ken. it was when my creativity & self expression was stifled by you, that i decided not to attend. i hope the show is exactly what you want it to be and more.
“I offered 3 different songs,” she went on. “it’s about collaboration. it’s about feeling supported. it’s about art and honesty. not politics. not doing favors or playing games. it’s just a game y’all.. and i’m sorry but that’s not what music is to me.” Ehrlich declined to comment. Grande was responding to an Associated Press article published Thursday which quotes Ehrlich as saying, “(When) we finally got the point where we thought maybe it would work, she felt it was too late for her to pull something together for sure. And it’s too bad. She’s a great artist. And I’d love to get her in the show this year.”
Variety had previously reported that Grande wouldn’t perform due to a disagreement with producers over which songs would be featured. Insiders said Grande felt “insulted” that producers didn’t want her to perform her hit single 7 Rings. While they reached a compromise in which 7 Rings would be part of a medley, producers insisted the second song would be their choice, which caused Grande to pull out altogether.
Making matters more tense, Grande’s image is being used in advertising for the Grammys, which sources say has angered the singer’s team, who feel she is being used to promote the show with no commitment to actually participate. Curiously, Canadian rapper Drake, who is the most nominated artist and is up for three of the four marquee awards, doesn’t appear on any tune-in campaigns for the Grammys. An insider says the rapper declined to allow his likeness to be used in such a matter, but wonders, “Why aren’t female artists offered the same courtesy?”
Some of these perceived biases have been percolating for some time but especially in the last year following remarks last January by Recording Academy president Neil Portnow that women need to “step up” to gain more recognition at music events like Grammys.
Grande is up for two Grammys on Sunday: pop solo performance for God Is a Woman and pop vocal album for Sweetener.