Grammys postponed due to COVID concerns

The Grammy Awards have been postponed because of the surging Omicron COVID-19 variant.

The 64th edition of the music industry’s most prestigious — and sometimes most contentious — annual awards show had been scheduled to take place Jan. 31 at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. (Until December, the venue had been known as Staples Center.)

On Wednesday, the Recording Academy — under whose auspices the Grammys are presented — and CBS announced the postponement in a joint statement.

“After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual Grammy Award show,” the statement said.

“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 remains our top priority. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on January 31 simply contains too many risks. We look forward to celebrating ‘Music’s Biggest Night’ on a future date, which will be announced soon.”

At least four of the 2022 Grammy nominees are former or current San Diego residents, including singersongwriters Alicia Keys and 2021 Oscar nominee Andra Day, recording engineer Joseph Lorge and rapper and former San Diego State student Saweetie (born Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper).

This marks the second consecutive year the Grammys have been postponed because of the pandemic. Last year’s edition was pushed back from Jan. 31 to March 14 and moved from the Staples Center to the adjoining Los Angeles Convention Center.

Also pushed back this year because of the Omicron variant surge is the Jan. 29 MusiCares Person of the Year all-star concert honoring Joni Mitchell. No new date has been announced.