The Weeknd has made a surprise return to the Grammy Awards stage after four years of award shows boycott.
On Sunday, the R&B musician, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, took the Grammys stage to perform a medley of his hits Cry For Me and Timeless from his newly released album Hurry Up Tomorrow.
The Weeknd's return to the Grammys comes after he publicly criticized the awards show in 2021 as he got snubbed in the nominations that year, despite having a successful year with his album After Hours.
"The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency..." he wrote at the time.
Later on, the singer announcing that he would no longer allow his label to submit his music for consideration.
"Because of the secret committees. I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys," he told The New York Times at the time.
However, it appears that The Weeknd has made amends with the Recording Academy, with CEO Harvey Mason Jr. referencing the controversy in his opening remarks.
"I heard him. I felt his conviction. What we all want is an organization dedicated to the well-being of all music makers, and one that reflects the entire music community for now and for future generations. So over the past few years, we've listened, we have acted, and we've changed," he said.
The Weeknd released his sixth studio album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, on January 31, 2025.
