If anyone had bet in 2025 on the possibility of the Canadian returning to the event after his boycott, they would certainly not have won a penny. After his public outburst in 2021, when his album After Hours was completely ignored, The Weeknd announced his definitive withdrawal from the ceremony and made it clear that his relationship with the awards would not go beyond indifference. However, in a surprise move, the artist decided to end his boycott during the 67th edition of the Grammys, where he appeared as a guest for an electrifying surprise set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this new phase, with his recent release Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd captivated the audience with a medley of “Cry For Me” and “Timeless”, inviting his friend and tour partner Playboi Carti for the latter. A performance that made it clear that, despite his tense relationship with the academy, he remains a key figure in the music scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI remember waking up to headlines about The Weeknd calling out the Academy for its lack of transparency. I listened to him and I really felt the power of his words,\u201d said Harvey Mason Jr., president of the Grammys, recalling the 2021 remarks, which he said were the trigger for a series of changes at the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat we are all looking for is an organization that promotes the well-being of all music creators and authentically reflects the diversity of the music community, both now and for future generations. Over these years we have listened, we have acted, and we have changed. We have launched initiatives such as the Black Music Collective, Women in the Mix, Academy Proud, among others. We have completely revamped our membership, adding more than 3,000 women voters. Today, the Grammy electorate is younger, almost 40% people of color, and 66% of our members are new since we began this transformation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n