A dispute has broken out between Ariana Grande and Ken Erlich, the producer of this coming Sunday’s Grammy Awards, over why she won’t perform on the telecast.
Grande was in talks to perform Sunday, but, according to Ehrlich, she “felt it was too late for her to pull something together” after ongoing conversations for the last month or so. Grande disputed that narrative Thursday on Twitter.
“I’ve kept my mouth shut but now you’re lying about me,” Grande tweeted. “I can pull together a performance overnight 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.”
Grande said she offered to perform three different songs but apparently did not feel that producers were being collaborative or supportive, The Times reported.
“It’ about feeling supported. It’s about art and honesty. Not politics. Not doing favors or playing games. Its just a game y’all.. and I’m sorry but that’s not what music is to me,” she added.
The Times cited reports that Grande felt “insulted” when producers initially refused to let her perform “7 Rings,” the latest track from her “Thank u, next” album, which drops at midnight Friday evening. After they insisted on picking her second song, Grande reportedly pulled out of the performance because such impositions were not made on other performers. Then she refused to attend the event altogether, according to reports cited by The Times.
The pop star has yet to win a Grammy but is up for two awards Sunday, including for solo performance (“God Is a Woman”) and pop vocal album (“Sweetener”).
In spite of her dispute with Erlich, “I am still grateful for the acknowledgment this year,” she said of her nominations, according to The Times.