The Recording Academy announced Monday that its marquee event — the Grammy Awards — “will proceed as planned” on Feb. 2 despite the fires devastating large swaths of Los Angeles County.
The music organization, in a letter to Recording Academy members obtained by The Times, said the 67th Grammy Awards ceremony, which is scheduled to air on CBS from the Crypto.com Arena in downtown L.A., will take place “in close coordination with local authorities to ensure public safety and responsible use of area resources.”
“This year’s show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours,” said Recording Academy and MusiCares Chief Executive Harvey Mason Jr. and Board of Trustees chair Tammy Hurt.
“The Grammys will not only honor the artistry and achievements of our music community but also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles,” Mason and Hurt said.
In response to the fires, which broke out Tuesday when extreme winds blew across an arid Southern California, the academy and its philanthropic arm MusiCares launched the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort with an initial $1-million donation to support those who work in the music industry who are affected by the fires. Additional contributions have allowed the organization to distribute more than $2 million in emergency aid to those most in need, the letter said.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing ongoing assistance,” Mason and Hurt said on behalf of the organizations.
In a statement issued Thursday, Mason said the music community was “severely impacted” by the fires but that it would come together as an industry to support one another.
“Our organizations exist to serve music people because music is a powerful force for good in the world, and we hope the broader industry will now rally to this cause.”
As of Monday morning, 25 people are confirmed dead in the wake of the firestorm, which has destroyed thousands of structures. Roughly 92,000 people remain under evacuation orders and 89,000 more people are in areas where evacuation warnings have been issued.
The National Weather Service has also issued an ominous “particularly dangerous situation” warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, warning of the possibility of wind gusts ranging from 45 mph to 70 mph, dry air and a higher risk of rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior.
On Monday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences once again delayed the announcement of nominees for the 97th Academy Awards, which honor the best films of the year, due to the ongoing wildfires. The announcement was originally set for this coming Friday. It was previously pushed to Sunday, then pushed again Monday to Jan. 23.
The nominations for this year’s Grammy Awards were announced in November with Beyoncé leading the nominees along with musicians Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Post Malone.
