The 2018 Grammys are already proving to be controversial for Lorde. The singer, who is nominated in the Album of the Year category, won't be performing at tonight's ceremony. She's the only nominee in that category who doesn't have a solo spot, and she also happens to be the only woman.
According to Variety, Lorde was asked to perform at the event, but not solo. The publication writes, 'one source says it was part of a tribute to the late Tom Petty involving his song 'American Girl' (which would have been an odd fit for the New Zealand-born singer). Lorde declined.'
If this reasoning is true, and the Grammys only offered Lorde a joint performance slot, it raises a lot of questions. Namely, why were all of the male nominees in the same category afforded a much better opportunity than the "Green Light" singer?
Lorde's Melodrama is up against Bruno Mars (24K Magic), Kendrick Lamar (DAMN.), Jay Z (4:44), and Childish Gambino ("Awaken, My Love!") at tonight's ceremony. The fact that she won't be performing feels like a glaring error, and a missed opportunity to celebrate one of the year's most successful records.
The follow-up to Pure Heroine was released in 2017, and was recorded in collaboration with Jack Antonoff. Following its release, Melodrama became Lorde's first number one album on the Billboard 200.
Lorde's mom took to Twitter this weekend to share an excerpt from The New York Times which read: 'Of the 899 people nominated in the last six Grammy Awards, the report found, only 9 percent were women.'
