Ariana Grande Reportedly Declined A Grammy This Year & Requested It Be Given To Someone Else
This isn't the first time she's skipped the Grammys.
Sky Cinema / Shutterstock For second time in a row, Ariana Grande decided to skip out on the Grammys, despite being nominated for multiple awards.
However, an anonymous source told gossip site Deux Moi that the 'Thank U, Next' singer had been set to win for one the categories she'd been nominated in, but she allegedly declined the award.
Ariana Grande was reportedly the original recipient of Olivia Rodrigo's Grammy.
"So, a reliable source inside the academy says that Ariana Grande would have won the best pop solo performance category with the song 'Positions,' but she declined the award and asked them to give it to someone else," the source told Deux Moi.
Grande had been in the running Best Pop Vocal Album for 'Positions,' with the title track also snagging a nomination for Best Solo Pop Performance. For both categories, Olivia Rodrigo ended up taking home the Grammy for her album 'Sour,' and her single, 'drivers license.'
She also has a credit on Doja Cat's album 'Planet Her,' which had been nominated for Album of the Year, but lost to Jon Batiste for his album 'We Are.'
Fans hadn't been aware that Grande was choosing not to attend this year's ceremony until hours before the show was set to premiere.
Why did Ariana Grande skip the Grammys?
In a post on her Instagram, she shared photos of her time making 'Positions,' followed by a caption that read, "Some positions memories to celebrate grammy day reflecting on an incredible process with so many creatives that I love and respect so deeply."
“I love this album so,” she continued. “it’s an honor to be recognized today alongside so many brilliant musicians and human beings that I love. to have each other, to have the gifts that we have, to share and feel heard.. is not something to take for granted, we’ve already won. :). Have a beautiful time, I am celebrating all of you there today!”
Grande, who already has won two Grammys in the past for Best Pop Vocal Album for 'Sweetener' in 2019, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her “Rain on Me” collaboration with Lady Gaga in 2021, has previously skipped out on past Grammy Awards.
Ariana Grande has had tensions with Grammy's organizers before.
In 2019, Grande opted to skip out on the ceremony due to a disagreement with Grammy producers over which songs she would be performing.
A source told Variety that she had felt "insulted" after producers told Grande that she could not perform her single '7 Rings.' They had eventually reached a compromise where '7 Rings' could be performed as part of a medley, but the producers insisted that the second song be their choice.
That same year, Grande publicly called out the Recording Academy in a series of since-deleted tweets. Her frustration had stemmed after the family of her late ex-boyfriend Mac Miller had been invited to attend the Grammys despite the fact that Miller ended up losing in the category he'd been posthumously nominated for, Best Rap Album.
“F*ck,” Grande had tweeted after Cardi B had been announced as the winner. “Trash,” she added, and “literal bullsh*t."
She followed up her tweets, writing, "nothing to do w her. Good for her. I promise. I’m sorry," after fans initially thought Grande was upset that Cardi B had won.
In another tweet, Grande clarified to a fan that she'd been upset because Miller's family had been invited by the Academy to the show only for them to watch him lose, writing, "this. this is what I meant. Karen was gonna have a green suit made,” referring to Miller’s mother, Karen Meyers.
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Follow her on Instagram.