The 2021 Grammy Awards ceremony has been postponed by six weeks due to the "deteriorating COVID situation" in LA. The US music industry's big awards bash was set to take place at the end of this month, but will now be held in March.
In a statement, organisers say that "after thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear", they have decided to push back the ceremony from 31 Jan to 14 Mar.
"The deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments, have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do", they go on.
"Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show".
The postponement news comes amid continuing controversy surrounding this year's awards. Following claims of corruption and a backlash over a nomination for Dr Luke, it has now emerged that three of the five acts up for Best Children's Album have rejected their nominations due to all contenders for the prize being white.
Alastair Moock - one of the acts to turn down a nomination, alongside Dogs On Fleas and The Okee Dokee Brothers - tells NPR: "After year, to have an all-white slate of nominees seemed really tone deaf. but I don't want it like this, where the playing field's not even".