Los Angeles plans for hosting Grammy Awards as horrific wildfires burn on

The Grammy Awards, which are set to take place on Sunday night in Los Angeles, are under fire from critics who feel the music industry event shouldn't be going ahead

The week before the Grammy Awards is typically filled with a glittering array of star-studded events.

But this year, the city, which usually teems with music industry greats during this time, from producers and singers to agents and musicians, has seen a significant downturn in festivities due to the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles. Even the famously raucous after-parties have been called off.

In the aftermath of LA’s most harrowing fire disaster, which took 24 days to extinguish completely and claimed 29 lives while destroying over 16,000 properties, the Grammys, also known as the "Oscars for music," faced uncertainty. With entire neighbourhoods reduced to ashes, many in the music community have suffered personal and professional losses, losing homes, studios, and equipment.

In the muted lead-up to the show, efforts usually put toward parties have gone instead toward fundraising efforts. Showrunners say the ceremony itself will also look different.

Harvey Mason Jr., the Recording Academy CEO, shared that the event will adopt a reimagined format, feature a toned-down red carpet, and embrace a more reflective mood. He emphasised the crucial economic role the Grammys play, especially for the service sector, portraying the decision to proceed with the show as a stand for resilience, suggesting that a cancellation would not serve either the city or the music industry well.

During a webcast, Mr Mason made a compelling argument for the continuance of the Grammy's event saying: "Cancelling, pushing, moving does not accomplish what us standing together does". He envisions the show as a beacon of unity and support, highlighting that it will be "unifying and coming together, honouring music, but also using the power of music to heal, rebuild and provide services to people who need it.

"I think this might be one of the most important Grammy weeks we've ever had."

In an interview with the New York Times, Mr Mason explained that they reached out to various public officials to ascertain whether going ahead with the show would impact fire response efforts, including conversations with the city's mayor and Governor Gavin Newsom of California.

"They strongly suggested that we continue forward with hosting the event," he said. "Everyone said there's nothing good that comes from postponing."

Despite the green light from authorities, concerns remain within the industry about the optics of the occasion. Creative director Elyn Kazarian told the BBC: "I actually don't think that the Grammys should be happening. It's just very weird to me that there are going to be celebrities on a red carpet wearing expensive clothes while people in other parts of the city are suffering and whose livelihoods have been destroyed."

Showrunners say the fires will be a theme that runs throughout the ceremony and the city of Los Angeles will be centre stage.

Ben Winston, one of the three executive producers of the show, told the New York Times that the awards will "make LA a character in the night of Grammys" and the show would pay tribute to first responders. A big aim of the show will be fundraising for fire relief efforts.

Taylor Swift and Beyonce are to go head-to-head for the album of the year award at the 67th Grammy Awards on Sunday. The ceremony will see performances from Brat star Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish and Chappell Roan, with Beyonce being the most recognised artist with 11 nominations.

The 43-year-old’s Cowboy Carter album could become the awards’ most decorated LP, a title currently held by Santana’s Supernatural, which received nine awards in 2000, and one of the record’s singles, Texas Hold ‘Em, is up for the record of the year, song of the year and country song of the year.

Should it win the top award, the LP would be Beyonce’s first record to win best album, having previously failed with 2008’s I Am… Sasha Fierce, 2013’s Beyonce, 2016’s Lemonade and 2022’s Renaissance.

But the former Destiny’s Child member will face still competition from Swift, 35, whose The Tortured Poets Department has been nominated. Swift herself has also received five other nominations.

The Anti-Hero singer made Grammy history in 2024 as the first person to win album of the year four times with Midnights. The US star used her acceptance speech at the ceremony to announce the release of her 11th studio album, which saw her become the most-streamed artist in a single day on streaming platform Spotify.

Swift and Beyonce’s albums will also square off against Charli XCX’s Brat, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet, Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard And Soft and Chappell Roan’s The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess for the album of the year Grammy.

Beyonce made history during the Grammys ceremony in 2023, securing the most awards won in a lifetime after picking up her 32nd award. Kendrick Lamar, Charli XCX, Post Malone and Billie Eilish follow Beyonce as joint-second most-nominated artists, each with seven nods.

Elsewhere, The Beatles are up for two awards for their 2023 song Now And Then, created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). The Fab Four are nominated for record of the year and best rock performance.

British star Raye has also received nods for best new artist and songwriter of the year non-classical. In the best new artist category, she will compete against Roan, rising rapper Doechii, Benson Boone, Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, Carpenter and Khruangbin, despite the latter pair releasing their debut studio albums almost a decade ago in 2015.

The 2025 awards, which will see 94 awards handed out, are given to recordings commercially released in the US between September 16 2023, to August 30 2024.

Last year’s ceremony saw Eilish take home song of the year for her hit track What Was I Made For? from the Greta Gerwig film Barbie, while Miley Cyrus won record of the year for her viral summer sensation Flowers.