The Recording Academy announced Monday that its biggest event, the Grammy Awards, will "go ahead as planned" on February 2 despite fires that have devastated large swaths of Los Angeles County.
The music organization said in a letter to Recording Academy members obtained by The Times that the 67th annual Grammy Awards, scheduled to be broadcast on CBS, will be held "in close coordination with local authorities." Broadcasting from the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. Ensure public safety and responsible use of area resources. "
"This year's show, however, will bring a new sense of purpose: to raise more funds to support wildfire relief efforts and to honor those who risk their lives to protect ours," said Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO Harvey Mason. Jr. and Board President Tammy Hurt.
"The Grammy Awards will not only celebrate the artistry and achievement of our music community, but also serve as a platform to enhance the resilience of our great city," Mason and Hurt said.
In response to extreme winds sweeping drought-stricken Southern California on Tuesday, the college and its charity MusiCares launched Los Angeles Fire Rescue with an initial donation of $1 million to support music industry workers affected by the fires. The letter said the additional donations allowed the organization to distribute more than $2 million in emergency aid to those who need it most.
“We remain firmly committed to providing ongoing assistance,” Mason and Hurt said on behalf of the organizations.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Mason said the music community had been "severely impacted" by the fires but would come together as an industry to support each other.
“Our organization exists to serve musicians because music is a powerful force for good in the world and we hope the wider industry will now come together to support this cause.”
As of Monday morning, 25 people were confirmed dead in the blaze, which has destroyed thousands of buildings. About 92,000 people remain under evacuation orders, and another 89,000 live in areas where evacuation warnings have been issued.
The National Weather Service also issued an ominous "Special Hazardous Conditions" warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, warning of possible wind gusts of 45 mph to 70 mph, dry air and a higher risk of rapid fire spread. fire behavior.
On Monday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences once again postponed the release of nominations for the 97th Academy Awards, which honor the year's best films, due to ongoing wildfires. The announcement was initially scheduled for this Friday. It was previously postponed to Sunday and then from Monday to January 23.
Nominations for this year's Grammy Awards were announced in November, with Beyoncé leading the nominations, along with Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Kendrick Lamar and Post Malone.