Representatives for Taylor Swift have laughed off claims that the singer skipped the recent Grammy Awards because she wasn’t guaranteed a win, saying that these rumours are completely false.
A recent New York Post story claimed that Swift’s people spoke with Grammys organisers a few days out from the event, saying she would only perform and attend if she won a big award.
One unnamed source claimed that this is a “widely known” practice in the industry, while another said:
“(Her team) called and wanted to be assured that she would win the Grammy. And while it wasn’t an explicit demand, they certainly were fishing to find out if Taylor was a winner. It was understood in the conversation that if she’s not winning, she’s not coming to the Grammys.”
Taylor Swift was nominated for several awards, including Best Pop Vocal Album for Lover, and Song of The Year for its title track.
There were rumours that she planned to attend for a surprise performance of her song ‘The Man‘, but this did not happen.
When reached for comment, the singer’s reps denied the story, with a spokesperson saying:
“I am on the record: These statements by anonymous, unidentified ‘sources’ are absolutely 100 per cent false and laughable. She just didn’t go to the Grammys. You guys need to calm down.”
The Grammys are currently embroiled in a scandal, with Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan saying she was suspended in retaliation for exposing a “boys club” culture at the organisation.
Various outlets have reported that Taylor Swift actually cancelled her planned surprise performance in solidarity with Dugan, although this has not been officially confirmed.
