P!nk has slammed the Recording Academy for its tepid response to criticism over yesterday’s Grammys and the #GrammysSoMale hashtag.
Yesterday, the only women honoured with a Grammy during the telecast were Alessia Cara (for Best New Artist) and Rihanna, who featured on Kendrick Lamar‘s Grammy Award-winning LOYALTY.
Responding to the criticism, Recording Academy president Neil Portnow told Variety that women need to “step up” if they want to be honoured at the awards.
“It has to begin with… women who have the creativity in their hearts and souls, who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, producers, and want to be part of the industry on the executive level… [They need] to step up because I think they would be welcome.”
Except, as P!nk said in a handwritten note posted to Twitter, women have been stepping up since the dawn of time.
“Women in music don’t need to ‘step up’ – women have been stepping since the beginning of time. Stepping up, and also stepping aside, women OWNED music this year. They’ve been KILLING IT. And every year before this,” she wrote.
“When we celebrate and honour the talent and accomplishments of women, and how much women STEP UP every year, against all odds, we show the next generation of women and girls and boys and men what it means to be equal, and what it looks like to be fair.”
— P!nk (@Pink) January 29, 2018
It comes amid a wave of criticism about the Portnow’s words, with the hashtag #GrammysSoMale trending.
Once again, #EdSheeran wins over much stronger female contenders, so instead of #kesha‘s song about overcoming sexual abuse, we reward another song by a man about a woman’s body. #GRAMMYs #metoo #timesup #grammyssomale
— Anya Silver (@AnyaSilverPoet) January 29, 2018
Isn’t it great how the #GRAMMYs claims to be so current & relevant – black outfits.. Time’s Up badges.. white roses.. Kesha giving a moving performance with women on stage..
And yet Every single major award last night was won by a male artist? 🤔
Speaks Volumes,#GrammysSoMale— Karl Booton (@karlbooton) January 29, 2018
GAGA GOT ROBBED. KESHA GOT ROBBED. SZA GOT ROBBED. LORDE GOT ROBBED. ONLY ONE WOMAN WON IN THE MAJOR CATEGORIES — ALESSIA CARA.
And the Recording Academy has the audacity to use these women as promos and advertisements for their organization?! #GRAMMYs #GrammysSoMale
— dan (@theleonpaladin) January 29, 2018
Lorde – who as well as being the only woman to be nominated for Album of the Year, was reportedly the only one in that category not to be offered a solo performance spot – responded to the Grammys snub by promoting her tour.
https://twitter.com/lorde/status/958028718437425152
Can confirm: she murders a stage and then shows up to its funeral.