The Weeknd cancels Rose Bowl concert and album amid devastating LA fires... as Grammys vow to go ahead

The Weeknd, amid the ongoing Los Angeles fires, has canceled a January 25 concert at the Rose Bowl and delayed by a week the release of his album Hurry Up Tomorrow.

The 34-year-old singer-songwriter addressed 76 Instagram million followers in a post Monday.

'Hurry Up Tomorrow: Out of respect and concern for the people of Los Angeles County, the Rose Bowl show has been cancelled and the album date has been postponed to 01.31.25,' he said.

In a second slide, he expounded on his decisions to push back both the show and album release date.

'This city has always been a profound source of inspiration for me, and my thoughts are with everyone impacted during this difficult time,' said the Blinding Lights artist, born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye.

He continued: 'In light of this, I have also decided to push the release of my album to January 31st. My focus remains on supporting the recovery of these communities and aiding its incredible people as they rebuild.'

The Weeknd wrapped up the posting with the sign-off, 'With love, Abel.'

Other performers who have postponed shows amid the deadly blazes include Rod Wave, Bad Bad Hats and Cody Fry with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Rolling Stone reported Monday.

Hurry Up Tomorrow is the third act in a trilogy that commenced with 2020's After Hours and 2022's Dawn FM. He has put out three music videos in promotion of the record: Dancing in the Flames; Timeless, a collab with Playboi Carti; and São Paulo, a collab with Anitta.

A 'musically driven psychological thriller' under the same title will be released May 16, with Trey Edward Shults directing and starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.

The Weeknd made his statement as an organization he has past been at odds with - Recording Academy - reiterated they are continuing with plans to commence with the 67th Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles on February 2, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Recording Academy officials Harvey Mason Jr. and Tammy Hurt said the ceremony will be 'in close coordination with local authorities to ensure public safety and responsible use of area resources,' the newspaper reported after reviewing a letter.

Mason and Hurt said that 'this year's show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours.

'The Grammys will not only honor the artistry and achievements of our music community but also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles.'

The Weeknd made his statement as an organization he has past been at odds with - Recording Academy - reiterated they are continuing with plans to commence with the 67th Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles on February 2, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Recording Academy officials Harvey Mason Jr. and Tammy Hurt said the ceremony will be 'in close coordination with local authorities to ensure public safety and responsible use of area resources,' the newspaper reported after reviewing a letter.

Mason and Hurt said that 'this year's show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours.

'The Grammys will not only honor the artistry and achievements of our music community but also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles.'

The Recording Academy's philanthropic division, MusiCares, has made a $1 million donation via its Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort, to aid people in the industry impacted by the blazes.

Mason and Hurt said that subsequent donations to come in generated an additional $2 million toward industry professionals 'severely impacted' by the events of the past week in Southern California.

'We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing ongoing assistance,' Mason and Hurt said. 'Our organizations exist to serve music people because music is a powerful force for good in the world, and we hope the broader industry will now rally to this cause.'

Officials Monday said the death toll had reached at least 24 people, according to the AP, adding that the total number of victims was expected to increase amid ongoing missing persons searches.

Officials on Monday said that the Palisades Fire was 11 percent contained, while the Eaton Fire was 27 percent contained, after having decimated an estimated area eclipsing 62 square miles. 

The National Weather Service said in red flag warnings that 50 mph winds will continue to aggravate conditions from Monday to Wednesday, with an expected peak on Tuesday. 

On Monday, President Joe Biden urged Congress 'to step up' and earmark the tens of billions of dollars it will take to rebuild the affected areas. He said that the federal government plans to pay for expenses over the next 180 days.

The president said at the White House that firefighters and first responders were 'the angels' amid their efforts to douse the blazes, while Vice President Kamala Harris said the aftermath of the fires were 'truly heartbreaking.'

The Weeknd famously called the Grammys 'corrupt' after learning that his critically-acclaimed album After Hours had been snubbed in every category at the 2021 ceremony. 

He stated his past wins 'mean nothing to [him]' as he spoke candidly about his Grammys gripe in a January 2021 interview with Billboard.

'Look, I personally don't care anymore. I have three Grammys, which mean nothing to me now, obviously,' The Weeknd

The Weeknd first graced the Grammy Awards stage in 2016 as he accepted the gong for Best Urban Contemporary Album for Beauty Behind The Madness, as well the award for Best R&B Performance for Earned It.

Following the successful release of his third studio album Starboy, he earned the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album for a second time during the 2017 ceremony. 

The Weeknd also took home the Best Urban Contemporary Album for Starboy in 2018.

In his discussion with Billboard, The Weeknd wanted to clarify that his Instagram post calling out the Grammys was not a temper tantrum, but more of a cry for justice.  

'It's not like, "Oh, I want the Grammy!"' he said. 'It's just that this happened, and I'm down to get in front of the fire, as long as it never happens again. I suck at giving speeches anyways. Forget awards shows.'

Reflecting on the months before his now infamous snub, The Weeknd insisted that he and his team 'did everything right' and that the critical and public reaction to After Hours suggested he would be an obvious Grammy frontrunner.  

'We did everything right, I think. I'm not a cocky person. I'm not arrogant,' the Starboy singer insisted. 'People told me I was going to get nominated. The world told me. Like, "This is it; this is your year." We were all very confused.'

The Weeknd used Instagram on the day of the 2021 Grammy nominations to claim that the Grammys are a 'corrupt' award show, while also encouraging them to be transparent with their nominees, honorees, and audience.

'You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency...' wrote the star, who shared the post with his 28.2 million followers on November 24, 2020.

The Weeknd's very public criticism also came amid reports that contentious negotiations with Grammy organizers may have led to him being shut out of nominations.        

Recording Academy interim chief Harvey Mason, jr. responded to the singer's public complaints in a statement to Rolling Stone in November of 2020. 

'We understand that the Weeknd is disappointed at not being nominated,' he said. 'I was surprised and can empathize with what he's feeling. 

'His music this year was excellent, and his contributions to the music community and broader world are worthy of everyone's admiration.'

Mason continued: 'We would have loved to have him also perform on the Grammy stage the weekend before' the Super Bowl.] Unfortunately, every year, there are fewer nominations than the number of deserving artists.'

The Weeknd won his fourth Grammy in April of 2022 at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas in the category for Best Melodic Rap Performance for Hurricane, but did not attend the show to accept.