The Weeknd’s surprise Grammys performance ends his yearslong beef with Recording Academy

The Weeknd announced his Grammys boycott back in 2021

The Weeknd made a surprising return to the Grammys on Sunday after boycotting the music awards in 2021.

The Canadian artist — whose real name is Abel Tesfaye — took the stage to play two songs from his latest album, Hurry Up Tomorrow.

The R&B star launched into “Cry For Me” before being joined by Playboi Carti for “Timeless.”

The performance comes three years after Tesfaye turned his back on the biggest night in music.

The Weeknd told The New York Times in a 2021 statement he would “no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys” due to what he called “the secret committees” after his double-platinum album After Hours was snubbed entirely.

As explained by the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammys, committees are responsible for determining final nominees in several categories after a first-round vote by members. Members determine the winners in each category during a final vote.

The Weeknd performs at the 2025 Grammy Awards (Getty Images)

Back in February of that year, The Weeknd said the Grammys “mean nothing to me” after he was omitted from that year’s pool of nominees.

Of Tesfaye’s boycott, Grammys interim president Harvey Mason Jr told The Times: “We’re all disappointed when anyone is upset. But I will say that we are constantly evolving. And this year, as in past years, we are going to take a hard look at how to improve our awards process, including the nomination review committees.”

Mason said the nomination review committees were established in 1989 “to eliminate the potential for a general-awareness bias that might favour artists who enjoy greater name recognition over emerging artists, independent music and late-year releases.”

Tesfaye released Hurry Up Tomorrow last week, promising it was the final installment in his The Weeknd persona.

Later this year, he’ll star opposite Wednesday actor Jenna Ortega and Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan in a feature film inspired by the record.

In a five-star review for The Independent, Roisin O’Connor wrote: “Hurry Up Tomorrow... is the first album of Tesfaye’s that actually feels like a movie, scored by his trademark maelstrom of electronic and R&B.

“... It would be easy to dismiss this album as indulgent – particularly after Tesfaye gave everyone the collective ick in HBO’s ludicrous misfire of a series The Idol – but Hurry Up Tomorrow is impressive for its ambition alone.”