KUALA LUMPUR: The Grammy Awards 2022 has been postponed, no thanks to the quick spread of the Omicron variant of the deadly coronavirus.
Reuters reported yesterday that the annual awards, which honours top performances in music, had to be postponed indefinitely by its organisers due to the "Omicron menace".
The Grammys had been scheduled to take place at an arena in downtown Los Angeles and broadcast live on the CBS network on Jan 31.
"Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on Jan 31 simply contains too many risks," CBS and the Recording Academy said in a joint statement.
They also said that a new date would be announced soon.
Nominations for the awards were announced in November. The nominees include both veterans and newcomers, including pianist Jon Batiste, veteran crooner Tony Bennett and teen pop singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo.
The 2021 Grammys were also postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The ceremony was staged in March instead of January and included a mix of pre-recorded and live segments in front of a small, socially-distanced crowd.
CBS and the Recording Academy consulted local officials, health experts and artistes before deciding to scrap the January date.
"The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audiences and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remain our top priority," they said.