The Weeknd made his grand return to the Grammys during the 2025 ceremony nearly four years after he announced he was boycotting the awards show. After he performed at the latest ceremony, fans are wondering why the Weeknd boycotted the Grammy Awards in the first place.

Why Did the Weeknd Boycott the Grammys?

The Weeknd – whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye – declared he was boycotting the awards show in March 2021 after he accused the Recording Academy of being “corrupt” after his March 2020 album, After Hours, failed to receive a nomination at the 2021 awards ceremony. He went on to speculate that there were “secret committees” who dictated the shortlisted nominees.

In April 2021, the Recording Academy announced that they had eliminated nearly all of the controversial “secret” nominating committees that decided who was nominated for the “Big Four” categories of Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist.

After the announcement was made, the Weeknd insisted that he still planned to boycott the awards show.

“The trust has been broken for so long between the Grammy organization and artists that it would be unwise to raise a victory flag,” he told Variety in May 2021, adding that he planned to withhold his music from consideration for the awards.

Despite his decision to still boycott the Grammys, the Weeknd said the decision was “an important start” to making things right.

“I think the industry and public alike need to see the transparent system truly at play for the win to be celebrated, but it’s an important start,” the “Blinding Lights” singer continued in the statement. “I remain uninterested in being a part of the Grammys, especially with their own admission of corruption for all these decades. I will not be submitting in the future.”

The Weeknd’s manager, Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, also defended his client by issuing a statement to the outlet. “No change comes without a voice heard. I’m just proud of Abel for standing up for what he believes in,” he said. “I was in a shock when all this happened but now I see it clearly, and I’m glad we stood for our beliefs.”

The Weeknd Made Surprise Return During 2025 Grammys

Nearly four years after he initiated the boycott, the Weeknd made his grand return to the Grammys on February 2, 2025.

Prior to his surprise performance, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. introduced the Weeknd by reflecting on the boycott. During his speech, Harvey explained his goal when he joined the Recording Academy was to “change and modernize so that we could be better and serve this dynamic and global music community.”

However, Harvey admitted his early days with the job weren’t easy as they faced “criticism” from musicians, including the Weeknd. “Criticism is OK. I heard him. I felt his conviction. What we all want is an organization dedicated to the well-being of all music makers and one that reflects the entire music community,” he continued, noting that they have made changes to evolve and improve the organization.

The Weeknd then took to the stage to perform his songs “Cry For Me” and “Timeless,” and he was joined onstage by Playboi Carti. The surprise performance was clearly a hit, and the Weeknd received a standing ovation from the audience.

Meanwhile, several fans took to social media to praise the performance. “I’m speech tho,” one person wrote in response to the performance via X.