CELEBRITY

Zayn Malik Calls Out the Grammys for Favoritism, Adding to the Long List of Celeb Criticism

Zayn Malik expressed his frustration at the Grammys by calling out their corruption and favoritism, which many think is fueled by racism.
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Zayn Malik expressed his frustration at the Grammys by calling out their corruption and favoritism, which many think is fueled by racism.

Zayn Malik expressed his frustration at the Grammys by calling out their corruption and favoritism, which many think is fueled by racism.
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Ahead of this weekend’s show, Malik sent out a fiery tweet criticizing the Grammys for not giving recognition, saying that artists aren’t nominated unless they “shake hands and send gifts.” This comes just months after The Weeknd spoke out for not receiving any nominations for his latest album After Hours even after weeks of planning his performance.

Despite having released three solo albums and his 2016 hit single “PILLOWTALK,” Malik has yet to receive a nomination for the awards show. His latest project was Nobody Is Listening, which was just released in January.

The Grammys have a history of receiving backlash for not nominating artists most feel are deserving, especially those of color. There have been several boycotts by Black musicians in the past who refused to attend the show because of their racism and corruption.

As a Pakistani Muslim, many of Malik’s fans believe racism and Islamophobia are to blame for his lack of recognition and that the outcome would’ve been different had he been white. Oftentimes, when artists of color do receive nominations, they’re typically boxed into urban or foreign categories.

Malik is receiving a lot of support from fans on social media following his tweet, and “ZAYN DESERVES BETTER” instantly trended on Twitter. His tweet came as a shock to most since the singer doesn’t usually voice his opinion online, but fans are happy he finally decided to speak up against the Recording Academy.

Beyoncé and Taylor Swift lead in nominations for this year’s show. Be sure to check out the full list of nominations and tune in to the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, which will air on March 14 on CBS at 8pm ET.