Ariana Grande may not have attended the 2019 Grammys, but she won her first-ever Grammy before the televised ceremony even began on Sunday night.
Grande’s 2018 album Sweetener took home the best pop vocal album Grammy, which was announced in the pre-telecast ceremony where the majority of the awards are handed out. Grande beat out Camila Cabello, Kelly Clarkson, Shawn Mendes, Pink and Taylor Swift for the prize.
The win follows Grande’s decision to not attend the awards ceremony. After the show’s producer Ken Ehrlich announced that Grande had pulled out of performing and attending the awards show because she “felt it was too late for her to pull something together,” the singer took to social media to share her side of the story.
“I can pull together a performance over night and you know that, Ken,” Grande wrote on her Twitter account. “It was when my creativity & self expression was stifled by you, that I decided not to attend.”
The singer added, “I hope the show is exactly what you want it to be and more.”
In a follow-up tweet, Grande said that she offered to perform three songs. “It’s about collaboration. It’s about feeling supported. It’s about art and honesty. Not politics. Not doing favors or playing games. It’s just a game y’all.. and I’m sorry but that’s not what music is to me,” she explained.
i offered 3 different songs. it’s about collaboration. it’s about feeling supported. it’s about art and honesty. not politics. not doing favors or playing games. it’s just a game y’all.. and i’m sorry but that’s not what music is to me.
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) February 7, 2019
Grande took to Twitter on Sunday to thank the Recording Academy for the award. “I know I’m not there tonight (trust, I tried and still truly wished it had worked out tbh) and I know I said I try not to put too much weight into these things,” she wrote. “This is wild and beautiful.”
i know i’m not there tonight (trust, i tried and still truly wished it had worked out tbh) and i know i said i try not to put too much weight into these things …. but fuck ……. this is wild and beautiful. thank you so much.
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) February 10, 2019
Grande then thanked her collaborators on Sweetener before she thanked her fans in a separate tweet. “But mostly thank y’all for being my main source of joy and inspiration always,” she wrote.
i love u @pharrell @scooterbraun @AllisonKaye every human being at @republicrecords @awsuki @ilya_music Max Martin @tbhits @victoriamonet @SocialHouseTC @recordingacademy & the voters
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) February 10, 2019
but mostly thank y’all for being my main source of joy and inspiration always
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) February 10, 2019
The 2019 Grammy Awards are being hosted by Alicia Keys. The ceremony airs live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET from Staples Center in Los Angeles.
