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The show 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 January 31 simply contains too many risks," CBS and
the Recording Academy said in a joint statement, adding that a
new date would be announced soon.
Nominations for the awards were announced in November. Pianist
and bandleader Jon Batiste led a field that spanned rap to jazz
music and embraced newcomers from teen pop sensation Olivia
Rodrigo to veteran crooner Tony Bennett, 95, who won his first
Grammy in 1963.
The 2021 Grammy awards also were 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.
Organizers had hoped to return this year to something closer to
the traditional celebration with a large audience inside the
former Staples Center, now called Crypto.com Arena. Late-night
television host Trevor Noah had been tapped to host the event.
CBS and the Recording Academy said they consulted local
officials, health experts and artists before deciding to scrap
the January date.
"The health and safety of those in our music community, the live
audience and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to
produce our show remains our top priority," they said.
Other entertainment industry events have been delayed or scaled
back.
Organizers of this month's Sundance Film Festival in Park City,
Utah, said on Tuesday they had canceled in-person events and
would move them online.
The Critics Choice Awards, which had been set for this Sunday,
have been postponed with no new date scheduled.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles and Bhargav Acharya
in Bengaluru; Editing by David Gregorio and Bill Berkrot)
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