As the biggest pop star in the game right now, it seems more than a little foolish that the producer of the Grammys, Ken Ehrlich (Asslich, more like it), should even attempt to trifle with Ariana Grande knowing full well she’s never been afraid to go off on Twitter (see: the Japanese BBQ tattoo snafu). And yet, because women in music and women in general are forever deemed little ninnies who can be easily silenced with lies, Ehrlich chose to point the creative differences between Grande and the Grammys as follows: “As it turned out when we finally got the point where we thought maybe it would work, she felt it was too late for her to pull something together for sure. And it’s too bad. She’s a great artist. And I’d love to get her in the show this year.”
To quote Grande’s unspoken mentor, Mariah Carey, “How ’bout you get the fuck out?” For one, why would any intelligent person believe he could get away with spreading such lies? Just because he’s a man? Maybe. But a man producing yet another fledgling in ratings award show might want to be a little more careful about who he alienates.
So it was that Grande tweeted on the eve of her thank u, next album release (which is a quite timely further fuck u, next to the Grammys), “i’ve kept my mouth shut but now you’re lying about me. i can pull together a performance over night and you know that, Ken. it was when my creativity & self expression was stifled by you, that i decided not to attend. i hope the show is exactly what you want it to be and more. 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.”
Well finally someone has at least vaguely the same level of nerve as Madonna, who famously stated, “I will not compromise my artistic integrity” to her own father when he asked if she could tone down her performance for him in the 1991 documentary Truth or Dare. And, on that note, why is that men are constantly trying to get women to “tone it down” while they increasingly ramp it up? With doltery (see: Kanye West). Heaven forbid a female artist should get a say in her own work. Or speak out in rage over not being able to get it, as every other male artist has.
To that effect, Grande’s likeness has continued to be used in promotion of the awards ceremony against her wishes and despite the fact that Drake, who will be appearing, was granted his own wish of not being featured on any promos for it. Double standard much?
But then, what can we expect from an entity still trapped in the dinosaur days of the music industry? For example, last year, when Recording Academy president Neil Portnow egregiously stated that women needed to “step up” more in order to be considered for nominations (this in reference to Taylor Swift being snubbed with the lack of acknowledgement to her highest-selling record, Reputation), Ehrlich was complicit in his evasion of his thoughts on the matter, commenting, “It’s not for me to talk about. I produce the TV show…I don’t know if it was a mistake. These shows are a matter of choices. We have a box and it gets full. [Swift] had a great album. There’s no way we can really deal with everybody.” Apparently he can’t “really deal” with Grande, in addition to “everybody.” And what he can “talk about” it would appear, is what Grande can and can’t perform for her own fucking set. As Portnow steps down later this year as women in music will continue to step up, one has to wonder if maybe Ehrlich ought to do the same.
Grande, meanwhile, won’t be missing out on much when she’s set to embark on a world tour that will actually give her the creative freedom that every female musician should be entitled to without having to compromise or kowtow to the whims of an institution that awards people like Bruno Mars and Steely Dan.
