The Grammy Awards ceremony due to take place on January 31st next has been postponed to March 21st because of the coronavirus surge in Los Angeles, organisers said on Tuesday.

The Recording Academy told members in a memo that the ceremony to present the highest awards in the music industry was being delayed after talks were held with health experts and musicians.

“After thoughtful conversations with health experts, our network partner CBS, our host, and artists scheduled to appear, we have made the decision to postpone the 63rd Grammy Awards to March 21, 2021,” the interim president of the Recording Academy, Harvey Mason jnr, said in the message.

“The deteriorating Covid situation in Los Angeles, where hospital services have been overwhelmed, ICUs have reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do,” he added.

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Los Angeles is experiencing a spike in coronavirus deaths and hospital admissions. Gyms, hair salons and restaurants have been shut down and residents urged to stay at home as much as possible.

Beyoncé leads nominations for this year’s Grammys with nine nods, in a November announcement that was overshadowed by a stunning snub for Canadian musician The Weeknd. – Reuters