Taylor Swift received backlash for being 'disrespectful' by 'ignoring' Celine Dion while accepting the award for Album of th...
Taylor Swift received backlash for being 'disrespectful' by 'ignoring' Celine Dion while accepting the award for Album of the Year at the Grammys on Sunday.
Dion made a surprise rare appearance at the ceremony, amid her battle with stiff-person syndrome, to present Swift, 34, with the honor - which she herself won 27 years ago.
Swift - who was nominated for her 2022 record Midnights - became the first person to win the accolade four times and excitingly made her way to the stage at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Dion, 55, handed her the award, but fans pointed out that Swift didn't acknowledge her and didn't make eye contact, quickly looking back to celebrate the moment with her collaborators instead.
However, there appeared to be no ill-feelings as the iconic pair later posed-up happily backstage.
'Taylor Swift didn't even hug or acknowledge Celine Dion. Can't f*****g stand this t**t,' one upset fan wrote on social media afterwards.
Taylor Swift completely ignoring Celine Dior like she was some trophy model presenter was #GRAMMYS was wild. She's won this three times and usually such a pro. But to ignore an icon, who is dealing with so much? Yikes.'
'As someone who has defended Taylor, I can't defend this. No acknowledgment of Celine whatsoever,' another added.
'Taylor Swift will never EVER live down ignoring Celine Dion at the Grammys.'
'Taylor Swift not acknowledging Celine Dion, a legend, at the Grammys, but dragging Lana to that stage? Smh,' another person wrote in reference to Lana Del Rey being on stage.
'Taylor not acknowledging Celine and then SNATCHING the Grammy from her... JAIL.'
Dion was visibly emotional as she walked onstage with the support of eldest son Rene-Charles Angelil, 23, to cheers and a standing ovation and to present Album of the Year.
She said: 'Thank you, all! I love you right back. You look beautiful. When I say I'm happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart.'
'Those who have been blessed enough to be here at the Grammy Awards must never take for granted the tremendous love and joy that music brings to our lives and to people all around the world.'
'And now it gives me great joy to present a Grammy Award that two legends Diana Ross and Sting presented to me 27 years ago. These are the outstanding nominees for album of the year.'
Celine then announced Swift's acclaimed album Midnights had won the award - making Grammy history as she won the award for the fourth time.
Celine looked incredible in a terracotta coat and glittering jewelry as she was helped onto stage.
The star's fight to continue her career will be chronicled in new documentary, I Am: Celine Dion.
The hitmaker, announced in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome - an extremely rare disorder that makes the muscles in the torso and limbs alternate between spasming and being rigid. She revealed she would be stepping away from performing.
The new documentary - captured over more than a year of filming - follows the star as she battles to continue her normal life and career amid her diagnosis - and vows the condition 'won't define her' as she vows to raise awareness.
Swift was nominated in six categories at the ceremony - Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for 'Anti-Hero' and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her 'Karma' collaboration with Ice Spice.
The pop star won Best Pop Vocal Album and the night's biggest honor, Album of the Year.
Swift beat out an impressive field for the award, including: Boygenius - The Record, Janelle Monáe - The Age of Pleasure, Jon Batiste - World Music Radio, Lana Del Rey - Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,Miley Cyrus - Endless Summer Vacation, Olivia Rodrigo - Guts, and SZA - SOS.
The big win made her the first person to ever win the top prize four times as she was previously tied with Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, and Paul Simon for the record.
Taylor thanked her friends and many collaborators during her acceptance speech but one notable name which was missing was boyfriend Travis Kelce who will be playing in the Super Bowl next week.
She said: 'I want to say. I get to work with one of my best friends who is not only one of my best friends, but also a once in a generation producer that's Jack Antonoff. I'm so lucky. And my engineer, I want to say thank you to Sam Dew, sound wave.'
Taylor had pal Lana Del Rey join her on stage as she was also nominated in the top category and is also a collaborator with Jack Antonoff and made sure to praise the artist during her speech.
The A-lister continued: ' Lana Del Rey who is hiding, but I think so many female artists would not be where they are or have the inspiration without the work she has done. She is a legacy artist, a legend in her prime right now. I'm so lucky to know you went to be your friend.'
The star concluded her triumphant speech by expressing her love of music from the recording studio, to performing concerts around the world, and even earning major awards.
Taylor said: ' I would love to tell you that this is the best moment in my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song or when I cracked the code to a bridge that I love, or when I am short-listing a music video, or when I am rehearsing with my dancers or my band or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show.
'For me, the award is the work. All I want to do is keep being able to do this. I love it so much. It makes me so happy. It makes me unbelievably blown away that it makes some people happy who voted for this award too. All they want to do is keep doing this. So thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to do what I% love so much! Mind blown! Thank you so much!'
An hour-and-a-half before that the A-lister earned her milestone 13th Grammy Award on Sunday evening as she dropped a huge secret that she has been keeping from her Swifties for two years.
Taylor earned the coveted Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights when she revealed some shocking news.
'I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I have been keeping from you for the last two years, which is that my brand-new album comes out April 19th.'
'It's called The Tortured Poet's Department. I'm going to go and post the cover right now backstage.'
Keeping true to her word minutes later she shared the racy cover for her upcoming 11th studio album, which saw her laying on a bed in black underwear and a sheer black top, and caused her Instagram page to temporarily go down.
Swift started out her speech by sharing that it was her 13th award - a number she considers lucky.
'Okay, this is my 13th grammy. Which is my lucky number. I don't know if I've ever told you that.'
'I want to say thank you to the members of the recording academy for voting this way, but I know that the way that the recording academy voted is a direct reflection of the passion of the fans.'
Minutes after she left the stage, the artwork for the new album was shared to her Instagram, with the caption: 'All's fair in love and poetry... New album THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT. Out April 19 [white heart emoji].'
