Grammys President Apologizes for "Step Up" Comment
After defending #GrammysSoMale by saying women just need to "step up," Recording Academy president Neil Portnow has now apologized for his widely criticized comments. Here's his full statement, via Variety:
Sunday night, I was asked a question about the lack of female artist representation in certain categories of this year’s Grammy Awards. Regrettably, I used two words, "step up," that, when taken out of context, do not convey my beliefs and the point I was trying to make.
Our industry must recognize that women who dream of careers in music face barriers that men have never faced. We must actively work to eliminate these barriers and encourage women to live their dreams and express their passion and creativity through music. We must welcome, mentor, and empower them. Our community will be richer for it.
I regret that I wasn’t as articulate as I should have been in conveying this thought. I remain committed to doing everything I can to make our music community a better, safer, and more representative place for everyone.
Portnow's original comments about "stepping up" prompted a wave of outrage from female artists, including Pink, Charli XCX, Katy Perry, Sheryl Crow, and Halsey. Lou Taylor, a business manager whose firm represents Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez, had perhaps the best response: "Pull your head out of your ass."
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