Pink Responds to GRAMMYs President Saying Women Need to 'Step Up': Ladies 'Owned Music This Year'
Don’t tell women to step up when they’ve been doing so since the beginning of time.
That’s Pink's response to Recording Academy president Neil Portnow’s call for women to “step up” after men won big at Sunday’s 2018 GRAMMY Awards.
“Stay” crooner Alessia Cara was the only woman to win a major award at the annual awards show, while male artists like Kendrick Lamar and Bruno Mars collected multiple trophies. Nonetheless, Portnow defended the male-dominated accolades, saying that female musicians who have “creativity in their hearts and souls” need to “step up.”
In her passionate tweet on Monday, Pink noted that ladies have been doing that for years.
“Women in music don’t need to ‘step up’ -- women have been stepping since the beginning of time,” the 38-year-old singer wrote. “Stepping up, and also stepping aside. Women owned music this year. They’ve been killing it. And every year before this.”
“When we celebrate and honor the talent and accomplishments of women, and how much women step up every year, against all odds, we show the next generation of women and girls and boys and men what it means to be equal, and what it means to be fair,” continued the singer, who lost the award for Best Pop Solo Performance to Ed Sheeran -- the only man nominated in the category.
Pink's remarks were echoed by fellow songstresses, including Charli XCX, who candidly declared she would “step up” onto Portnow’s face.
“Ugh bout 2 step up on 2 ur face.. women are making AMAZING music right now wtf is this dude talking about ?????,” the 25-year-old "Boys" singer wrote.
Canadian duo Tegan and Sara noted how the American music industry is “consistent across North America in putting the blame on women for not being nominated,” while Sheryl Crow called for the prestigious awards show to bring back separate male and female award categories.
“Who will young girls be inspired by to pick up a guitar and rock when most every category is filled with men?” she tweeted. “I'm not sure it is about women needing to ‘step up’, (as said by the male in charge).”
Meanwhile, Lorde shared her upcoming tour dates, encouraging doubters to witness “whether or not I can murder a stage” in person. The tweet came after ET learned that the Auckland, New Zealand, native had not been asked to grace the GRAMMYs stage for a solo performance, while all of the male nominees in her category were.
All of this comes in the midst of Time's Up, which has gained ground in Hollywood and was also present at the GRAMMYs on Sunday, where artists wore white roses in solidarity of the movement, Janelle Monae gave a passionate speech, and Kesha brought fans to tears when she performed "Praying" backed by fellow powerful female singers like Cyndi Lauper and Andra Day.
For more on Portnow's post-GRAMMYs conference, watch the video below.
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