The 66th annual Grammy Awards unfolded on Sunday night, delivering some highly anticipated moments, especially for Taylor Swift.
In a surprising twist, the Pennsylvania-born singer not only announced a new album, The Tortured Poets Department, delighting both the audience and fans at home, but also clinched the most coveted award of the night: Album of the Year.
The Grammy was presented to her by none other than the iconic singer, Céline Dion, who has been largely absent from the public eye for a while. However, not everyone is pleased with how Taylor handled the situation… Keep reading to find out why.
Céline Dion’s devastating health battle
Céline Dion, 55, made a surprise appearance at the Grammys, marking a rare public appearance since revealing her diagnosis of Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) over a year ago, leading to the postponement of her highly anticipated tour.
As previously reported, the Canadian singer has been maintaining a low profile since revealing her diagnosis of SPS in December 2022. At the time of her shock health news, the renowned singer shared her ongoing health struggles in a heartfelt Instagram post, where she announced to her fans that she would be rescheduling her shows for 2023 and 2024 to prioritize her well-being.
As a mother of three sons — René-Charles and twins Nelson and Eddy — Céline assured her devoted fans that she was committed to eventually returning to the stage.
SPS has posed significant challenges for Céline, causing spasms that affect various aspects of her life, impeding her ability to walk and restricting the use of her vocal cords.
“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having,” Céline said at the time her diagnosis was revealed. “Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.”
This complex illness lacks a precisely known cause, often resulting in misdiagnosis or oversight until symptoms become severe for the sufferer. In a supportive gesture, Céline’s sister, Claudette Dion, acknowledged the singer’s strength and determination in coping with SPS, despite the limited understanding and available support for the condition.
“I am confident that life will give her back what she gave because she is an extremely intelligent woman, very generous and talented and in love with life as well. Rather than crying over her fate, I try to send her positive vibes in the hope that one day she will go back on stage. I truly believe in the power of love. I wish her the best of luck, that’s for sure,” Claudette said.
A surprise appearance & a “classless” gesture
At this year’s Grammy awards, Céline presented the Album of the Year award to Taylor Swift for Midnights, an accolade she herself had received in the past for her 1996 album Falling Into You. Given the influence she has had on the music industry, Céline’s involvement in presenting the Album of the Year award only added to the gravity of the moment.
However, some observers found fault in the interaction between Céline and Taylor, 34, on stage. Taylor’s acceptance of the award from Céline without acknowledgment or apparent interaction raised eyebrows and prompted criticism online.
Numerous individuals took to social media platforms to express their discontent. One X (formerly Twitter) user expressed strong disapproval, accusing Taylor of disrespect, stating: “Taylor Swift just took the album of the year trophy from Celine Dion without batting an eye and acknowledging that a legend was handing her the award. This woman is disgusting.”
Taylor Swift just took the album of the year trophy from Celine Dion without batting an eye and acknowledging that a legendary was handing her the award. This woman is disgusting
pic.twitter.com/WIYJune9Hp— Avid ( Fan Account ) 👹 (@avid_original) February 5, 2024
Another tweet condemned Taylor’s behavior, labeling it as “classless personified” for seemingly ignoring Céline’s presence during the Grammy ceremony.
Despite the backlash, some defended the ‘Anti-Hero‘ singer, suggesting that her actions might have been guided by considerations related to Céline’s health condition.
“There’s a chance that Taylor (who is an aggressive hugger lol) was told not to touch Celine due to her syndrome. That’s why she probably waited until backstage. Taylor was also distracted right in the middle of getting the award from Celine. Give her a break,” someone wrote.
Following the awards ceremony, Taylor and Céline were photographed together backstage alongside Céline’s son René-Charles, all wearing smiles, seemingly dispelling any hints of tension or conflict between them.
So, despite the controversy surrounding their on-stage exchange, it appears that there is no animosity between the two artists.
Taylor’s Grammy win marks the fourth time she’s taken home the award for Album of the Year, making her the first person to achieve this feat! With such a remarkable achievement, only time will tell is Taylor can manage to take home a fifth win next year…
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