South African Grammy Awards nominee and flautist Wouter Kellerman has felt “utterly devastated” by the catastrophic Los Angeles fires, which have ravaged multiple areas of Southern California.
The wildfires, which began on January 7, have killed at least 25 people, destroyed more than 12,000 buildings and forced over 130,000 evacuations. More than 450,000 people are without power after the worst fire in the city’s history, which is still raging.
“The LA fires have been absolutely devastating and my heart goes out to those affected,” Kellerman told TimesLIVE Premium. “Two of my friends have lost their homes and studios, which is heartbreaking.”
In addition to the community at large, musicians in LA and the entertainment industry — already struggling to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and the Hollywood strikes — have been devastated yet again by the latest tragic events.
Despite rumours to the contrary, the 67th Grammy Awards are still scheduled to take place on February 2 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The official after-party following the awards at the Grammy Museum, however, has been cancelled.
“The entire Grammy family is shocked and deeply saddened by the situation that is unfolding in Los Angeles,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares.
“But the Grammys will proceed as planned, along with raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honouring the bravery and dedication of first responders,” he added in a webinar on Wednesday with Recording Academy members.
“I see this as an opportunity to stand up together, to do the right thing. It’s our place and our time to do work that makes a difference. I think this might be one of the most important shows, most important Grammy weeks that we’ve ever had, for a lot of reasons. This is the time for the (Recording) Academy and the community to come together and really make a difference.”
Meanwhile, the Recording Academy and MusiCares have launched the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort to support music professionals affected by the crisis, and made a combined pledge of $1m to kick off the efforts.
Kellerman is nominated in this year’s Grammys for Best New Age, Ambient or Chant album for Collaborative Album Triveni — along with Japanese cellist Eru Matsumoto and Indian vocalist Chandrika Tandon.
The Johannesburg-born musician, 63, continues to make history as the only South African solo musician to have received five Grammy nominations, including this year’s event, along with two wins — most recently in 2022 for Bayethe, which won Best Global Music Performance, along with Nomcebo Zikode and Zakes Bantwini — as well as in 2015 for Winds of Samsara — a collaboration with Indian composer Ricky Kej.
“My plans to attend the Grammys remain unchanged and all of us (nominees) are planning to attend as well as my business manager Tholsi (Pillay),” he said. “It’s important to show solidarity with the music community and carry on, despite the challenges around us. We’re looking forward to coming together and sharing our message of hope and healing.”
South African singer Tyla, 22, won a Grammy last year for Best African Music Performance for her hit single Water — making history as the youngest African artist to win a Grammy. The industry was shocked when she did not receive any nominations this year, despite breaking Beyoncé’s record for the most-streamed album by a Black female artist in 2024 and most-streamed album by a female African artist, for her self-titled debut album Tyla.
Sony, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group have cancelled their Grammy-related events this year. MusiCares Person of the Year gala and music mogul Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy gala will continue on as scheduled.
Beyoncé, nominated for 11 Grammys, had to postpone a major announcement originally scheduled for January 14 due to the fires — in which her mother’s home was burnt to the ground. Canadian singer The Weeknd — originally scheduled to perform a hugely-promoted concert at the Rose Bowl on January 25 — also cancelled, and the release of his new album has been postponed to January 31.
Other events that have been cancelled include the Billboard Power 100 Party and Managers to Watch, National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) Songwriter Awards, Calibash concert, LA Philharmonic January concerts, and Emilia Pérez with Netflix event.
Guba Enterprise (GUBA), who was set to host their annual African nominees brunch with Rolling Stone Magazine — with past attendees including Kellerman, Nomcebo Zikode, Zakes Bantwini, Anele Mdoda and Musa Keys — has cancelled the event.
In an email to guests and media, GUBA wrote: “Your safety and wellbeing are our top priorities, and we believe this decision is in everyone’s best interest. We are committed to keeping you updated with any future developments.”
Kellerman added: “We’re exploring ways to contribute and support the affected communities. This includes potential fundraising initiatives and partnerships with charities actively providing relief, to foster a sense of unity and helping those in need during this difficult time.”
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.