Deborah Dugan is airing out all of the dirty laundry of the Recording Academy.
While appearing on “Good Morning America” today (Jan. 23), Dugan, the Academy’s first female president and CEO, claims that she has evidence that the voting process for the Grammys is rigged. She discussed the gender discrimination and sexual harassment complaint that she filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
“To make matters worse, the Board is permitted to simply add in artists for nominations who did not even make the initial 20-artist list. Naturally, the members of the 12 Board and the secret committees chose artists with whom they have personal or business relationships,” the complaint reads. “This year, 30 artists that were not selected by the membership were added to the possible nomination list.”
“I couldn’t say more positive things about all of the nominations and everybody that performs and, oh, my god, I hate that I’m in this situation because I’d much rather be here talking about the artists and the music, but I can’t help but have to say there are conflicts of interest that go on,” Dugan said on “GMA.”
Dugan also says that some artists are on the voting boards of categories they are nominated in.
“Moreover, in an outrageous conflict of interest, the Board has selected artists who are under consideration for a nomination to sit on the committee that is voting for the category for which they have been nominated. As a result, one artist who initially ranked 18 out of 20 in the 2019 ‘Song of the Year’ category ended up with a nomination,” it continues. “This artist was actually permitted to sit on the ‘Song of the Year’ nomination committee. Incredibly, this artist is also represented by a member of the Board.”
She would not reveal who that artist was for the sake of the “artist’s privacy and for the integrity of all those artists that are going to perform and get nominations this year.” Dugan claims that she has evidence to back all of her claims.
The 62nd Grammys are set to air this Sunday (Jan. 26). It will be interesting to see who wins this year.