Academy president calls Lauryn Hill's Grammy no-show 'a disappointment'

Why wasn't Lauryn Hill on the Grammy Awards on Monday? Let the debate begin.

Recording Academy president Neil Portnow said after the Grammys that it was a "disappointment" that Hill didn't make her performance at the nationally televised show.

Portnow said Hill was expected to perform with The Weeknd right up to the last moment before the performer took the stage to sing "In The Night." But in Portnow's view, Hill just didn't show.

"It’s a disappointment to us and a disappointment to her," he said. "Our intention was, and we were ready, right up to the moment of the performance, for her to step up on stage."

Portnow said the Hill performance was not announced and was meant to be a surprise. But he said that Hill had even been to a dress rehearsal on Monday morning.

"She was there for it, completed it and left the building," said Portnow of the rehearsal. " And then she did not get back in time to make the show. I’m sorry, that’s the bottom line. That’s the truth. That’s unfortunate. I guess those things happen."

A Hill representative presented a different story in a statement released during the show, which said the Hill performance was cancelled due to "the last minute nature" of the request and "was never confirmed."

Here's the statement:

 "The Grammys announced a performance by Ms. Lauryn Hill prematurely and without approval. Ms. Hill had concerts all weekend, leaving no time to prepare, and was uncertain she would even be able to make it to LA in time to rehearse for the event, Any performance that could have happened was never confirmed, and should not have been advertised as such. Ms. Hill was invited to do a collaboration with an artist she appreciates. The performance was intended to be a surprise and unfortunately due to its last minute nature, was unable to come to fruition."

 

"None of that statement is accurate," Portnow said.

As for Rihanna's last minute performance cancellation due to illness, Portnow was more understanding. Rihanna was ill and had to cancel just before the show started to prevent vocal chord damage, he said.

"We always regret when that happens because we know that she wants to be on the show and singing rather than taking antibiotics and not being able to sing for a few days," said Portnow. "We just hope that she’s feeling better."