FKA Twigs Claims She Wasn't Asked to Sing During the Grammys — but Sheila E. Says Otherwise
Sheila E. and FKA twigs are telling two different stories about the latter’s involvement in their tribute to Prince at the 2020 Grammy Awards.
On Sunday night, both women joined Usher center stage at the awards show in Los Angeles for a special salute to the late icon. While Usher, 41, sang and Sheila E., 62, joined him on the drums, FKA twigs, 32, danced on a pole before showing off her moves to get the Staples Center audience on their feet.
But after the show, FKA twigs claimed on Twitter that she was not asked to sing during the tribute.
“Of course i wanted to sing at the grammys,” the English singer said. “I wasn’t asked this time but hopefully in the future. none the less what an honour. congratulations to all winners x.”
of course i wanted to sing at the grammys. i wasn’t asked this time but hopefully in the future. none the less what an honour. congratulations to all winners x
— FKA twigs (@FKAtwigs) January 27, 2020
However, Sheila E. — Prince’s one-time fiancé, and longtime friend and collaborator, — told USA Today after the performance that FKA twigs “didn’t want to sing.”
“First she wanted to, but then she didn’t want to when we ran through it because she didn’t have a (microphone) pack and (in-ear monitors), so she couldn’t hear,” Sheila E. said. “And she would rather have danced – which is what we asked her as well. She chose not to; she said ‘No, I’m OK.’ “
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During the performance, Usher delivered covers of “Little Red Corvette,” “When Doves Cry,” and “Kiss.” After, Sheila E. said that she trusted Usher to choose the songs.
“I asked Usher what he wanted to sing,” she told press after the performance. “If someone’s gonna do a tribute, you wanna ask them what songs they would like to sing because it has to be personal. You can’t just say, ‘Yeah, just sing this song’ because it doesn’t mean anything to them. I wanted to go through what songs meant something to him lyrically. It’s important for him to dance, to sing and be featured and as an entertainer he does all of the above.”
Sheila E. will also serve as musical director for the Recording Academy’s upcoming concert special in honor of the late icon.
The concert, titled Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince, will be performed on Jan. 28 in Los Angeles, with a televised air date in April. Among the artists enlisted to evoke the Purple One are John Legend, Usher, Common and this year’s Grammys host, Alicia Keys.
