Ariana Grande Slams the Grammys, Saying Her “Self-Expression Was Stifled“

Ariana Grande and the Grammys’ relationship just got even messier. After the Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich made a statement that Grande had backed out of performing at this year’s awards show because she thought it was “too late for her to pull something together,” the pop star is setting the record straight—and slamming the Grammys in the process.

Grande, who was nominated for two Grammy awards this year, including best pop solo performance and best pop vocal album, is accusing Ehrlich of “lying” and “stifling” her “self-expression.” “I’ve kept my mouth shut but now you’re lying about me,” she tweeted, debunking the reason the Grammys producer gave for Grande canceling her performance. “I can pull together a performance over night and you know that, Ken. It was when my creativity & self-expression was stifled by you, that I decided not to attend.”

She then gave the verbal equivalent of Nancy Pelosi’s recent viral clap: “I hope the show is exactly what you want it to be and more,” she added.

According to Grande, she didn’t feel “supported” by the Grammys and felt like they were playing games. “I offered three different songs,” she wrote in a follow-up tweet, which referenced rumors that Grande had ultimately declined to perform when the show tried forcing her into playing specific songs despite the fact that she reportedly wanted to play “7 Rings.” (After the show offered the compromise that she could perform that song if they could chose the second one, she walked away from doing the show, allegedly.) “It’s about collaboration,” she said. “It’s about feeling supported. It’s about art and honesty. Not politics. Not doing favors or playing games. It’s just a game y’all… and I’m sorry but that’s not what music is to me.”

What’s worse is that, even though Grande is no longer doing the show, her photo is being used to promote it on billboards. Yet Drake—who is nominated for even more awards and declined to perform—was able to tell the Grammys not to use his photo to promote the show. “Why aren’t female artists offered the same courtesy?” an insider wondered aloud to Variety.

Ehrlich has reportedly declined comment in the wake of the pop singer’s latest statement. But in the words of Grande, “Thank u, next.”