The Weeknd Ended His Grammys Boycott With A Surprise Performance Of ‘Timeless’ With Playboi Carti

The 2025 Grammys were already full of surprises (Beyoncé winning Best Country Album, Doechii winning Best Rap Album), but one that couldn’t have been predicted was the return of a performer who swore four years ago that he was done with the institution: The Weeknd.

After a heartfelt introduction by Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., The Weeknd brought the cult-inspired staging that has marked his Hurry Up Tomorrow rollout to the Grammys, performing two songs from his new album: “Cry For Me” and “Timeless” featuring Playboi Carti. He even brought Carti out with him, withe recalcitrant rapper prowling the stage in front of The Weeknd’s dancer pyramid. The performance marks the second time Carti has been a guest on another artist’s set (following last year’s appearance on Travis Scott’s less-than-enthusiastically-received set to perform “Fe!n“); he’s nominated for Best Rap Song alongside Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign for their song “Carnival.” It’s his second nomination, behind a Best Rap Album nod for Kanye’s Vultures 1.

The Weeknd’s Grammys boycott dates back to 2021, when his hit song “Blinding Lights” and its album After Hours were effectively snubbed by the Academy, leading to him telling the New York Times, “Because of the secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys.”

After the performance, host Trevor Noah cleared up another Weeknd-related controversy, making sure to draw attention to the fact that they were both in the same room at the same time and thus, not the same person despite their resemblance. You can watch the performance here.

https://twitter.com/MementoMoriXO/status/1886252425465803001

Uproxx is updating all the Grammys winners live here.