Boygenius had a big night at the 2024 Grammys yesterday (February 4), earning three wins from seven nominations. It was also a big night for Phoebe Bridgers speaking her mind.
In a backstage interview, the band was asked about their thoughts about the future of rock music, with the person who posed the question pointing out how women have had success in the genre in recent years. Bridgers responded:
“I have something to say about women. The ex-president of the Recording Academy, Neil Portnow, said that if women want to be nominated and win Grammys, that they should ‘step up.’ He’s also being accused of sexual violence. So… and to him, I’d like to say, ‘I know you’re not dead yet, but when you are, rot in piss.'”
boygenius backstage talking about their #Grammys tonight! pic.twitter.com/ReR9EI5sdp
— boygenius source (@boygeniussource) February 5, 2024
— boygenius source (@boygeniussource) February 5, 2024
Bridgers was referring to Portnow’s infamous response to being asked about the male-dominated Grammys in 2018, when he said, “It has to begin with… women who have the creativity in their hearts and souls, who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, producers, and want to be part of the industry on the executive level… [They need] to step up because I think they would be welcome. I don’t have personal experience of those kinds of brick walls that you face but I think it’s upon us — us as an industry — to make the welcome mat very obvious, breeding opportunities for all people who want to be creative and paying it forward and creating that next generation of artists.”
She also made note of the rape allegations Portnow faced in 2020.
Find the full list of 2024 Grammys nominees and winners here.
