FKA Twigs Not Singing During The Prince Tribute Is The Grammy Mystery Of 2020

The 2020 Grammys ceremony included a tribute to Prince that featured his longtime collaborator Sheila E. and superstars Usher and FKA twigs. But the electrifying performance also raised eyebrows as some viewers wondered why FKA twigs didn't sing at the Grammys. According to the artist herself, she wasn't asked to sing during the tribute.

During the tribute on Sunday, Jan. 26, Usher sang a knockout medley of Prince classics "Little Red Corvette," "When Doves Cry," and "Kiss" with Sheila E. on drums, while FKA twigs pole-danced at the side of the stage before joining Usher for some sultry moves. It was an electrifying moment for the entire show, but some viewers were confused about the fact that she was regulated to just dancing. One Twitter user even remarked that we needed "more of FKA Twigs than just being on a pole."

Shortly after her performance, FKA twigs clarified on social media that she wasn't asked to sing during the tribute, but that she would have loved to and still hopes to sing on the Grammys stage one day. “Of course I wanted to sing at the Grammys," she said on Twitter. "I wasn’t asked this time but hopefully in the future." However, she has nothing but love for the experience as a whole. "None the less what an honour. Congratulations to all winners x," she concluded.

However, her statement appeared to contradict Sheila E., who claimed that FKA twigs opted not to sing during the tribute of her own volition. “She didn’t want to sing,” Sheila E. told reporters backstage, according to Variety, attributing her decision to a lack of equipment. “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. And she would rather have danced, which is what we asked her as well. She chose not to, she said ‘No, I’m OK.’” It's worth noting that Sheila E. does state that FKA Twigs was not originally asked to sing, which confirms the performer's initial claim. Bustle has reached out to the Recording Academy for clarification, but did not receive an immediate response.

FKA twigs is known in part for her outstanding pole dancing skills, something that is especially prominent in her stunning music video for "Cellophane," which was nominated for the Grammy for Best Music Video this year. So it's no wonder why the show asked her to show off her moves during the tribute. But as evident on her critically acclaimed album Magdalene, she also has some incredible vocal chops, which would have been more than welcome during the tribute if she truly wanted to put them on display.