Where was the Weeknd on Sunday night?
After MTV announced that the singer-songwriter would perform at the Video Music Awards in the weeks leading up to it, that’s what many fans were wondering when it turned out that the performance didn’t take place after all. The Weeknd wasn’t named when MTV ran through its performers at the top of the show, and subsequently did not take the stage.
The Weeknd was on the list of names announced on Aug. 7, along with host Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Ed Sheeran, Fifth Harmony, Lorde, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and Shawn Mendes.
A rep for the Weeknd had no comment. MTV has not yet responded to request for comment.
The Weeknd’s no-show comes just days after he abruptly pulled the plug on a private concert two hours before it was set to begin on Friday. Organizers said the show was canceled due to “unforeseen production issues” — however, sources told Variety that the proper permits were not secured.
The Weeknd was nominated for five awards at the VMAs, including artist of the year and video of the year for “Reminder.” It would have been his second time performing at the VMAs; he last took the stage in 2015.
See a VMAs promo from earlier this month, where the Weeknd was announced as a performer, below.
