The 2021 Grammy Awards acknowledged the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the music industry with an elaborate in memoriam segment that highlighted a longer-than-usual list of artists, writers and producers who died in the past year.
At Sunday’s ceremony, songs by Little Richard, Gerry Marsden, John Prine and Kenny Rogers ― all of whom died in 2020 and 2021 ― were performed as the annual compilation of names and photos appeared on-screen.
Noticeably absent was actor Naya Rivera, who died in July 2020 from an accidental drowning at 33. The “Glee” star was included on the Grammys website in a full list of nearly 1,000 people who died, but her name did not appear at any point during the in memoriam performances.
Fans didn’t waste time pointing out the omission on social media.
Others were quick to point out that Rivera was, in fact, a Grammy-nominated performer during her lifetime.
As a member of the “Glee” cast, the California native scored a nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 2010, but did not win.
The news comes days after Rivera’s father, George Rivera, called out “Glee” co-creator Ryan Murphy on social media for apparently not following through on a promise to set up a college fund for the actor’s son Josey after her death last year.
Murphy denied the claims in a statement, saying he and his “Glee” cohorts remain “committed” to establishing the fund and have had “repeated conversations” with the late actor’s estate.
Interestingly, the Grammys already have a shaky history among “Glee” fans.
When actor Cory Monteith died in 2013 at age 31, his name was among those included in the in memoriam segment ― though his surname was reportedly misspelled as “Montieth.”