Elton John slams Ed Sheeran’s Grammy Awards nomination snub
Rock and roll legend Elton John is one of several high profile stars to criticise judges for overlooking Ed Sheeran
ED SHEERAN’S shock Grammys snub hasn’t only upset his millions of fans.
SIR ELTON JOHN is just one of a host of fellow artists outraged Ed missed out on even being nominated for the major categories at tomorrow’s ceremony.
IMAGINE DRAGONS have also backed Ed, claiming he was “robbed” — even though they are rivals for Best Pop Vocal album.
In an exclusive chat in New York ahead of the music bash at Madison Square Garden, lead singer DAN REYNOLDS told me: “I do think Ed was short-changed.
“I like Ed a lot and I’ve met him personally a few times and thought he was a lovely person.
“He put out a great record and for whatever reason just kind of got overlooked.
"I saw him doing an interview how every year doesn’t need to be his year, he’s been really humble about it, but he’s not the type to be angry about it.”
Following the huge success of record-breaking album Divide, it seemed Ed would be a shoo-in for Album, Record and Song of the Year.
But he was snubbed in all three of the top categories in a very hip-hop dominated year.
Instead, all he received were nods in the Best Pop Vocal album and Pop Solo Performance — both of which Ed is expected to win.
Elton is particularly unimpressed that single Shape of You failed to get recognised, and blames its exclusion from Song of the Year on “politics”.
Elton told me: “Shape Of You is probably the most successful single in the whole world last year. That it wasn’t nominated, is, to me, a travesty.
“I’m playing at the Grammys because I’m doing a duet with MILEY CYRUS and the Grammys is doing a tribute that’s special to me.
“But it’s all about politics. I don’t understand it. I never have understood awards shows.
“I think Ed was extremely upset. And I don’t blame him. Every single you hear now sounds like Shape of You.”
I couldn’t agree more.
MOST READ IN BIZARRE
Dragons - All fire, no smoke
IMAGINE DRAGONS aren’t just changing the face of rock with their genre-bending pop sound, they’re also on a mission to stop fans thinking cigarettes are part of the scene.
Frontman DAN REYNOLDS, who will appear in an anti-smoking ad to feature during the Grammys on Sunday night, said: “I don’t give a damn whether it’s cool or not.
“I understand there’s a statement ‘Rock ’n’ roll equals sex and drugs’, but rock ’n’ roll does not equate to drugs, it equates to rebellion, freedom and sex – I’ll put sex there, I’m cool with that.
“But drugs? It’s killed far too many great artists, and cigarettes are absolute poison.
“I don’t live a perfectly straight-edged life but there’s something rad about celebrating health and discipline.”
The US group are up for two gongs at what will be a hip-hop-dominated Grammys bash.
Despite the new slant potentially damaging their own prospects, Dan, with me above, backs the move to recognise urban music at last.
He said: “A lot of people view us as this token rock band but we’ve always been more urban and pop-influenced than pop. It’s just because we’ve got the guitarist.
“I don’t have the view of the rock person of, ‘There should be more rock’. I love pop, it’s good to see more diversity and more women, less white guys.”
He’s nearly as humble as Ed.
James: Time for victims
HOST JAMES CORDEN has revealed the Grammys will include a special moment for the #MeToo and Time’s Up campaigns.
James, who’ll be fronting the ceremony for the second time, will wear a white rose in support of sexual abuse victims and says there will be time to allow artists to express solidarity.
KESHA will address the #MeToo movement with her ballad Praying, alongside CYNDI LAUPER and CAMILA CABELLO.
It comes after she sued producer DR LUKE over claims of verbal, physical and sexual abuse.
That’s going to be a powerful set.
Beautiful stranger by the minute
MADONNA is nearing 60 but refuses to tone down her wild ways.
The singer yesterday posted this outrageous selfie, from her new home in Portugal and it makes KIM KARDASHIAN’s recent snaps look tame.
She posed topless with a Mona Lisa themed bag covering her left breast while wearing grills on her teeth.
Alongside the snap, Madge posted: “Still drooling over a handbag” while also writing #nofriends #lisbonisfar.
I guess she is bored in the capital city, where she has lived since September so that her son David Banda could join the youth academy of footie club Benfica.
Only Madonna would pass the time like this.
Kem: Everyone can see I'm no cheater
THEIR romance lasted just 132 days after Love Island – and a bitter war of words even saw AMBER DAVIES accuse ex KEM CETINAY of cheating.
But now the Dancing On Ice contestant has responded to claims she’d received messages from other girls claiming to have bedded her man behind her back.
In an exclusive interview, Kem, said: “Plenty of people watched me for seven weeks every single day on Love Island and I hope they saw what type of person I am.
“I’m a family man and I treat women with respect. I didn’t feel the need to say anything back when that came out because people know that isn’t what I’m about.
“I don’t read all my messages because there are so many accusations from different people. It would get in your head – there’s no need to read it all.”
It’s clear their relationship is icier than the ITV rink.
HE’S no stranger to a showbiz feud but NOEL GALLAGHER may have met his match with NOEL EDMONDS.
This week the rocker, criticised the Deal Or No Deal host for interrupting a posh lunch he was having with his wife, claiming the encounter turned frosty.
But after the OASIS star talked about the clash on DERMOT O’LEARY’s Radio 2 show, Noel Edmonds, hit back.
He said: “I am the last person to ever approach a famous person simply because I am high-profile and nothing was said until we were leaving and as I stood up it was very clear that the lady in the group was keen that I noticed Noel sitting at the table.
“He stopped eating and rose up and greeted me warmly and we agreed it was nice to meet for the first time.
"He joked that I was the first Noel and he was the second Noel.”
He added: “We shook hands again and I departed. If such a pleasurable moment is a bust-up I look forward to having a full-blown row.”
Over to you, Noel.
Biz Bits
- DOUGIE POYNTER and TOM FLETCHER of McFLY have announced a sequel to their hit kids’ book The Dinosaur That Pooped A Planet. Called The Dinosaur That Pooped A Princess, it will be published in September.
- RITA ORA has caught the acting bug after featuring in Fifty Shades Freed and now fancies working on a comic book movie. She said: “I would love to do things that involve power, or maybe something like a superhero.”
- TOM CRUISE is still suffering from the ankle he broke in a Mission: Impossible 6 stunt last year – but it isn’t slowing him down. He said: “It’s not fully healed but we are shooting and we have a release date so I just have to keep going.”