The Recording Academy has confirmed that the 2021 Grammy Awards will take place on March 14.

It was announced on Tuesday (05.01.21) that the annual music award ceremony had been pushed back from its January 31 date because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and in an updated statement from the Recording Academy, the new date for the event has now been finalised.

The statement, which was shared with Variety, reads: “After thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear, we are rescheduling the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards to be broadcast Sunday, March 14, 2021.

“The deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do.

“Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show. We want to thank all of the talented artists, the staff, our vendors and especially this year’s nominees for their understanding, patience and willingness to work with us as we navigate these unprecedented times.”

The awards show was to take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, but the city is currently one of the biggest hubs for the virus in the US.

The ceremony is also set to go ahead with no in-person audience, and plans are in place to only let presenters and performers on-site, with winners likely to accept their awards remotely.

This year’s contenders for gongs include Beyonce – who leads the nominations with nine nominations to her name – Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Post Malone, BTS, and Doja Cat.

When the event does go ahead, it is set to be hosted by Trevor Noah.