Taylor Swift Snafu Onstage At Tokyo Show

Published | Updated
020824_taylor_swift-kal 2/7/24
WHOOPS !!!

Taylor Swift hit a speedbump during her Wednesday concert in Japan, but she made a quick recovery and carried on as if nothing happened.

The pop star hit the stage at the Tokyo Dome, performing one of her risqué tunes, "Vigilante S—t," while wearing a sexy blue leotard and black knee-high boots.

With her legs spread, Taylor plunked down on a chair, missing her mark on the seat cover and having to adjust her rump for the save.

Check out this video ... Taylor was flanked by her dancers during the mishap, but she didn't seem bothered, and she moved on without looking back.

Some of her fans noticed and commented about it on the social media app, X. One joked doing her squats must have saved Taylor from falling. Another said she didn't need a chair because her rock-hard thighs would keep her elevated while in a crouched position.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

As you know, Taylor has resumed the international leg of her "Eras" tour, which will take the 14-time Grammy Award winner through Asia, Australia and Europe.

But Taylor will likely make a pit stop in Vegas this weekend to cheer on her beefy bf, Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce.

Of course, Travis and his fellow Chiefs will be doing battle with the San Francisco 49ers to see which team will emerge as the 58th Super Bowl champ.

Once Taylor makes it to the big game, one thing she won't be doing is performing. TMZ broke the story ... the NFL's not tapping Taylor for any pre or postgame entertainment Sunday, and the Halftime Show is Usher's time to shine.

Taylor Swift If I Didn't Win at Grammys I Had Backup Plan for Album News!!!

Published

Taylor Swift is pulling a Donna Kelce in the BS department -- telling her fans that she had a backup plan to announce her album if she didn't win at the Grammys ... OK, Tay Tay. 🙄

The singer relayed this sentiment to her Tokyo fans Wednesday night during performance #1 of her 4-show slate -- and yes, she claims she would've saved the news for Japan if things hadn't worked out for her at the award show this past weekend.

Taylor explains she'd only told a select few people about her album at that point -- including her producer, Jack Antonoff -- and then said ... "OK, if I’m lucky enough to get up there and win one thing tonight, I’m just gonna do it. I’m just gonna announce my new album."

She may well be telling the truth here ... but if we're being honest, it sounds like she's being a little insincere in the sense that she makes it seem like her winning at the Grammys wasn't a sure thing ... 'cause truth be told, it absolutely was, and T-Swift probably knew it.

In other words, Taylor is overplaying the modesty card -- which she actually channeled on Sunday night when she won Album of the Year for "Midnights" ... seemingly feigning surprise.

Anyway, TS continued to lay it on thick during Wednesday night's show ... telling the audience, "And luckily enough, that ended up happening ... thanks to you and your support, I was lucky enough to win a Grammy and tell you about it onstage at the Grammys. And now we can talk about it afterward, we can do like a debrief tonight."

Of course, her fans ate it up and cheered her on -- but again, this is very much so in the same vein as what Donna suggested just earlier in the day ... that she didn't know where she'd be sitting at the Super Bowl, and that she didn't think she'd be in a private suite.

BTW, Travis himself seems to be on this train too ... he made it seem like he didn't know what country Taylor was performing in ... before correctly saying it was in Tokyo.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

Bottom line ... playing dumb appears to be the game plan for everyone in Taylor's orbit right now. More power to 'em -- but frankly, everyone's seeing right through it. Just sayin'!

Taylor Swift Sells Private Jet .... New Owner Linked to CarShield?!?

Published | Updated

Taylor Swift recently unloaded one of her private jets -- and at least one of the new owners is linked to a well-known company ... specializing in cars.

Here's the deal ... FAA records show that Taylor sold a Dassault Falcon 900 jet that's been in her possession for years -- since 2009, in fact -- and the transaction was completed at the end of last month ... with a new owner listed as some mysterious, soulless LLC.

As it turns out, however, this LLC that now owns Taylor's jet isn't so random after all ... it appears to be linked to CarShield -- specifically, a bigwig of the auto protection company.

The LLC in question is called Triangle Real Estate, and it's incorporated in Missouri -- dating back to 2006 -- with a man named Nicholas Hamilton named as a former officer of the company.

On its own, that info might not reveal too much about the new owner -- however, the FAA has the new owner's address listed as a CarShield call center out in St. Peters, MO.

And, as it turns out ... Nick Hamilton is the CEO of CarShield.

So, just to recap ... the new listed owner of Taylor's jet is an LLC linked to CarShield's CEO -- and the new listed address of the current jet owner goes right to a CarShield office. Coincidence??? Something tells us it ain't. One thing, though, Nick has a partner in the LLC ... so, she'll likely be enjoying some PJ flights, too.

The actual sale price isn't disclosed publicly, but a new one of these jets goes for around $40 million on the open market.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

And yes, we've reached out to Nick, CarShield, other associates of Triangle Real Estate and Taylor's camp for comment ... so far, nobody's talking. Go figure!

Howard Stern Mocks Trevor Noah's Hosting ... All Positive at Grammys

Published | Updated

Trevor Noah's Grammy Awards hosting performance has received widespread praise -- but Howard Stern's not hopping on that bandwagon, instead criticizing the comedian's gushing positivity.

020724_howard_stern_kal
NOBODY'S OFF LIMITS

The radio icon offered his review of the Grammys while on his SiriusXM show ... taking the comedian to task for approaching the award ceremony with zero edge ... calling him more "cheerleader" than roastmaster.

HS played a few clips from TN's monologue ... where Trevor called Mark Ronson a "legend" and heaped praise on Grammy winner 21 Savage.

Stern went to town on that part, imagining Noah continuing to talk about Savage's detail-oriented financial nature and even his "great ass" ... before adding, "No one is safe, no one is off limits from my admiration, and you will hear it tonight!“

Howard did cut Noah some slack, acknowledging hosting a major awards show's an impossible job -- and pointed to Jo Koy's disastrous Golden Globes monologue as a prime example of a host trying "to make a few jokes and they almost f***ing killed the guy."

Howard's seemingly in the minority here BTW ... with Noah getting 2 thumbs up from a whole bunch of people including Taylor Swift who said he did a "beautiful job" in a sweet backstage moment.

Not exactly a surprise there ... as we previously reported, Noah got a little revenge on the NFL for Taylor during his opening monologue -- promising to cut to former NFL linebacker Terry Crews after every Taylor reference.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

It didn't sound like Howard was throwing his hat in the ring to be the next host ... but imagine how edgy that would be! The Grammys would never.

CELINE DION SINGING BACKSTAGE AT GRAMMYS!!!

Published | Updated

Here's an uplifting sign of just how good Celine Dion's feeling these days -- not only did she make a surprise appearance onstage at the Grammys, but backstage she gave an impromptu performance!

The icon showed off her famous vocal chops alongside Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sonyaé in a clip filmed backstage Sunday night at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena -- proving she's still got it amid her battle with Stiff-Person Syndrome, which makes performing difficult due to painful muscle stiffness and spasms.

Celine was effortlessly smooth in her delivery while groovin' along with Sonyaé ... this marking the first time she's sung publicly in 4 years, making the moment all the more special.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

Sonyaé shared the IG clip ... rightly captioning it as one of her most iconic moments from the evening, which went down a treat with her followers.

It was a big night for Celine ... who was met with a standing O while presenting the Album of the Year Award -- her industry peers were clearly thrilled to see the hitmaker out, who has mostly been staying out of the spotlight since announcing her rare neurological syndrome.

Although she looked and sounded amazing, sources with direct knowledge tell us the sad reality for Celine is that she still struggles physically many days. In December, her sister said Celine remained focused on her desire to return to the stage.

That explains the joy on Celine's face Sunday night ... as she put it before presenting the Album of the Year, "When I say I am happy to be here, I really mean it. From my heart."

Of course, that heartwarming moment turned awkward moments later when Taylor Swift bizarrely ignored her as she rushed onstage to collect her award.

However, no one dares disrespect the Queen of power ballads, not even Tay Tay herself.

Swift's team seemed to quickly catch wind of the public backlash, and made sure to shift focus on a backstage pic of the singers embracing.

Taylor Swift Performs in Tokyo ... Int'l 'Eras' Tour Back in Full Swing

Published | Updated

Taylor Swift is back to doing what she does best -- hitting the stage and belting out tunes ... only here she's in Tokyo, kicking off the first of 4 shows before darting back to Vegas.

The pop star resumed the international leg of the 'Eras' tour Wednesday, popping up at the Tokyo Dome for her regular full set of songs in front of a packed house ... and thousands of fans. From the looks of these photos, she hasn't lost a step since November.

TayTay was rocking all her usual costumes and wardrobe for the concert -- and she was full of energy, just like she usually is. And yes ... the Swifties got there early to take it all in.

Remember ... this is the first time Taylor has performed in a setting like this since right around Thanksgiving time -- when she had a few gigs lined up in Brazil ... some of which ended in tragedy.

Once she wrapped those shows, though, she came right back to the States and spent the rest of the holidays with Travis Kelce -- as well as friends and family ... and she's had a nice long break from her professional life these past couple months.

The grind, however, kicks off anew now ... and she'll be regularly performing again all over the world through the rest of this year -- albeit, with some brief gaps here and there.

As for this upcoming weekend -- when Travis and the Chiefs play the 49ers in the Super Bowl -- Taylor is expected to show up for that come Sunday ... she'll have plenty of time.

Granted, she might be jet-lagged -- but by all accounts, TS will be front and center to cheer on her boyfriend like she has been for much of the NFL season. Her final show in Tokyo finishes up on Saturday ... after which, she can just jet back here with no real pressure.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

In the meantime ... her Tokyo fans get to enjoy her for the next few days. Win-win!

We'll be talking all things Taylor on the new "TMZ Swift-Tea Podcast" -- available on all podcast platforms!

SZA AOTY Loss Not Getting to Me ... Still Got My Grammys Bag!!!

Published | Updated

SZA's definitely a "glass half full" kinda artist ... because she says she's already moved on from losing Album of the Year at the 66th Grammy Awards.

The rapper/R&B singer sat down with The Hollywood Reporter Monday -- one day after her album "SOS" lost out to Taylor Swift's "Midnights" for the evening's biggest award -- and, she said she didn't care as much about the trophies as simply "surviving the night."

ICYMI ... SZA also performed on Grammys Sunday -- and was late receiving one of the three Grammys she did win because of it -- so, it seems the 34-year-old had much more pressing issues on her mind.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Basically, SZA said she's happy to have won 3 awards, no matter how big or small they are in the rest of the world's eyes ... adding she didn't "bomb on live television" so the whole thing worked out great for her.

And, if you think losing on one of her nominations to T-Swift's buggin' SZA, then think again -- 'cause she told THR she got to talk with Taylor a ton at the event and called her "funny as hell."

Sounds like the beginning of a beautiful celeb friendship.

FWIW ... SZA's been getting a ton of love from other celebs -- like Beyoncé, who seems to have sent her a handwritten note that she reposted to IG. Definitely makes it hard to obsess over one more Grammy when the Queen reaches out.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

So, SZA's clearly staying positive ... and hey, there's always next year!!!

'RuPaul's Drag Race' Jade Jolie Join Me For Swiftie Look-Alike Contest ... Live From Las Vegas!!!

Published | Updated

Taylor Swift tribute artist and "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestant Jade Jolie is calling all Swifties ... for a meet and greet and Swiftie look-alike contest ahead of Super Bowl LVIII.

Jade is hosting the contest at the Cat's Meow in Downtown Vegas the day before Taylor's beau Travis Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl.

There are 3 prizes for Swifties who can pull off Taylor's iconic look -- first place gets a Cat's Meow Party Package valued at $1,500 ... it's 4 hours of karaoke and a premium open bar for up to 20 people.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Second place gets $500 toward a bar tab and third place wins free admission for life to the Cat's Meow ... a famous karaoke joint on Fremont Street.

Jade, a damn good Taylor look-alike, will also host a meet-and-greet with fans.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

The event is going down Saturday night from 9 PM to 1 AM ... which should be around the time Taylor is potentially touching down in Vegas after wrapping up her concert in Japan, hopping on her jet and zooming east to catch Travis and the Chiefs play.

Taylor and Jade have crossed paths in the past ... Jade was in her music video for 'You Need To Calm Down' and attended the 2019 VMA's with Tay. It doesn't sound like Taylor's gonna be on hand for this event ... so we're gonna have to settle for a bunch of look-alikes.

Start making those friendship bracelets!!!

For more Taylor news be sure to check out "The TMZ Swift-Tea Podcast," available on all podcast platforms!

SELENA'S FATHER SLAMS NEW DOC With KILLER YOLANDA ... 'She's Nothing But Lies!!'

Published | Updated

Selena Quintanilla's killer, Yolanda Saldívar, is telling her side of the story from behind bars in  a new docuseries, but nearly 3 decades later ... it's still a slap in the face to the late icon's family.

Selena's dad, Abraham Quintanilla, is blasting Oxygen's "Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them" to TMZ ... making it clear he and the rest of Selena's family are not involved or supportive of the project in any way, shape, or form.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

He tells us, in particular, he wants absolutely nothing to do with Yolanda herself ... cause everything she says is nothing but lies, and no one's gonna believe what she has to say anyway.

In fact, Abraham wonders what more she has to say that she hasn't already ... reiterating that everyone knows there's zero truth to anything that comes out of her mouth.

In the 2-part doc, Yolanda will chronicle her version of events leading up to killing Selena. She'll discuss her working and personal relationship with the singer, and even her family members get involved with never-seen-before docs and recordings that allude to there being more to the whole situation than meets the eye.

"I knew her secrets," Saldívar chillingly adds in the trailer. "And I think the people deserved to know the truth." The first part of the docuseries drops on February 17, and the second part the next day.

Saldívar fatally shot Selena in 1995 after the Tejano star learned Saldívar had been embezzling funds from her clothing boutique.

Yolanda is serving a life sentence, but she's eligible for parole on March 30, 2025.

TOBY KEITH MOM JOINED HIM ON VEGAS STAGE ... Special Show Before Death

Published

One of Toby Keith's final concerts before his death was a special one ... with his mom Carolyn making a hilarious appearance on-stage, much to the surprise of delighted fans.

TMZ has obtained footage showing the late country icon in great spirits during a Sin City show on December 12 at the Park MGM Las Vegas ... which sadly ended up being one of his last. His last concert ended up being a couple days later at the same exact venue.

In the video, you can see him bring his mom, Carolyn, onstage -- joking around with her and encouraging her to tell audience members to "go to hell" -- which she did, no questions asked. Everyone got a big laugh out of it, and it certainly served as a sweet moment.

Carolyn was waving and rolling with the punches while sharing the spotlight with her son ... with the bond between them evidently strong. No doubt, it must've been a cherished memory for Toby ... who did, in fact, look a little frail in the clip ... but, for the most part, delivered an epic show with his signature vocals. His fans must have loved this too.

As we've reported ... Toby passed away Monday night while surrounded by his family, according to a statement posted to his Facebook page.

He'd been battling stomach cancer ... which he was diagnosed with in 2021. Toby announced the diagnosis in June 2022 ... adding at the time he was receiving chemo and radiation therapy, and had also undergone surgery.

Toby's passing has been a massive loss for the country music world ... during his 3-decade career, he released 24 studio and compilation albums and 2 Christmas records, generating $40 mil in worldwide music sales.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

Last September, he also won the Country Music Icon Award at the People's Choice Country Awards 2023 -- a major feat for any country artist.

Toby was just 62.

RIP

The TMZ Podcast: Toby Keith Dies, King Charles' Cancer Diagnosis & Taylor Swift Coachella Rumors

Published

On this episode of The TMZ podcast ...

Country music legend Toby Keith has sadly passed away surrounded by family due to complications from a lengthy battle with stomach cancer. He was just 62.

Taylor Swift's lawyers sent a cease and desist letter to a man who runs a social media page tracking her private jet whereabouts.

In other Swiftie news ... rumors have been running rampant following the Grammys that Taylor Swift is going to be Lana Del Rey's surprise guest at Coachella in April. Taylor's BF Travis Kelce revealed that he's already listened to her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, and says that "it is unbelievable!"

Rapper Killer Mike addressed his controversial arrest that took place at the Grammy awards, in which he allegedly knocked down a security guard.

Prince Harry is now in the United Kingdom to be with King Charles following his cancer diagnosis.

Plus, the lawyer behind the backup dancers suing Lizzo believes her presence at the Grammy awards was a double standard.

Subscribe to the The TMZ Podcast wherever you get your podcasts!

Hosts: Charlie Cotton & Melanie Miller

Toby Keith Dead At 62 ... After Stomach Cancer Diagnosis

Published | Updated

Toby Keith -- the iconic country music singer -- has died after a battle with stomach cancer.

Keith passed away Monday night while surrounded by his family, according to a statement posted to his Facebook page.

"He fought his fight with grace and courage," the message read, alluding to his serious health issues.

In June 2022, Keith announced he had been diagnosed with cancer the previous fall and was receiving chemo and radiation therapy, as well as having surgery.

At the time, he said he was doing well, but he needed time to "breathe, recover and relax."

As you know, Keith was one of the biggest names in country music. Throughout his three-decade career, he released 24 studio and compilation albums and 2 Christmas records, generating $40 million in worldwide music sales.

Keith also produced 61 tracks that appeared on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, with 20 of them hitting number one and 22 others landing in the top ten.

Some of his most recognizable tunes were "Who's Your Daddy?," "Made In America," "Should Have Been A Cowboy," "As Good As I Once Was," and "Beer for My Horses," a 2005 duet with Willie Nelson.

Born in Oklahoma, Keith landed his first record deal in 1993 after being employed as a rodeo hand, a roughneck and playing semiprofessional football. He worked around the clock, once telling former TV news anchor, Dan Rather, "I didn't take many vacations the first 20 years of my adult life."

Using his intense work ethic, Keith cranked out album after album and became a household name in 2002, when he released a controversial song, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)." He wrote the tune in response to the 9/11 attacks and the death of his disabled veteran father in a vehicle accident the same year.

Keith went on to perform numerous shows for US military officers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as three former American presidents, namely Donald Trump, Barack Obama and George W. Bush. At his performances, Keith was known to dole out gifts to wheelchair-bound veterans wounded in combat.

In 2021, then-President Trump honored Keith with the National Medal of Arts award, which is "the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States government," according to the National Endowment for the Arts.

Last September, Keith took home the Country Music Icon Award at the People's Choice Country Awards 2023. After accepting the statue, he gave a speech that brought some levity to his cancer diagnosis and stunning weight loss, saying, "Bet you thought you'd never see me in skinny jeans."

Fun fact for Swifties -- Taylor Swift was actually a huge fan of Toby's, and he played a big role in getting her career in country music started. Per reports, he helped sign her to her first record label, Big Machine Records, and was partially responsible for launching her career.

There's an old interview showing Taylor gush about Toby ... and how she'd always be star-struck by him.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

Toby is survived by his wife, Tricia, and three children, Shelley, Krystal and Stelen. He was 62.

RIP

LIZZO Grammys Invite Slammed ... Accusers' Attorney Claims Double Standard

Published | Updated

Lizzo presenting at the Grammys raised many eyebrows -- including those of the lawyer repping the backup dancers suing her, and he's claiming female privilege is the only reason she was there.

Neama Rahmani, who represents multiple Lizzo accusers, tells TMZ ... he's disappointed the singer was tapped to present the Best R&B Song award, and openly wonders why the Recording Academy would opt to give a platform to someone who allegedly sexually harassed her backup dancers.

Neama tells us he smells a double standard at play here -- noting that if a white man faced the same sort of sexual harassment, racism, and fat shaming allegations ... he doesn't think there's any way they'd be afforded the same opportunity Lizzo got.

Simply put ... Neama thinks the Grammys turning a blind eye to Lizzo's controversy is because she's a woman, and he's bummed they invited her amid the claims against her.

However, he remains confident the truth will come out when his clients prevail in the lawsuit -- a result he hopes will prompt the Recording Academy to start believing people who are brave enough to come forward against powerful celebrities.

FWIW ... Lizzo has outright denied these ex-backup dancers' allegations.

Still, many viewers at home shared Neama's shock at seeing Lizzo on stage -- with the sentiment being she's suffered zero consequences after the lawsuits ... which have not settled or gone to trial yet.

As we reported,. 3 of Lizzo's former dancers -- Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez -- sued the singer in August 2023 for allegedly creating a hostile work environment.

Two months later, she was hit with a similar suit from a separate dancer.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

Worth noting ... TMZ obtained legal docs in October, where 18 members of Lizzo's touring company wrote declarations standing with Lizzo, and disputing the claims made against her.

We've reached out to the Recording Academy for comment ... so far, no word back.

The War and Treaty Jay's Right About Beyoncé AOTY Snubs ... Bey's the Best!!!

Published | Updated

Jay-Z was right to use his Grammys moment to advocate for his wife Beyoncé ... so says another music couple who was at the award show.

We got The War and Treaty at LAX and our photog asked the Best New Artist nominees about Jay using his acceptance speech to talk about Beyoncé's 4 losses in the Album of the Year category.

The husband and wife duo say Jay was being a good hubby by standing up for his woman ... also telling us Hov isn't wrong in his views on Beyoncé albums being worthy of the top prize.

020424-jay-z-kal FEBRUARY 2024
SHE DESERVES MUCH MORE

The War and Treaty say Bey is more than worthy, and they feel she's right up there with Michael Jackson in terms of music and philanthropy.

MJ, by the way, won AOTY for "Thriller" way back in the day.

Jay told Beyoncé, and any other disappointed nominees, to keep showing up and pushing for accolades they feel they deserve.

Interestingly, The War and Treaty offered Beyoncé some advice, too -- they think a country record might be the way to go ... though, they're a little bit biased.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

It's an interesting perspective on the whole Jay-Z/Beyoncé/Grammys situation from other married folks in the biz. Speaking of which, they told us what it's really like to work so closely with a spouse.

Taylor Swift Fans Run Wild With Theory Stars Aligned for Coachella Pop-In?!?

Published | Updated

Taylor Swift's loyal supporters think they've got a new theory about her all figured out -- and based on the clues, they might be on to something ... namely, a possible Coachella drop-in.

Here's the deal ... with Tay Tay announcing her new album last night during the Grammys -- "The Tortured Poets Department" -- Swifties have been kicked into high gear with speculation that her release date, April 19, is no coincidence ... especially considering who she came onstage with later in the evening during her Album of the Year win.

Of course, we're talking about Lana Del Rey ... who was among a small group of people who joined T-Swift at the end of the show when she accepted her big award.

Taylor insisted on dragging her up there ... not to mention pouring on a ton of praise -- calling Lana an absolute legend and giving her her flowers and then some in her speech.

020524_taylor_swift_celine_dion_kal 2/4/24
accepting the big award

It's because of this strong friendship that people are thinking Taylor might hop onstage during Lana's headlining set at Coachella in April -- it's well-known at this point, the moody crooner is going to handle Friday night duties, including a big Weekend 2 set on Fri. April 19.

What a coinkidink ... that also just happens to be the day Taylor's dropping her project!

Some are suggesting Taylor's gonna take the opportunity to make a big splash to get people to listen -- which she could most certainly do without Coachella ... but something like that would absolutely break the Internet, and that's exactly what many believe will happen.

If Taylor does hit the main stage at Coachella ... it'll be her first time there, as she's never headlined before -- and she hasn't made a guest appearance either in all these years.

Lop on the fact that this year's lineup is getting crapped on left and right for being underwhelming ... and you can see why a Taylor cameo is just what Goldenvoice needs.

Oh, and did we mention that she has this April window open??? Yeah, she'll be on a break from her international "Eras" tour between March and May ... just in time for something like this. We're not saying we've heard one way or another, but fans sure seemed convinced.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

If this does come to pass as many suspect it will ... it might be one of the biggest Taylor Swift moments in a long time, and that's saying something considering the years she's had.

Time will tell ... April's right around the corner, so we'll know sooner than later what's what.

Mathew Knowles Beyoncé's Record Label Also to Blame For Grammys AOTY Snub

Published | Updated

Jay-Z says the Recording Academy is at fault for Beyoncé never winning the top prize at the Grammys ... but Bey's pops says her own record label is also contributing to the snub.

Mathew Knowles joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday, and we asked him about Jay's spicy speech at the Grammys, and what's holding Beyoncé back from winning Album of the Year.

020424-jay-z-kal FEBRUARY 2024
SHE DESERVES MUCH MORE

While HOV pointed the finger at the voters, Mathew claims Beyonce's record label, Columbia Records, isn't doing its part behind the scenes ... suggesting it's not going to bat for her when it comes to the voting process or the lobbying involved for award shows.

As Mathew explains, record labels can only support one artist per category, which becomes an issue when artists from the same label are nominated for the same award ... as has been the case with Beyoncé at least twice.

Mathew says this exact scenario played out back in 2017 ... when Beyoncé and Adele, who is also signed to Columbia, were both nominated for AOTY. Bey's dad claims Columbia Records threw its support behind Adele, and she ended up trumping Bey for the Grammy.

Harry Styles is also on Columbia, BTW ... and last year, he beat out Beyoncé for AOTY.

kanye_promo_kal
TMZ INVESTIGATES

Mathew says there are all sorts of reasons a record label would support one artist over another -- he broke down a few for us, while also pointing out it's not always about the music itself.

Jay-Z admitted in his speech this whole process is subjective, and Mathew's not denying that ... but he says money is a big motivator here too.

Beyoncé may very well win AOTY somewhere down the line ... but at the moment, her father seems to be implying the powers that be just aren't in her corner for the top prize.

Of course, Jay's solution was to "keep showing up," to the point where she can no longer be denied ... but Mathew's saying Beyonce's label has to show up for her.

It's an interesting conversation ... and Mathew takes us behind the curtain in the nomination and voting process.