Grammy Chief Harvey Mason Jr. on This Year’s Show, ‘Evolving’ the Membership and Country Music Representation

Entering his sixth year as CEO of the Recording Academy, Harvey Mason Jr. has steered the organization through a period of profound challenge and change. His tenure, which began in the wake of the controversial ouster of former chief Deborah Dugan, has been marked by a global pandemic, devastating Los Angeles wildfires, and recurring debates over the awards' nominees and winners. Throughout, Mason has pursued a relentless agenda to modernize the Academy's operations, refresh its membership, and repair relationships with artists. A key achievement has been mobilizing the Academy and its charitable arm, MusiCares to provide critical aid, distributing over $25 million in pandemic relief and an additional $24 million for wildfire recovery through fundraising efforts. "We’ve given out pretty much all the money over this last year to music people who needed help — that’s a massive stat," Mason notes, expressing pride in the community's collective action.

This Sunday's ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena—the Grammy's longtime Los Angeles home—will be a pivotal one. The show features major category contenders like Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, and Bad Bunny, with performances slated from Sabrina Carpenter and all eight Best New Artist nominees. More acts are expected to be announced imminently. The event also marks the end of a 50-year broadcast partnership with CBS, following the Academy's landmark new 10-year, $500 million agreement with Disney to air the ceremony on ABC, Disney+, and Hulu. In a recent interview with Variety, Mason, a veteran songwriter and producer who has worked with icons from Aretha Franklin to Justin Bieber, discussed the transition, host Trevor Noah's final appearance, and the ongoing mission to ensure the awards reflect the contemporary music landscape, including addressing this year's surprisingly scant representation of country music in the top categories.

When asked about the shift to Disney, Mason reflected on the past while looking ahead. "We’ve definitely had an incredible 50-year run with CBS, and we’re going to celebrate that partnership," he said. "But we’re also excited about the future. What ABC-Disney brings is a fresh perspective and the immense reach of their platform ecosystem." He highlighted the potential for expanded storytelling and music content across Disney's array of properties, including Hulu, ESPN, and its theme parks, which prioritize creators and artistry. Regarding the host, Mason praised Trevor Noah's unique blend of humor, intelligence, and genuine music fandom over his six-year stint, calling him a "unicorn" and crediting him with helping shape the show's current success. Executive producer Ben Winston will remain in his role.

A persistent focus for Mason has been evolving the Academy's membership to better represent the industry. He emphasizes continuous, year-round adjustment rather than reactive fixes. "It’s never going to be perfect, but we will absolutely be paying attention and adjusting as we need to," he stated, describing the process of recruiting from diverse genres and roles. This approach is now being tested following criticism over minimal country music representation in the general field categories this year, a talking point some commentators have seized upon. Mason urged against politicizing the issue, framing it as a cyclical outcome of voter choice. "We will be looking into all our genre categories and the voters associated with them, making sure they are balanced, like we do every year," he explained. The goal, he clarified, is maintaining a demographically representative voting body rather than engineering specific nomination outcomes.

Despite the demanding role, Mason continues to produce music, finding it essential to his leadership. "If I wasn’t making music, I would just dry up and shrivel away," he admitted. He believes his late-night studio sessions keep him connected to the creative community, providing direct insight into members' concerns and fostering open dialogue. As for the upcoming show, Mason is optimistic, relieved to be planning an event without an external crisis like a pandemic or natural disaster. "It’s going really well, and the show is shaping up to be incredible: great artists, a great range of genres and experiences, young people, icons, superstars," he said. "It feels really good."