Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce to Miss 2026 Grammys

The singer and NFL star are not expected to attend the music awards show this year.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 1:39pm

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Taylor Swift will not be attending the 2026 Grammy Awards, as her latest album "The Life of a Showgirl" was released after the eligibility period. Her fiancé, NFL player Travis Kelce, is also not expected to be at the ceremony. Grammys executive producer Ben Winston addressed rumors of Swift's potential appearance, stating that they were unfounded. Swift has kept a low profile since releasing her "The End of an Era" docuseries in December, and she has indicated she is not planning a tour for "The Life of a Showgirl" at the moment, wanting to enjoy a break. The couple is also focused on planning their upcoming wedding.

Why it matters

Swift's absence from the Grammys highlights the challenges artists face in aligning album release cycles with award show eligibility periods. It also underscores the singer's desire to take a step back from the spotlight and focus on her personal life after an intense period of touring and promotion. The news is of interest to Swift's fans and the music industry as a whole.

The details

While Swift released one of the buzziest albums of 2025, "The Life of a Showgirl", it came out in October - after the 2026 Grammys eligibility period of August 31, 2024 to August 30, 2025. This means she cannot be nominated for it at this year's ceremony, though she can be nominated at the 2027 Grammys. Grammys executive producer Ben Winston also addressed rumors of Swift attending, stating that they were unfounded and "made up" by the media.

  • Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" album was released in October 2025.
  • The 2026 Grammys eligibility period was from August 31, 2024 to August 30, 2025.

The players

Taylor Swift

A popular American singer-songwriter who has won multiple Grammy Awards. She released her album "The Life of a Showgirl" in 2025, but it was after the eligibility period for the 2026 Grammys.

Travis Kelce

An American football player who plays as a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. He is engaged to Taylor Swift and is also not expected to attend the 2026 Grammys ceremony.

Ben Winston

The executive producer of the Grammy Awards, who addressed rumors about Taylor Swift's potential attendance at the 2026 ceremony.

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What they’re saying

“The only reason people think Taylor might be performing or coming is because Hits decided to print it this week and put it in their Hits List, and it was picked up globally. But Hits just totally made that up. And now I am getting asked about it by you, as if it's a real thing, when it was made up in your office! That really is a full-circle rumor!”

— Ben Winston, Grammys Executive Producer (ELLE)

“The Eras Tour was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so she's not going to put pressure on herself to make everything that big and ambitious. She'll make sure the next one is special in its own right, but she's also realistic about it.”

— Industry Source (ELLE)

“I am so tired when I think about doing it again because I'd want to do it really well again.”

— Taylor Swift (BBC Radio 1)

What’s next

Swift can be nominated for "The Life of a Showgirl" at the 2027 Grammy Awards ceremony.

The takeaway

Taylor Swift's absence from the 2026 Grammys highlights the challenges artists face in aligning album release cycles with award show eligibility periods. It also underscores the singer's desire to take a break and focus on her personal life after an intense period of touring and promotion.