The government of Brazil expressed its "repudiation" to the treatment that the organizers of the Grammy Awards gave to Milton Nascimento, an icon of popular music in that country, who was placed in a "location incompatible with his career" and did not attend the ceremony. In response, the Ministry of Culture of Brazil expressed its dissatisfaction with the way one of the leading figures of Brazilian popular music was treated.
Milton Nascimento, author of 34 albums and winner of five Grammy Awards, is a composer highly admired by artists from different generations and countries. Recently, his collaboration with American bassist Esperanza Spalding was highlighted in The New York Times. Despite being nominated in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category at the 67th edition of the Grammy Awards for the album "Milton+Esperanza," the 82-year-old singer decided not to attend the ceremony held in Los Angeles.
Nascimento's production team noted that the Grammy organizers argued that only the artists they wanted to showcase in the gala video would be at the main tables, which led to Milton Nascimento being placed in the stands. This generated criticism as it was considered that this decision not only disregarded his extensive career and international prestige but also his advanced age and limitations in climbing or descending stairs. The organization preferred to place Spalding in a privileged location and left Nascimento in a less prominent spot.
