Update: Grammys add Kanye, confirm Winehouse via satellite

Kanye West is set for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, and Amy Winehouse has been confirmed to appear via satellite from London. Yesterday, it was reported that Winehouse's visa application had been denied by the U.S. Embassy, and speculation soon began that she would appear via satellite.

On Friday afternoon, Winehouse's U.S. publicist sent out a statement saying the artist had now been granted a visa, but she would still be appearing via satellite.

Reads the statement: "Following further discussions involving the U.S. Embassy in London and officials in the United States, Amy Winehouse has been granted a visa to enter the United States of America. Unfortunately, due to the logistics involved and timing complications, Amy will not be coming to the US this weekend to perform at the Grammys in Los Angeles, however she will still be performing via satellite broadcast from London as previously announced this morning."

Winehouse, who is up for six awards, will perform in a London studio. The singer entered a drug rehabilitation center in late January, and a daily Winehouse/Grammy watch ensued.

There's no information contained in the Recording Academy press release as to what West's performance may contain or if he'll be teaming up with other artists. This year's Grammys are ultra-heavy on star pairings (Rihanna and the Time, Beyonce and Tina Turner, Fergie and John Legend, and on and on and on).

Earlier, I mentioned the strengths of West's previous Grammy performances, so this last-minute add is a bit of good news, and should balance out a performance by Kid Rock. A reminder of one of West's fine Grammy moments, in 2006, via YouTube:

Comments

[Jon Taplin]

Maybe Amy Winehouse should get Keith Richards or Kate Moss's immigration lawyer.
http://jtaplin.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/saving-american-youth-from-amy-winehouse/