Fans Are Upset That Christina Grimmie Was Absent From The Grammys’ “In Memoriam”

Christina Grimmie is not receiving the posthumous acknowledgement she deserves. The 22-year-old died in June of 2016 when she was fatally shot at a concert in Orlando, Florida. One of many losses last year, Grimmie's death seemed like one the most monumental tragedies of 2016, especially given her young age. Back in September, though, The Voice contestant wasn't included in the Emmys "In Memoriam" tribute. Even more shocking, the late singer wasn't included in the Grammys tribute last night. Cynthia Erivo of Broadway's The Color Purple and John Legend performed an arrangement of The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" to honors star as Merle Haggard, Joey Feek, and Juan Gabriel — Grimmie was notably absent. Fans want to know: where was Christina Grimmie in the montage? Twitter user Jay Copeland wrote, "Loved watching the #GRAMMYs this year.. only mistake they made... should have included @TheRealGrimmie in the memorial video of those passed." Like many of today's young stars, Grimmie got her start on YouTube. Copeland added, "She was inspirational as she was/is one the people that paved the way for people to be discovered through YouTube." These tribute montages can be tricky political territory. The Grammys are meant to be a night of celebration — they are not necessarily meant to be a time of collective mourning. But tribute is owed where tribute is due, and Grimmie had a significant effect on the music industry in her admittedly short career. The fact that this is a repeated snub makes the situation even more absurd. The Emmys is perhaps forgivable — the night celebrates television, not music. But the Grammys are a night about music and the influencers who shaped the canon this year, and Grimmie certainly belongs in the roundup.

Even in death, Grimmie is shaping music — she's still releasing songs. Tomorrow, Grimmie's single "Invisible" will be released. It is the first posthumous single that the singer's family will debut.