Taylor Swift NOT To Perform At Grammy Awards 2026?

Rumors of a Taylor Swift performance at the 2026 Grammy Awards have been officially debunked. Executive Producer Ben Winston confirmed on Thursday, January 29, 2026, that reports of her involvement were “totally made up” by a trade publication and had snowballed into a global misunderstanding.

While Swift is skipping the stage this year, the Recording Academy has confirmed a star-studded lineup for the ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 1.

Why Taylor Swift is Not Performing

The Eligibility Factor: Swift’s 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl (released October 3, 2025), fell outside the current Grammy eligibility window (Aug 31, 2024 – Aug 30, 2025).
The “Made Up” Rumor: Ben Winston clarified that the speculation began when HITS published it in their “HITS List,” leading fans to believe a surprise set was in the works.
Wedding Watch: Unconfirmed reports also suggest Swift is focusing on her upcoming wedding preparations with fiancé Travis Kelce, though the producer strictly cited the “made-up” nature of the performance reports.

Sabrina Carpenter: The 2026 Headliner

The highlight of the 68th Grammy Awards will be Sabrina Carpenter, who has evolved into the show’s central figure.

Six Nominations: Carpenter is a frontrunner with six nods, including Album of the Year for Man’s Best Friend and Record of the Year for “Manchild.”
Massive Set Planned: Winston revealed that after Carpenter “turned the tide” for the show in 2025, she has been given a prime “massive performance” slot this year.
Advent Calendar Reveal: The Grammys are announcing one new artist daily to build hype, with Carpenter being the first confirmed act.

Confirmed Performers & Presenters (Main Ceremony)

Category	Artist / Person
Confirmed Performers	Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Clipse, Pharrell Williams
Special Medley	Best New Artist Nominees (Addison Rae, Katseye, Olivia Dean, etc.)
Tributes	Lauryn Hill (D’Angelo/Roberta Flack), Slash/Post Malone (Ozzy Osbourne)
Host	Trevor Noah (Returning for the 6th consecutive time)
Presenters	Harry Styles, Doechii