Ellie Goulding has called for "transparency" in music awards in an op-ed which accused the industry of prioritising "politics" over artists.
In an opinion piece titled 'The start of a conversation' for Medium, the Army hitmaker questioned the process behind the allocation of trophies, and admitted the industry "saddens" her because such events celebrate "internal politics" and "industry relationships" over the work of an artist.
"I sit and wonder when the industry stopped reflecting the impulses that drive us as musicians," she wrote in the piece published on Wednesday.
"I sit and wonder when factors such as industry relationships, internal politics, and magazine covers started being rewarded before the music itself," she continued. "I sit and wonder about the ways in which artists in other fields - fine art, dance, film - are identified and praised for their notable bodies of work, not because (of) their notable bodies or working relationships."
Ellie also hit out at the music industry for rewarding people "for reasons that are hard to decipher".
She added: "People are being awarded - in the form of both nominations and category wins - for reasons that are hard to decipher.
"If both the most globally popular artists and most critically revered artists are not being recognised, how do we, as artists, go on?"
Ellie insisted she wasn't directing her piece at artists who have won or been nominated for top prizes, but simply insisted that people want some clarity regarding the process as a whole.
She said: "I, and so many others, just want some transparency... It is time to have a bigger discussion about where we are going and how we acknowledge and reward those who are, frankly, the reason this industry exists in the first place."
Her comments come after the Grammys revealed no nominations for The Weeknd's album After Hours and his hit song Blinding Lights - the latter of which was Spotify's most-streamed track of 2020.
Hitting out at the decision himself after branding the ceremony "corrupt", he recently said: "You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency."
