AlanisMorissettehascomeforwardtoexplainwhyshedroppedoutofaperformanceattheRockandRollHallofFameceremonyonSaturdaynight,whereshewasscheduledtoperformaduetoftheclassichit“You’reSoVain”withOliviaRodrigoaspartofatributetoinducteeCarlySimon.
MorissettedidtakepartinrehearsalsonFridaybeforeleaving.
MorissetteleftsomemysteryinapostonherInstagramLiveaccountaboutwhatsouredhersomuchduringthoserehearsalsthatshelefttheshowatthelastminute,despitebeinglistedonallthein-houseschedulesfortheepicshowrightupuntilSaturdaynight’sfilming.
However,Morissettestatedemphaticallythatwhateversheencounteredwhilestillon-sitetriggeredlong-simmeringfeelingsabout“anoverarchinganti-womansentiment”intheindustry.
Andsheappearedtoblamethetelecast’sproductionteam,implyingthatwhateversheexperiencedtherewasinstarkcontrastto“countlessincredibleexperienceswithproductionteamsofallgendersthroughoutmylife.”
Thereareconflictingaccountsbehindthescenesofwhatwentwrongduringtherehearsal,withmultiplesourcesclaimingthatMorissette“struggledwiththesong”duringarun-through,resultinginthediscordandeventualwalkout.
SourcesclosetoMorissettedisputethatassessment,claimingthatMorissetteandRodrigowereintheearlystagesofrehearsingthesongwiththehousebandonFriday.
MorissetteissuedthefollowingstatementonherInstagramaccountonMonday:
“TherehavebeensomerumoursthatIdidnotperformattheRockandRollHallofFameinductionceremonythispastweekend.
“Firstandforemost,ImustexpressmyadmirationforCarlySimon,OliviaRodrigo,DollyParton,JanetJackson,PatBenatar,SherylCrow,Pink,BrandiCarlile,andSaraBareilles—andalltheamazingpeopleandartistswhowerethere,”shewrote,namingthemajorityofthefemaleartistswhowerehonouredorperformedontheshow.
“Ihavespentdecadesinanindustrythatisrifewithanoverarchinganti-womansentimentandhavetoleratedalotofcondescensionanddisrespectfulness,reduction,dismissiveness,contract-breaching,unsupportiveness,exploitationandpsychologicalviolence(andmore)throughoutmycareer,”Morissettecontinued.
ItolerateditbecausenothingcouldkeepmefromconnectingwiththoseIcaredaboutandwithwhomIresonated.
Ilivetoserveandconnectwithpeople,andI’vesuckedituponmoreoccasionsthanIcancountovertheyearstodoso.
It’sdifficultnottobeaffectedbyanyindustryintheworld,butHollywoodhasareputationfordisrespectingthefeminineinallofus.”
“Thankfully,Iamatapointinmylifewherethereisnoneedformetospendtimeinanenvironmentthatreduceswomen,”thesinger-songwriterconcluded.
Throughoutmylife,Ihavehadcountlessincredibleexperienceswithproductionteamsofallgenders.
Therearesomany,andtheyareallsomuchfun.
Nothingbeatsadiversegroupofpeopleworkingtogetheronacommongoal.
I’llkeepshowingupinthoseplaceswithbellson.:)”
Morissetteendedherstatementwithatimelyreminder:“Votingtime!
“Iadoreyou.”
TheinductionceremonywasbeingtapedatLosAngeles’MicrosoftTheatreforlaterbroadcastonHBOinNovember.
Becausenoofficiallineuphadbeenannounced,themajorityoftheaudiencewasunawarethatMorissettewouldbeperformingalongsideRodrigo.
Nonetheless,thesubtletiesofthetimingintheSimontributemayhaveappearedstrange.
Themusicalperformance(whichdidnotincludethestage-shySimonherself)beganwithSaraBareillessingingaveryshortenedversionofthehit“NobodyDoesItBetter,”oneofmanyabridgementsmadetofitmedleysintolimitedtimeslots.
However,Rodrigo’srenditionof“You’reSoVain”lastedlongerthan“Nobody”orthemajorityoftheothersoloperformancesofsongsthatwerecrammedintotheshow.
VarietyhasreachedouttoRockandRollHallofFamerepresentativesforanofficialresponsetoMorissette’sclaims.
RepresentativesfortheHalldidnotrespondtorequestsforcommentonthesinger’sdepartureovertheweekend.
Thesingermadeitclearinherstatementthatherbeefwasnotwithherplannedduetpartner,Rodrigo.
Theintergenerationalperformershaveahappyhistoryofmutualsupport,havingparticipatedinaRollingStone“MusiciansonMusicians”conversationjustoverayearago,andRodrigorecentlyinductedMorissetteintotheCanadianSongwritersHallofFame.
