Next Sunday, March 14 marks the 2021 Grammy Awards, and the Recording Academy, the body behind the Grammy Awards, has announced that it will conduct a study on the representation of women in the music business after discovering that only 23% of nominees for the 2021 ceremony identify as women. 

According to the Academy, only 198 nominees out of 853 in 83 categories identify as women.

Despite this figure, three women are among the artists with the most nominations: Beyoncé with nine, and Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift with six each.

The Recording Academy has been accused of systemic sexism and voting irregularities, but in an attempt to make amends, it has pledged to double the number of female voters by 2025 and improve women's participation in the music business.

The study will be conducted in collaboration with the Berklee College of Music, and will attempt to examine female representation beyond current popular music.

The Academy's director of diversity, equity and inclusion, Valeisha Butterfield Jones, stated that "women are key drivers in the economy and in all business and creative sectors of music, globally, and yet, we reflect 2% female producers and engineers," reaffirming the need for their commitment to increase the number of women working in the industry.

This year Beyoncé, Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift top the list of nominations. Queen B has nine nominations, among those are Song and Record of the Year. 

Interestingly, next week's Grammys will pay tribute to Dolly Parton, winner of nine awards since her first nomination 51 years ago.

ONE WEEK till these performers hit the #GRAMMYs stage on CBS!  Are you ready?! https://t.co/H1LzyGkilV pic.twitter.com/9gh3oJws8f

Among the artists who will perform from different venues are nominees Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, in a ceremony that is scheduled to take place virtually on March 14 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time