Frankie Valli Is Feeling ‘Terrific’ at the 2025 Grammys: ‘I Waited a Long Time’ (Exclusive)

The 2025 Grammys Lifetime Acheivement honoree revealed on the red carpet that he’s “working on something” for the future

By Charna Flam is a writer-reporter at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. Her work has previously appeared on Variety, The New York Post, and The Wrap.

Published on February 2, 2025 06:01PM EST

Frankie Valli has waited a lifetime for his latest honor.

The Four Seasons crooner, 90, appeared on the Grammys red carpet on Sunday, Feb. 2, the day after accepting his Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony’s Special Merit Awards in Los Angeles, where he spoke exclusively with PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly about receiving the honor.

“I’m really feeling terrific about all of this. I waited a long time,” Valli said beside his wife, Jackie Jacobs.

“But it finally did happen. And I mean, I went for about seven or eight years in a row,” he added. “[They said,] ‘You’re getting it this year, you’re getting it this year.’ “

Valli was nominated at the Grammys in 1963, 1968 and 1979, but never won a competitive award. He was nominated for best new artist of 1962, best rock & roll recording for “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” His 1968 hit “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” earned nods for best contemporary male solo vocal performance and best vocal performance, male. He was also nominated for his work on the Grease soundtrack in 1979.

Despite the “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” singer’s storied career, he said he’s still working on new projects.

“For the future, I’m always working on something. I am working on something right now. It’s not ready to talk about,” he said.

The singer added that along with his upcoming projects, he would like “to do a little bit more acting and have another play like Jersey Boys.” The popular Broadway jukebox musical chronicles the formation, rise and fall of Valli and The Four Seasons throughout the 1960s. The show ran on Broadway from 2005 to 2017 and was adapted into a movie musical in 2014.

The singer exclusively told PEOPLE in September 2024 that he intends to continue performing for as long as he can.

“I know there has been a lot of stuff on the internet about me lately so I wanted to clear the air. I am blessed to be 90 years old and still be doing what I love to do and as long as I am able, and audiences want to come see me, I am going to be out there performing as I always,” he shared in the September statement.

“I absolutely love what I do. And I know we put on a great show because our fans are still coming out in force and the show still rocks.”

“I plan to be doing shows as long as I can, delivering that great Four Seasons sound. Like that line in Jersey Boys, I’m like that bunny on TV, that just keeps going and going and going. Chasing the music,” he concluded.

The Grammys are broadcasting live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on CBS or stream them live and on-demand on Paramount+.