Assessment of artistic and creative work in higher music education remains a contested and complex challenge (Hallam, 2019). In Norwegian higher popular music education, music performance assessments are central to voice students’ learning experiences, yet the role of grading within these assessments is increasingly questioned, leading to the removal of grades from the performance examinations. This study investigates how the removal of grades may influence students’ and educators’ perceptions of assessment as a learning tool. Drawing on a qualitative PhD study, the research is based on semi-structured interviews with 15 third-year bachelor vocal students and 9 vocal educators from three Norwegian institutions. Using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022), the study explores how grades and feedback are experienced and understood in the context of concert examinations. The findings reveal a clear tension between summative and formative assessment practices (Winstone & Boud, 2022).Educators largely perceive grading as a hindrance to learning, expressing a desire to remove grades in favour of qualitative feedback. This aligns with the principles of sustainable assessment, which emphasize long-term learning and student agency (Boud, 2000). Students, however, are divided: while some find grades motivating and affirming (Ryan & Deci, 2000), others report that grading induces stress, undermines confidence, and detracts from intrinsic motivation. The study also highlights inconsistencies in how feedback is integrated into curricula, despite institutional language supporting holistic assessment approaches (Powell & Smith, 2019). The research contributes to the discourse on sustainable assessment in creative arts education by examining how assessment practices can support lifelong learning. It suggests that removing grades in performance-based subjects may foster deeper engagement, enhance self-regulated learning, and support the development of artistic identity (Partti, Westerlund, & Lebler, 2015). However, the findings also caution against a one-size-fits-all approach, advocating instead for negotiated and collaborative assessment strategies (Kleiman, 2009; Hughes, 2015).This study has implications for curriculum design, assessment policy, and pedagogical practice in higher music education. It calls for a rethinking of assessment frameworks to better align with the values of artistic growth, student agency towards the popular music industry, and lifelong learning.Keywords: assessment, popular music education, vocal performance