There was no Adele, no Beyoncé and no Harry Kinds.
However there was the Ticketmaster-crashing Taylor Swift on the fiftieth American Music Awards on the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night time. Though she didn’t carry out — even with a smash new album, “Midnights,” that is only one month previous — the 32-year-old “Shake It Off” famous person was rewarded for her presence with the night time’s greatest haul: six awards, together with artist of the yr. That takes her document variety of AMAs to a fab 40.
“I really like you guys for making this a chance for me,” mentioned Swift, as she accepted the award for favourite pop album for “Pink (Taylor’s Model),” her re-recorded LP that was actually extra 2012 than 2022.
Apart from the T-Swizzle sweep, listed here are another highlights — and lowlights — of this yr’s AMAs.
Finest: Pink opens the present
Pink at all times makes all the pieces higher, and as by far the largest feminine pop performer of the night time, she deservedly opened the present together with her new single “By no means Gonna Not Dance Once more,” which received the celebration began in enjoyable, infectious vogue as she roller-skated into the Microsoft Enviornment. Displaying no indicators of settling into mother pop at 43, Pink undoubtedly received this celebration began.
Worst: Wayne Brady’s musical numbers
After his opening monologue — which was already so-so to start with — host Brady launched right into a gimmicky bleepfest that received previous actual fast. For good measure, he even shamelessly plugged his look on Monday’s “Dancing With the Stars” finale. And absolutely there should have been different accessible performers who would have been higher than seeing Brady do one more quantity later within the present.
Finest: Dove Cameron’s pro-queer speech
Accepting new artist of the yr within the first award introduced of the night time, the 26-year-old queer singer took the second to rejoice the LGBTQ group whereas addressing the tragic shootings at Membership Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“I wanna begin by saying that each award that I ever win will at all times in the beginning be devoted to the queer group at massive,” she mentioned, after accepting the award from actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, a longtime LGBTQ advocate. “You guys have carved out a particular house for me to be myself and to put in writing music about it, and I’ve by no means felt safer or extra cherished and extra supported, and I hope I can provide you some semblance of that very same feeling in my music. On the heels of the tragedy that occurred at Membership Q in Colorado Springs, I need to remind everybody how necessary queer visibility is and the way necessary our group is.”
Worst: Bebe Rexha and David Guetta
One of many greatest knocks in opposition to the AMAs is when artists hit the stage performing songs which are both too new for anybody to know or too irrelevant in comparison with the music that basically mattered in any given years. Such was the case with Rexha, a B-lister at greatest, performing “I’m Good” in a dominatrix-style get-up alongside a military of male dancers in black latex pants and muscle shirts. However it was extra like “I’m Meh.”
Finest: Anitta — and Missy Elliott!
Whereas Rexha was making an attempt method too arduous, Brazilian star Anitta was effortlessly horny in a black catsuit, humping the stage whereas a male dancer held her microphone. Bringing some South American warmth to the American Music Awards, the favourite feminine Latin artist winner carried out a medley of “Envolver” and “Foyer,” with none aside from Elliott exhibiting as much as get her freak on with Anitta.
Finest: Jimmie Allen honors Loretta Lynn
Earlier than introducing Carrie Underwood, breakout nation star Allen — one of many African-American artists turning up the variety within the style — got here strumming out together with his acoustic guitar to do a little bit of “Coal Miner’s Daughter” in candy remembrance of the late, nice Loretta Lynn. It was a touching tribute that flipped each the gender and the race historically related to the traditional. And also you get the sensation that Lynn was trying down with a smile on her face.
Worst: Carrie Underwood’s aerial flop
Though Underwood introduced some much-needed star energy to the festivities, she appeared method out of her component making an attempt to steal Pink’s acrobatic Cirque du Soleil act carrying a multicolored leotard. Performing the rock-edged “Loopy Angels” from her “Denim & Rhinestones” album, it felt like manufacturing overkill for a singer who simply wants to face there and belt just like the vocal beast she is.
Worst: The Olivia Newton-John tribute
Singing “Hopelessly Dedicated to You” in honor of the beloved late “Grease” star Olivia Newton-John, Pink’s second efficiency of the night time wasn’t dangerous — she sounded high-quality — however it was nonetheless a disappointment. It simply wasn’t the proper track for her — nor was that feathery robe the proper costume — and a medley that includes different songs and different singers would have achieved extra justice to Newton-John.
Finest: The Lionel Richie tribute
The tribute to Richie that closed the present was way more becoming, offering the emotional and musical spotlight of the night time. First, there was ageless Motown legend Smokey Robinson introducing Richie, bringing the type of class and traditional pedigree that was lacking for a lot of the present. Then Richie — additionally newly inducted into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame — stepped as much as give a really earnest speech as he accepted the icon award, encouraging younger artists to attempt to encourage future generations.
However the perfect was saved for final when Stevie Surprise(!) and Charlie Puth carried out a joyful medley of Richie’s hits — from “Three Instances a Woman” and “Simple (Like Sunday Morning)” to “Brick Home” and “All Evening Lengthy (All Evening).” All of it ended with a star-studded “We Are the World” that made it really feel like 1985 yet again.
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