Young Fan Voters Pick the American Music Awards
By DONNA BALANCIA
LOS ANGELES – Taylor Swift got the last laugh and performed her hit songs on The American Music Awards Sunday night after all.
But all the performances, the costumes and the AMAs broadcast overall showed the best in the business across the board. The big winners were Billie Eilish, Swift and Camila Cabello, and performances by Selena Gomez, Halsey, show host Ciara kept people watching.
It’s the young fans who pick the awards. And the sponsors of the AMA show — iPhone and Apple products, Disney and cell phone carriers — want the kids to vote for them, too, and with their wallets.
One of the big highlights was Carole King presenting the AMA Artist of the Decade award to Swift.
“Her impact around the world is extraordinary,” King said.
Swift performed a range of her hits despite earlier word that she was not entitled to do so. Swift said Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun told her she was not allowed to perform her old songs on television “because they claim that would be re-recording my music before I’m allowed to, next year.”
Upon accepting the decade award, Swift said her work has been for the fans.
“The fact that this is an award that celebrates a decade of hard work and of art and of fun and memories, all that matters is to me is the memories I’ve had with you guys with you the fans over the years,” Swift said. “Thank you AMAs and I am so lucky to get to do this.”
Swift also thanked her parents who were in the audience.
Selena Gomez kicked off the evening with her emotional “Lose You to Love Me,” with the opening segment broadcast in black and white. Then with a flick of a switch the young songstress was swathed in purple green and orange and performing “Look at Her Now.”
There were many opportunities for seamless connection to sponsors. There was a similar black and white iPhone commercial later in the broadcast that features Gomez, indicating that it was shot all on an iPhone.
Ciara descended from the ceiling and launched into “Melanin,” her upbeat new release.
Billie Eilish took the first award of the night as Best Alternative Artist.
“I grew up admiring you all and the fact that you’re all looking at me, thank you for this,” she said.
Hostess Ciara took the spotlight as one of the better awards show hosts, making her presentations from different spots in the house during the night. At one point she joined her own children, who watched their mom’s opening performance of “Melanin” from the audience.
“Melanin” is an upbeat celebration and Sunday’s performance brought an emotional kick of urban nostalgia, taking the audience back to the playground days. Ciara was clearly the star of the night, making many costume changes and using different looks to match her many smiles and tones in delivery. She should host all the award shows.
Halsey won her first American Music Award in the Pop Rock Song category “Without Me” also nominated for Best Artist of the Year.
“I believed this award was the ultimate validation, but the truth is I am older now and apparently I’m doing OK. Most of these awards aren’t what they seem at all. I am so thankful to the AMAs because they are the largest fan-voted award show.”
Tyra Banks likes to use the word slay, but in her suit with white hat, she is still gorgeous but bore a slight resemblance to a park ranger.
Banks introduced Lizzo who gave an all-out emotive performance of her bluesy track “Jerome.” Lizzo is on a hot streak, particularly with six GRAMMY nominations she got last week. At the AMAs she amazed, wrapping the song down on the grown pleading to the audience.
The Jonas Brothers, pop music’s favorite brother act, performed live from Boston and had the fans screaming. Ciara introduced the brothers before a T-Mobile-sponsored pink-clad crowd of fans. There were times like this, when it was difficult to discern adverts from the show.
Thomas Rhett in his denim, put a little country flavor into the night with his song “Look What God Gave Her,” an upbeat pop song that got a Teen Choice Award nomination for Choice Country Song. He came into the audience and got the crowd going.
Taylor Swift’s first acceptance was for her win for favorite pop rock album for Lover and she made her way through the crowd wearing a glittery green short-and-long gown, which by now she has come to trademark. She thanked a slew of performers and producers. and said she felt here work had taken on a new beginning.
It wasn’t 100 percent kids as Paula Abdul introduced Tony Braxton in a throwback moment. Braxton performed her classic “Unbreak My Heart,” with a mobile string orchestra. Before the show, Abdul said she was having a great time with her Vegas show.
“It’s not an easy show to do,” she told her interviewer on the red carpet. “It’s filled with non stop action, but it’s so much fun, I’m having an incredible time gratifying.”
The young audience responded overwhelmingly to Braxton’s heartfelt performance.
Favorite Country Album went to Carrie Underwood’s Cry Pretty. It was her 14th American Music Award. She also received a second award for best female country artist. She gave a tear-filled acceptance speech and thanked the fans.
Outstanding performances included Eilish whose duet with brother Finneas sounded more like Billie Holiday, until she launched into the body of the “hot” song “All The Good Girls Go to Hell.” She went on to win Best New Artist, and before going up to the stage gave a hug to Leslie Ann Warren (?) who was beside her. Leslie Ann Warren, after all, was the best Cinderella ever.
Eilish thanked her creative team for doing anything she wants, thanked the fans and her label and her brother, who is her best friend.
The hottest duet of the night was a no-brainer of Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, who proved it with a subsequent win for best collaboration with the 2019 song “Senorita.”
Post Malone won best Rap Hip Hop Album accepting the award in a plaid jacket and cowboy hat. There was a compelling collaboration between Posty, Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott.
Green Day performed the classic “Basket Case” and brought down the house. Shania Twain, who is slaying in Las Vegas, made a rare awards show appearance and her first on the AMA stage in 16 years.
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Drake
Ariana Grande
Halsey
Post Malone
W – Taylor Swift
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
W – Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Ella Mai
COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper, “Shallow”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road”
Marshmello and Bastille, “Happier”
W – Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello, “Señorita”
Post Malone and Swae Lee, “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)”
TOUR OF THE YEAR
W – BTS
Ariana Grande
Elton John
P!nk
Ed Sheeran
FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO
Billie Eilish, “Bad Guy”
Ariana Grande, “7 Rings”
Halsey, “Without Me”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road”
W – Taylor Swift, “You Need to Calm Down”
FAVORITE SOCIAL ARTIST
W – BTS
Billie Eilish
EXO
Ariana Grande
Shawn Mendes
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Drake
W- Khalid
Post Malone
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande
W- Taylor Swift
FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – POP/ROCK
W- BTS
Jonas Brothers
Panic! At The Disco
FAVORITE ALBUM – POP/ROCK
Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Ariana Grande, Thank U, Next
W- Taylor Swift, Lover
FAVORITE SONG – POP/ROCK
W – Halsey, “Without Me”
Jonas Brothers, “Sucker”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road”
Panic! At The Disco, “High Hopes”
Post Malone & Swae Lee, “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)”
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
W- Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
Kelsea Ballerini
Maren Morris
W- Carrie Underwood
FAVORITE DUO or GROUP – COUNTRY
W- Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Old Dominion
FAVORITE ALBUM – COUNTRY
Kane Brown, Experiment
Dan + Shay, Dan + Shay
W- Carrie Underwood, Cry Pretty
FAVORITE SONG – COUNTRY
Luke Combs, “Beautiful Crazy”
W- Dan + Shay, “Speechless”
Blake Shelton, “God’s Country”
FAVORITE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP
W- Cardi B
Drake
Post Malone
FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP
Meek Mill, “Championships”
W- Post Malone, “Hollywood’s Bleeding”
Travis Scott, “Astroworld”
FAVORITE SONG – RAP/HIP-HOP
W – Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road”
Post Malone, “Wow.”
Travis Scott, “Sicko Mode”
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
Chris Brown
Khalid
W- Bruno Mars
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
W- Beyoncé
Lizzo
Ella Mai
FAVORITE ALBUM – SOUL/R&B
Chris Brown, Indigo
W – Khalid, Free Spirit
Ella Mai, Ella Mai
FAVORITE SONG – SOUL/R&B
W – Khalid, “Talk”
Lizzo, “Juice”
Ella Mai, “Trip”
FAVORITE ARTIST – ALTERNATIVE ROCK
W – Billie Eilish
Imagine Dragons
Panic! at the Disco
FAVORITE ARTIST – ADULT CONTEMPORARY
Maroon 5
P!nk
W – Taylor Swift
FAVORITE ARTIST – LATIN
Bad Bunny
W – J Balvin
Ozuna
FAVORITE ARTIST – CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
W – Lauren Daigle
For King & Country
MercyMe
FAVORITE ARTIST – ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC (EDM)
Avicii
W – Marshmello
The Chainsmokers
FAVORITE SOUNDTRACK
A Star Is Born by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
W – Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
