AMAs
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Floating above the Microsoft Theater’s audience on a suspended spherical cage, Carrie Underwood was ever the contortionist, bending and gliding through the opening verse of her Denim & Rhinestones song “Crazy Angels” for the 2022 AMAs on Sunday (Nov. 20).
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The country music star rocked a long-sleeve pink, blue, black and white leotard and sparkling makeup, channeling ’80s era fashion, with neon pink angel wings flashing in the background, giving life to the song’s lyric, “Tilted halo with a neon shine.” Underwood’s background singers and band wore all black, giving the glowing chart-topping artist all the spotlight.
Underwood is nominated for two American Music Awards, favorite female country artist and favorite country album for Denim & Rhinestones. The album debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart, marking Underwood’s tenth top 10 album on the Billboard 200. Underwood’s Denim & Rhinestones Tour fall leg recently came to a close, but the tour picks back up in February 2023 in Miami. Underwood recently performed “Hate My Heart” at the 2022 CMA Awards on Nov. 9, another song from her album Denim & Rhinestones. She also paid tribute to two country legends, the late Loretta Lynn and living legend Alan Jackson, during the 2022 CMAs.
Other AMA nominees include Bad Bunny in the lead with eight nods, while Beyoncé, Drake and Taylor Swift are close behind with six apiece. So far, Swift took home the award for favorite pop album on the live show.
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Anitta took the stage at the American Music Awards for the first time at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night (Nov. 20) — with a very special guest in tow.
The Brazilian pop star began her performance with a sultry bit of her Global Excl. US chart-topping smash “Envolver,” grinding with one of her backup dancers while another one cavorted solo in a gigantic cocktail glass. Then, the song transitioned to her 2022 single “Lobby,” with the set also turning over to a hotel backdrop — with a bar and an elevator in the background, and even a bellhop luggage cart for Anitta to be pushed around in while singing.
Then, rap icon and “Lobby” collaborator Missy Elliott arrived to do her verse on the song, while sporting a sparkly Versace suit and gigantic sunglasses. The two artists ended the number trading off vocals next to one another, embracing as the high-energy performance came to a close.
Anitta is also a first-time nominee at the 2022 American Music Awards, nominated in the category of favorite female Latin artist. Elliott is a two-time winner at the AMAs, receiving favorite rap/hip-hop female artist in both 2003 and 2005.
“Envolver” was not only Anitta’s biggest hit to date on the Global 200 and Global Excl. US charts, it also marked her first unaccompanied solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 70 in April. Missy was a fixture on the Hot 100 throughout the late ’90s and early ’00s, achieving her highest-charting single to date in 2002 with the No. 2-peaking “Work It.”
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Bebe Rexha was fittingly blue for her performance at the 2022 AMAs on Sunday (Nov. 20) — the singer took to the stage to perform her and David Guetta‘s dance hit “I’m Good (Blue).”
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To fit the song’s dance and techno elements — an interpolation of Eiffel 65’s 1998 single “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” — Rexha appeared on stage in a metallic silver corset ensemble with matching sliver tights and heels while performing the track.
Accompanied by backup dancers clad in blue tops and shiny pleather blue pant ensembles, Rexha sang the song’s infectious chorus, “‘Cause I’m good, yeah, I’m feelin’ alright/ Baby, I’ma have the best f—in’ night of my life/ And wherever it takes me, I’m down for the ride/ Baby, don’t you know I’m good, yeah, I’m feelin’ alright.”
“I’m Good (Blue)” peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and peaked at No. 2 on both the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts; on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, the track hit No. 1 and is on its eleventh week on the chart.
Speaking with Billboard about the track’s success, Rexha said, “Never did I think in a million years that it would be so big … I guess people want to feel that 2000s nostalgia, especially after the three years of a pandemic and being cooped in their houses. It brings back that feeling of nostalgia, and it makes you feel kind of warm. I will put my hands up on this one and say I get it, but I’m also confused and shocked, but also very grateful.”
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On Sunday night (Nov. 20), Wayne Brady flexed his musical prowess when he kicked off the 2022 AMAs with a rousing performance. Namedropping Adele, Lionel Richie and Jack Harlow, Brady’s flair was on full display as he punched in an impromptu freestyle with a rock-driven hook (provided by Orianthi) that was littered with f-bombs.
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According to Brady, his performance idea came from a conversation with last year’s AMAs host Cardi B. Sitting down over tea and scones, Brady was encouraged by the “Bodak Yellow” superstar to deliver a memorable song. “Dedicated to the nerdy kids,” the polymath ripped through the colorful AMA anthem with vigor and even strutted his fancy footwork in light of his Dancing With The Stars season finale performance, slated for Monday (Nov. 21) night.
Ahead of his musical display, Brady gushed over his fandom of the night’s Icon Award honoree Lionel Richie, hoping the newly inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famer would autograph his chest. In an interview with Variety, Brady expressed his affinity for Richie: “It’s about time for Lionel [being honored]. He should have gotten the Icon Award years ago. He’s a global superstar.”
Brady voiced his excitement in hosting this year’s and touched on the idea of one day hosting the Oscars, saying, “I’m just going to go and knock this out of the park. Have some fun with it, and you know what, if by some chance someone thinks, ‘Wayne Brady is my guy,’ then I’m ready. Like James Brown said, ‘If you stay ready, then you ain’t got to get ready.’ I can host the Oscars tomorrow, and that’s a fact. They just don’t know it.”
Upon winning the new artist of the year trophy at the 2022 American Music Awards on Sunday night (Nov. 20), Dove Cameron dedicated the victory to the queer community, following the tragic shooting inside the LGBTQ+ nightclub Club Q in Colorado Springs the night before.
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“I want to start by saying that every award that I ever win will always be first and foremost dedicated to the queer community at large,” Cameron, whose breakthrough single “Boyfriend” brought a queer anthem to top 40 radio this year, told the AMAs crowd from the podium. “You guys have carved out such a space for me to be myself and to write music about it, and I’ve never felt safer or more loved and more supported, and I hope I can give you some semblance of that same feeling in my music.
“On the heels of the tragedy that happened at Club Q in Colorado Springs, I want to remind everyone how important queer visibility is, and how important our community is,” Cameron continued. “And I want to direct your attention to organizations like GLAAD and The Trevor Project for what you can do right now. I want to remind you that you are made absolutely right, and you are so loved and so held, and I want to thank you for supporting me. Thank you for holding the space – I’m holding it for you too.”
Five people were killed and at least 25 people were injured late Saturday night at Club Q in Colorado Springs after a 22-year-old gunman opened fire. The music world reacted to the hate attack throughout Sunday, with artists including Kacey Musgraves, FINNEAS and Adam Lambert offering condolences to victims of the tragedy.
Cameron’s new artist of the year win marks the former Disney star’s first AMAs win. “Boyfriend” peaked at No. 16 on the Hot 100 chart earlier this year.
If roller disco is well and truly dead, then consider P!nk its pallbearer — the pop superstar opened up the 2022 American Music Awards on Sunday (Nov. 20) with a high-energy tribute to the beloved pastime.
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Opening up her performance with a pre-taped segment from the streets of Los Angeles, P!nk — clad in pastel-colored bolero jacket and light-up pink roller skates — asked a construction worker, “Do you think the world is ending?” Not getting a definitive answer (“I think it’s slipping on its axis,” he insisted), she instead resolved to dance to her new single “Never Gonna Not Dance Again,” a disco-infused pop jam dedicated solely to having a good time in the midst of less-than-great circumstances.
Soon enough, the star found herself skating through the crowd of the Microsoft Theater, which she temporarily transformed into “P!nk’s Rink.” Complete with rainbow-colored neon lights, and a bevy of half-pipe-riding backup dancers, the star brought the crowd to its feet before concluding her number with a conga line on wheels.
P!nk was just the first of what would be a slew of performers at Sunday night’s show; hosted by Wayne Brady, the event was set to feature high-profile performances from Anitta, Ari Lennox, Bebe Rexha, Charlie Puth, Dove Cameron and many more.
Bad Bunny led all artists at Sunday night’s show with a whopping eight nominations. Other superstars, including Beyoncé, Drake, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Adele, The Weeknd and Future, closely followed behind. Keep up to date on who took home which awards here.