Every award show attempts to stand out and set itself apart from the rest, leaving a lasting and memorable impact on their audience. The American Music Awards is no different. The 45th anniversary of the biggest fan-voted show certainly attracted the attention of many Americans for their outstanding list of performers.
The show opened with an important and inspiring message from Chris Rock about the tough times the world has recently faced. This just further proved that the AMAs really does care and is trying to make a difference. Following that, Kelly Clarkson and P!nk performed, the first of many strong female performers.
From the performers to the presenters, the entire evening was star-studded with Hollywood’s biggest celebrities. The red carpet was filled with various people from actors and actresses to the world’s most famous artists. But, everyone was overshadowed by BTS, an up and coming Korean boy band. From 8 am that morning until the red carpet started around 3, fans lined up outside screaming and cheering for BTS. During the show, the fans continued to scream every time the band was mentioned, holding up their posters.
Shawn Mendes, Selena Gomez, and BTS were all among the performers but the best performance was Khalid and Imagine Dragons. Performing together for the first time, they sang a mashup of Imagine Dragons’ Thunder and Khalid’s Young Dumb & Broke. The audience was up on their feet cheering and singing along the entire time.
Diana Ross, a music legend, was honored by receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award. She has been a singer and songwriter since she joined the Supremes in the early 1960s. Later, in 1969, she started her solo career and released songs such as Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and Love Hangover. Her music career has lasted since then, providing her with a lifetime of fame. Her daughter, Tracee Ellis Ross, a lead actress in Blackish and Girlfriend, hosted the entire evening in honor of her mother receiving the award. Ross also performed a special mashup of all of her hits over the years.
Niall Horan, a former member of One Direction, was among the many winners of the night . He took home the New Artist of the Year award, taking after another One Direction member, Zayn Malik. In March of 2015, Malik announced his split from the band. Soon after, in early 2016, the band announced that they would be taking a hiatus. The rest of the members went solo along with Zayn, and to say their careers skyrocketed is an understatement.
Bruno Mars completely swept the show with 5 awards for Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Album, and Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist. Despacito, the chart-topping Spanish single by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee also won multiple awards, including Collab of the Year for the version featuring Justin Bieber, and Favorite Song Pop/Rock.
Overall, the American Music Awards was certainly a night to remember because of the outstanding performances, great presenters, and the looks seen on the red carpet. The biggest fan-voted awards show put on a show that will be remembered.