The American Music Awards started off with a David Guetta/Nicki Minaj performance that was marred by a slight delay in the video vs. the sound. We heard Nicki's rapping before we saw her mouth move. I have no doubt she was performing live, it seemed to be an issue with the sound/video not being sync'd up properly. Her hair was a cute mop of pink curls and her makeup was also on point. Her costume, however, was lacking. It looked like a homemade version of the Svedka robot. It was essentially dark grey bodysuit with mirrors and metal speakers sewn onto it in convenient places. Her costume people definitely should have done a complete metal bodysuit or just gone with a different concept all together. It just looked unfinished.
Maroon 5 won best group - no complaints here. I'm a fan.
The sound continues to be an issue as there's all kinds of background noise and it's really distracting. Taylor Swift wins best country female for the 4th year in a row, and looks completely shocked like she always does when she rakes in the awards. Annoying.
Justin Bieber performs his ridiculous Christmas song even though it's the week before Thanksgiving, which only confirms my theory that this kid hasn't even released enough songs to still be considered relevant, and yet he is. I hate show business. Oh and his voice is seriously changing and not in a good way. The sound/video was also off on this performance. Get it together, editing bay!
The Band Perry sounds great and the sound/video problem is fixed shortly after their performance begins. I can definitely understand why people love this song. It's really a good tune. Now, I wish I could rave about the lead singer's look, but it's just bad. Her hair is crimped and she's wearing a Scarlet O'Hara type ballgown. If she was going to go for the Gone With The Wind look, she should have gone all out and had her hair and makeup tight and right. But awesome performance nonetheless.
Chris Brown did a combo of some ballad and a dance song and I'll be honest I can't really watch him for more than a couple seconds so I tuned him out. Sorry. I will admit he has a great voice still.
Jennifer Hudson presents the award for rap/hip-hop artist, and she looks amazing. I was worried she'd get too skinny, but she looks great. I am so happy for her. Nicki Minaj wins and has to have security escort her out due to sky high platform shoes. She actually slips and almost falls, but is caught by her beefy companion. She's wearing the same curly pink wig, and a cute ballgown - the bodice is nude with black lace and a bright green skirt. Nicki thanked Taylor Swift for making Super Bass so popular with her fans after she covered it with Selena Gomez.
Jane Levy and Cheryl Hines from my new favorite show Suburgatory introduced Kelly Clarkson's performance, which was a big band stylizing of her song Mr. Know It All. I actually love this arrangement much more than the radio version. The radio version sounds too much like her other songs for me. Kelly looks stunning in a red sequined Jessica-Rabbit-esque gown and retro waves in her hair to match. Her voice is just as fantastic as ever, and she really gave us a great performance. Thumbs up!
Rihanna wins for best soul/r&b album, but isn't there so she accepts via video message, she's so beautiful, and Loud really is an awesome album!
Enrique Iglesias and the Crenshaw Elite High School perform a ballad and then we got Tonight I'm Loving You, which is a song that I really do love. And Ludacris makes an appearance which is always a good time! Love him! He makes the most danceable music with the most inappropriate lyrics, and I love it.
Jennifer Lopez starts her performance off with a ballad and I'm instantly yelling at the TV. NO! This is not what you're meant to do! As if she hears me, she rips off her angel robe to reveal a sequined showgirl mini dress to sing Papi, which is actually a really fun song. The sound/video is off again and it's super annoying. She gets into a Fiat onstage, which is a little weird, but let's go with it. Make fun of it all you want, gurl is making money. More power to her. I aint mad. She's running around the stage, and all I can think is: if I look this good at 42, I won't complain. The sound is finally back on track, and I can tell she's singing live even as she's running around and dancing. Her vocals are a lot better than before, and in my opinion she's definitely improving in that area. She'll never be a vocal powerhouse, but she's does her thing, and I'm a fan. She strips again to just a bodysuit with rhinestones on her private parts, and Pitbull makes a brief appearance for On the Floor. I still love this song. She's got dancers on stilts, and they're picking her up and swinging her around. She then gives us some very sexy moves, and there are sexy acrobats in the background. Jennifer's been wearing a lot of bodysuits lately for her performances, and I wonder if it's a happy medium so she gets to show her body without actually showing real skin. Could this have been one of Marc's ideas during their marriage? Britney and Xtina WISH they had this body. With this performance, JLo proves she's still a superstar.
Lady Antebellum wins best country group and now I can go back to not paying attention to them.
Adam Lambert (looking HOT) introduces One Republic, a band that makes the most boring songs that you can't get out of your head. The lead singer is having trouble with the high notes.
Taylor Swift presents the award for best rap/hip-hop album and Nicki Minaj wins again. She's crying, saying she can't believe it. She thanks Lil Wayne and I notice a huge diamond band on her wedding finger on her left hand. What's up with this? Or am I late to some news? She tells her fans to chase their dreams and shouts out female rappers, "past, present, and future", and specifically names Queen Latifah since she's in the house tonight.
Cutie Benjamin Bratt introduces Pitbull's performance, which starts with Lil Jon dj'ing a bunch of clips of Pitbull's many hits. Lil Jon is a great hype man. Pitbull makes more stellar dance songs than anyone out there right now. Marc Anthony comes out and starts singing Rain Over Me and I get up to dance my ass off for the entire performance. Oh and Pit's red/black combo was scrumptious. LOVE me some Pitbull!
Let me take this opportunity to say how much I love these clips from past AMAs. I'm not ashamed to admit that I actually remember some of these moments because we (meaning my mother and I) used to tape (yes, VHS tape) record the AMAs and I would watch them over and over. Don't judge me.
Heidi Klum is super irritating. Sorry, I just can't help saying that every time I see her on tv. They run a video package showing Katy's #1 hits from her album Teenage Dream: California Gurls, Teenage Dream, Firework, ET, and Last Friday Night. Katy performs The One That Got Away, and she's playing guitar. I like this a lot more than cupcake bras, but that's just me. She's rocking a retro Joan Crawford hair style (still pink), and her voice sounds better than some of the more recent live performances I've seen on tv. Heidi presents her with a special award for being the first woman with 5 #1 singles from one album. This is a great honor and I think it's well deserved. She seems genuinely grateful, and thanks her fans for letting her be a chameleon this year.
The band Hot Chelle Rae wins the fan vote award. I've never heard their songs. Meh.
Jennifer Lopez wins best latin music artist, and she really looks shocked. I thought Pitbull had this one in the bag. She looks gorgeous, in a nude gown with black embroidered beading and her hair in a classic bun. She looks amazing. If I'm not mistaken, it's been a long time since she's won something like this, right? She says it's been an amazing year, full of ups and downs, and adds that it's been exciting and overwhelming. she says she's grateful for her blessings. She thanks her family, her babies, and her manager Benny Medina, who she referred to as "my everything." She also thanked producer Red One and her latin fans in a brief speech in Spanish.
In what I think is the best surprise appearance of the night, Alanis Morrisette introduces Mary J. Blige. She looks absolutely stunning. Great white pantsuit with her signature blond locks pulled into a side parted low ponytail. She's singing a song from her new album, and it sounds really good. Her voice is still so tough and raw, I love it! At the end of her performance she briefly spoke about her recently departed friend, rapper Heavy D. Rest in peace.
Beyonce wins best soul/r&b female artist, and of course, she's not in the house. She accepts her award with a taped acceptance speech and thanks her fans and the AMAs.
Maroon 5 starts Moves Like Jagger, and I have to say, Adam Levine is the perfect frontman. He's sexy, he can sing, and he's got charisma to spare. Christina comes out, and I'm very disappointed in her stylist. When she came out, the first thing I thought of was Anna Nicole Smith. And not in a good way. Her bleached blonde hair was out of control, her makeup was way too severe, and that dress. That dress. It was tight, white, and short. No, no, and no. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Christina with some curves, so I'm not even going to call her fat. I love women with curves. The styling has to be right, though. She should have been in something dark and flattering, because that white dress gave her major baby bump, when all she really has is a belly bump. So unfortunate. Also, her vocals were weak. So disappointing. I want Christina to put down the vodka and get back to making good music and giving decent performances. I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a huge Christina fan, but I know she can do better than this. And she needs to fire her stylist immediately. Adam Levine goes from Moves Like Jagger straight into a performance with Gym Class Heroes. This guys is a true pro and he makes it look so effortless.
Drake gave his usual Drake performance, nothing new here.
Bruno Mars won best pop/rock male artist. But I had to laugh at looney tune Julie Bowen opening the envelope early, she is such a hot mess.
And then Daughtry performed a song that sounds just like all their other songs.
Taylor Swift won best country album, no surprise there. This is her 9th AMA.
Jenny McCarthy is goofy as ever, and I love her in glasses, by the way! She introduces will.i.am's performance. I guess this is a new song featuring Jennifer Lopez - and she's rocking a side pony and a white geometric dress. It lights up with the black light effects, and it's very reminiscent of past Black Eyed Peas performance visuals. Will.i.am's face is on several video screens, and it's not as impressive as I'm sure he thought it would be. I love JLo as the backup hip hop girl. This suits her. This song is a club banger for sure. There's video screens with Mick Jagger performing now, and it makes me think Mick's having a hell of a year. The video is not synced up correctly again and Mick's mouth is moving with no sound coming out. Annoying!
Adele won for best pop/rock album for 21, which is totally well deserved. She's not there due to her vocal chord surgery. Jenny jokes that Adele told her she could sing the song for her. I thought that was cute.
Lionel Richie and Vanessa Lachey are presenting the award for artist of the year, and Taylor Swift wins. She's totally shocked. I can't take her reaction to winning again - she wins all the time, how could she still be surprised at this point?!
For the grand finale, LMFAO explodes onto the stage with Party Rock. These guys know how to make fun music. The audience has 3d glasses on but I'm not sure why. Shouldn't we at home have been informed about a 3d performance? I love the dancers in glittery jumpsuits. And of course Bieber has to make a totally unnecessary appearance. Barf. The guys go into Sexy And I Know It, and their performance is so hilarious. Not to mention the cameos from David Hasselhoff and Youtube sensation Keenan Cahill. Nice job, guys!
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