The Best Moments and Performances At The 2021 American Music Awards

The 2021 American Music Awards was yesterday and celebrities pulled out all the stops with stunning outfits, amazing performances, and good laughs. The AMAs have assembled an impressive group of attendees with Cardi B as the host and many popular celebrities slated to present including Brandy, Madelyn Cline, Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, Winnie Harlow, Machine Gun Kelly, Liza Koshy, Marsai Martin, Billy Porter, Anthony Ramos, JoJo Siwa, and JB Smoove.

Last night, Olivia Rodrigo led the show with seven total nominations, including both Artist of the Year and New Artist of the Year. The Weeknd follows closely behind with six nominations, also including Artist of the Year. Other top multi-nominated artists include Bad Bunny, Doja Cat, and Giveon, each of whom received five nominations.

The tension was on for these amazing performers, but it was still a fun night nonetheless. Here’s a full breakdown of everything you might have missed at the AMA’s.

Cardi B’s Many Costume Changes

With Cardi B slated to host the ceremony, fans were in for a real treat throughout the night. She kept the night alive with her outfit changes, her hilarious jokes, and even a personal request for JoJo Siwa to come to her house for Christmas (which JoJo agreed to btw!) But what really set the tone for the night was how extravagant Carbi B’s outfit changed really were.

On the red carpet, the rapper wore a dramatic mesh veil and black gown by Schiaparelli, with a golden mask, bold earrings, and gloves. This outfit was bound to start some conversation through the night and the AMA’s hadn’t even started yet.

Photo: @AMA on Instagram | Cardi B at the AMA’s Red Carpet

Her first outfit on-stage was a towering feathered piece that trailed down her back to the floor paired with a black gown and black and white corset. She appeared in multiple jewel-accented outfits including a royal purple figure-hugging dress with massive feathered shoulders and a crystal chest piece, a denim jacket embellished with gold and jewel accents, and a black blazer with angular silver shoulders and sparkly boots.

She concluded the night wearing an all-white creation under a statuesque hood. The outfit was embellished with crystal trim and underneath it, she wore a pair of satin platform heels.

Performances Of A Lifetime

Photo: @AMA on Instagram | Olivia Rodrigo at the AMA’s

Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak of Silk Sonic opened the night was a dazzling performance of “Smokin’ Out the Window.” From there, we had performances by BTS and Coldplay, Giveon, Måneskin, Kane Brown, Carrie Underwood, Bad Bunny, and many more.

Tyler, The Creator at the #AMAs pic.twitter.com/O3qqAw0ouN

— Odd Future Fans (@itsOddFuture) November 22, 2021

For Olivia Rodrigo’s AMA debut, the emerging star kept it simple, playing acoustic guitar with her famous song “Traitor” off of her freshman album Sour. We also got a rare performance from Tyler, the Creator taken from his new album, Call Me If You Get Lost. The rapper stood in front of a house with fake snow dribbling down and as he dug into his lyrics the camera crept closer, allowing viewers to feel his intensity.

The AMA’s Makes Boy Band History

The ultimate performance of the night came from a 90’s boyband cross-over: New Kids on the Block and New Edition. Because the two veteran boy bands are both from Boston, fans called last night’s performance “The Battle of Boston.”

Photo: @AMA on Instagram | New Edition as the AMA’s

This performance was seen as a long time coming considering the two boy bands’ careers have always been intertwined. Both were produced and discovered by Maurice Starr, who assembled NKOTB after he and New Edition parted ways.

The performance was less of a “battle” and more of 10 minutes of throwback jams and unfettered joy. NKOTB went first while performing “The Right Stuff,” and then cleared the stage for New Edition’s “Candy Girl.” After that, the mashups began with “Step By Step” and “Hangin’ Tough” for NKOTB and “Mr. Telephone Man” and “If It Isn’t Love” for New Edition, as well as “Please Don’t Girl” and “Is This The End.”

New edition and New kids on the blocks performance was fireeeee #AMAs pic.twitter.com/XlDsZ1Sys5

— connie baby???? (@vmydrizzle) November 22, 2021

Last night’s cross-over was very obviously a teaser for their upcoming 2022 tour with the two pop bands, but it was the most exciting teaser ever to be performed on an AMA stage.

The Winners:

A full list of the 2021 AMA winners are listed below.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

BTS

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Olivia Rodrigo

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO

Lil Nas X – “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”

COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR

Doja Cat featuring SZA – “Kiss Me More”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP

Ed Sheeran

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP

Taylor Swift

FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – POP

BTS

FAVORITE ALBUM – POP

Taylor Swift – Evermore

FAVORITE SONG – POP

BTS – “Butter”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – HIP-HOP

Drake

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – HIP-HOP

Megan Thee Stallion

FAVORITE ALBUM – HIP-HOP

Megan Thee Stallion – Good News

FAVORITE SONG – HIP-HOP

Cardi B – “Up”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY

Luke Bryan

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – COUNTRY

Carrie Underwood

FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – COUNTRY

Dan + Shay

FAVORITE ALBUM – COUNTRY

Gabby Barrett – Goldmine

FAVORITE SONG – COUNTRY

Gabby Barrett – “The Good Ones”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – R&B

The Weeknd

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – R&B

Doja Cat

FAVORITE ALBUM – R&B

Doja Cat – Planet Her

FAVORITE SONG – R&B

Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) – “Leave The Door Open”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – LATIN

Bad Bunny

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – LATIN

Becky G

FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – LATIN

Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga

FAVORITE ALBUM – LATIN

Bad Bunny – El Último Tour Del Mundo

FAVORITE SONG – LATIN

Kali Uchis – “Telepatía”

FAVORITE ARTIST – ROCK

Machine Gun Kelly

FAVORITE ARTIST – ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC

Marshmello

FAVORITE ARTIST – INSPIRATIONAL