For its 50th anniversary, the American Music Awards are showcasing generations of talent, from first-time nominee and performer GloRilla to timeless icon Stevie Wonder.
Genre-spanning artists including Carrie Underwood, Imagine Dragons, Anitta, Lil Baby and Yola top Sunday’s performance lineup, while newly minted Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Lionel Richie is set to be feted with the annual Icon Award and a Wonder-led tribute.
Pink is penciled in for a pair of performances – her frothy new single “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” and a tribute to the late Olivia Newton-John.
Debuts are also a major part of the event: David Guetta and Bebe Rexha unveil “I’m Good (Blue)” for the first time on U.S. TV, while Dove Cameron and Anitta take their inaugural performance bows on the AMAs stage.
Here’s a look at how the 2022 AMAs performers fared.
Dove Cameron, ‘Boyfriend’
Focusing on sensuality, Dove Cameron, in a red bustier and black jacket, slinked her way through the libidinous finger-snapper. The bisexual singer and actress encircled the object of her lust, a female dancer who returned Cameron’s flirtations, kissing her hand and caressing her face. The song, a mixture of pop seduction and Broadway bombast, received its ideal visual complement.
Yola, ‘Break the Bough’
The English soul/rock/R&B powerhouse secured the crowd’s attention from the first blast of horns and the sound of her potent voice. Slapping a tambourine against her leg as she walked the stage runways, Yola’s enthusiasm was contagious. The combination of lighted palm trees and a “Miami Vice” color scheme infused the scene with a carefree ambiance, but Yola’s voice resounded with authority.
Lil Baby, ‘In a Minute’ and ‘California Breeze’
The Atlanta rapper opted for a chill vibe for two of his hits from his third album, “It’s Only Me.” An ocean of dry ice coated the stage as Lil Baby strolled through while unfurling the slow-burning “In a Minute.” During his thoughtful performance, he sat at the end of the stage, looking directly at the audience/camera as he shared his rapid-flow stories (at least what could be discerned in between bleeps).
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Pink, ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You’
Pink is a very different type of singer than Olivia Newton-John. Pink is all husky muscularity and Newton-John was a honeyed songbird. But Pink’s tribute to the late singer and actress worked beautifully. The gorgeous ballad of heartache from the “Grease” soundtrack remains timeless, and Pink’s expressiveness while singing made clear her admiration for Newton-John. Hand on chest, hitting every big note with passion and ending in a lovely vocal climb, Pink, wearing a pale gown, enchanted as photos of Newton-John in her feathered-hair beauty looked on from the video screens.
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Imagine Dragons, ‘Bones’ and ‘Enemy’ with JID
Dancers aren’t necessarily expected during an Imagine Dragons performance, but frontman Dan Reynolds thrives when surrounded by more playmates in his sandbox. The sculpted singer – we know he is, thanks to his abs-bearing open-front shirt – engaged the crowd by leaning down low into their faces with his dancer friends during “Bones.” For “Enemy,” fire engulfed the stage as an introduction for JID, who zipped through his rap portion of the rocker before he, Reynolds and the dance team collapsed in a heap at song’s end.
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GloRilla and Cardi B, ‘Tomorrow 2’
Memphis rapper GloRilla kicked off her performance seated on a lighted motorcycle before heading across the stage to meet Cardi B, her “Tomorrow 2” partner, for a heavily bleeped lyrical tradeoff. The pair loped through their fall hit – clad in bright yellow (GloRilla) and blue (Cardi B) – looking loose as…
Read More: Dove Cameron, Yola, Lil Baby, more best, worst performances