L.A.’s Microsoft Theater was the stage for the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, held on Sunday night. The show featured a live audience and performances, and social distancing rules and masks were required both to the public and fans. Nick Jonas hosted the awards and also made a performance with his brothers.
The Weeknd led the night and took home 10 awards, after being the most nominated artist (16). P!nk, also shinned at the show and received this year’s Icon Award. Bad Bunny was the Latin Artist that shinned at the night, with four prizes and seven nominations. (Full list below.)
Country singer Morgan Wallen won three awards (from six nominations he had) even though he was banned from appearing at the ceremony after he was captured yelling a racist slur in a video obtained by TMZ back in February. He obtained Top Country Artist, Top Country Male Artist, and Top Country Album for “Dangerous: The Double Album.”
Billboard selects annual finalists and winners based on fan interaction with music, including streaming, sales, radio airplay, and social engagement. This year’s awards included two fan-voted categories and the results were based on charts from March 21, 2020, to April 3, 2021.
Performances of the night
The most remarkable presentation was held by the winner of the night: The Weeknd. He performed Save Your Tears in a big parking lot; he was riding a red convertible while other red and white cars did movements around him, as part of the choreography. He was also joined by several tractor-trailers that sped around him while he watched their performance from above.
P!nk did one of her signature aerial routines, but this time she was joined by her daughter Willow, while they presented their duet “Cover Me In Sunshine”. Then P!nk presented some of her most recognized songs: “Get the Party Started,” “So What, “Blow Me (One Last Kiss),” “Who Knew,” “Just Like A Pill” and “Just Give Me a Reason.”
Another outstanding performance of the night was from Alicia Keys. She was presented by Michelle Obama in a pre-taped video, and she called the artist “a shining light.” Keys paid tribute to her debut album “Songs In A Minor,” which marks its 20th anniversary in June, by singing A Woman’s Worth,” “How Come You Don’t Call Me” and “Fallin.”
ARJ made an outdoor presentation with their hits “Bang!” and “Way Less Sad”; and recorded from South Korea, BTS gave their new single “Butter” its TV debut. Representing the Latinos, Bad Bunny sang “Te Deseo Lo Mejor,” from his album “El Último Tour del Mundo.” Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis alongside Ann Nesby, Glass Animals, and Duran Duran were also starring performers at the ceremony.
The Jonas Brothers closed the show with a performance that closed with fireworks and the fans screaming with excitement. They sang “Leave Before You Love Me,” “Sucker,” “Only Human,” “What a Man Gotta Do” and a fragment of their upcoming song “Remember This.”
See the full list of the winners of the night here
