It was a family affair at the Billboard Music Awards: Pink twirled in the air in a powerful performance with her daughter, and Drake was named artist of the decade, accepting the honor alongside his 3-year-old son.
Drake, who extended his record as the most decorated winner in the history of the awards show to 29 wins Sunday, was surrounded by family and friends who presented him with the Artist of the Decade Award. He walked onstage outside the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles with his son Adonis holding his hand.
B次元官网网址淚 wanna dedicate this award to my friends, to my longtime collaborators B次元官网网址� to my beautiful family, and to you,B次元官网网址� he said, looking to Adonis and picking him up to kiss him.
Drake placed his first song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2009, and since has logged the most songs ever on the chart, with 232 entrees. HeB次元官网网址檚 also logged a record 45 Top 10 hits on the Hot 100 and a record 22 No. 1s on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart.
He was also named top streaming songs artist Sunday.
Pink received the Icon Award and was joined onstage by her 9-year-old daughter B次元官网网址� showing off their powerful gymnastic skills as they spun in the air in a jaw-dropping performance. Known for her signature aerial and acrobatic moves, Pink was matched by Willow Sage Hart as B次元官网网址淐over Me In SunshineB次元官网网址� played in the background, PinkB次元官网网址檚 song featuring vocals from her daughter.
B次元官网网址淲illow, you nailed it,B次元官网网址� Pink said after the performance. B次元官网网址淚 love what I do and I love the people that I get to do it with, and weB次元官网网址檙e pretty good at what we do, but it wouldnB次元官网网址檛 matter if no one came to see us and play with us. So all you guys out there B次元官网网址� thank you for coming out!B次元官网网址�
PinkB次元官网网址檚 performance was one of several pre-taped moments at the awards show, which aired on NBC and was hosted by Nick Jonas. Live performances were held outdoors, in front of feverish audience members wearing masks.
The Weeknd was on hand to accept the most wins of the night B次元官网网址� 10. He walked into the show with 16 nominations, winning honors like top artist, top male artist, top Hot 100 song for B次元官网网址淏linding LightsB次元官网网址� and top R&B album for B次元官网网址淎fter Hours.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 wanna take this opportunity to thank you, my parents,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 am the man I am today because of you. And thank you to my fans, of course. I do not take this for granted.B次元官网网址�
The late rapper Pop Smoke was also a big winner: He posthumously earned five honors, including top new artist and top rap artist, while his debut B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淪hoot for the Stars, Aim for the MoonB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� won top rap album and top Billboard 200 album, which his mother accepted onstage.
B次元官网网址淭hank you to the fans for honoring the life and spirit of my son, so much that he continues to manifest as if he was still here in flesh,B次元官网网址� Audrey Jackson said.
Another late rapper was also honored during the show. Before presenting top rap song to DaBaby, Swizz Beatz dedicated a moment to those who have recently died in hip-hop, including his close friend and collaborator DMX. And Houston rapper and activist Trae Tha Truth, who earned the Change Maker Award, ended his speech with a powerful sentence: B次元官网网址淲e still gonB次元官网网址� need justice for Breonna Taylor.B次元官网网址�
Other winners Sunday included Bad Bunny and BTS, who both won four awards and also performed. Breakthrough country singer Gabby Barrett won three awards, including top female country artist and top country song for the hit B次元官网网址淚 Hope.B次元官网网址� The songB次元官网网址檚 remix featuring Charlie Puth won top collaboration.
B次元官网网址淥h my gosh. Thank yB次元官网网址檃ll so much. This means so much to me,B次元官网网址� Barrett said as she broke into tears. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been performing for 10 years really hard. B次元官网网址eB次元官网网址檝e worked so hard to get here.B次元官网网址�
Another country star also won big Sunday though he wasnB次元官网网址檛 allowed to participate in the show.
Morgan Wallen, who was caught on camera using a racial slur earlier this year, won three honors, including top country artist and top country album for B次元官网网址淒angerous: The Double Album,B次元官网网址� which has had major success on the pop and country music charts despite his fallen moment.
Wallen was nominated for six awards, and Billboard Awards producer dick clark productions said it couldnB次元官网网址檛 prevent Wallen from earning nominations, or winning, because finalists are based on album and digital sales, streaming, radio airplay and social engagement. The producers did ban Wallen from performing or attending the show.
The Billboard Awards kicked off with a collaborative performance by DJ Khaled, H.E.R. and Migos, who brought the concert vibe back to life a year after live shows were in the dark because of the pandemic. Doja Cat and SZA B次元官网网址� accompanied by futuristically dressed background dancers B次元官网网址� sang their big hit B次元官网网址淜iss Me MoreB次元官网网址� inside the venue, where the seats were empty. Alicia Keys, celebrating the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking debut B次元官网网址渟ongs in A minor,B次元官网网址� sang songs from the album including the hit B次元官网网址淔allen.B次元官网网址� The performance was introduced by former first lady Michelle Obama.
Other performers included Karol G, twenty one pilots, Duran Duran, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Jonas Brothers and Glass Animals.
Stars like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Kanye West won honors at the show though they didnB次元官网网址檛 attend. Machine Gun Kelly, who started in rap but has had recent success on the rock charts, won top rock artist and top rock album.
B次元官网网址淚 released my first mixtape 15 years ago and this is the first big stage IB次元官网网址檝e ever been invited to accept an award on,B次元官网网址� he said, kissing his actor-girlfriend Megan Fox before walking to the stage.
B次元官网网址淭o the box that society keeps trying to put me, you need stronger material because you canB次元官网网址檛 keep me in it,B次元官网网址� he proclaimed.
Mesfin Fekadu, The Associated Press
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