Last night’s American Music Awards ceremony – held in Los Angeles – was just as unforgettable as years past. Complete with a fake horse, geisha costumes and a giant CGI cat, it was an unusual night to say the least. Here are some of the most memorable moments from last night’s AMAs!
Lady Gaga arrived to the red carpet on a fake white horse.
Though we’ve learned by now to expect the unexpected from Lady Gaga, we were still a little surprised by Gaga this year. The wacky singer rocked a dress that looked like it came right out of her new Versace campaign as she rode in on a fake white horse.
Kerry Perry opened the night as a geisha.
Mixed reactions followed Katy Perry’s opening performance last night when she dressed as a geisha and sang her latest single “Unconditionally.” Because the opening act included cherry blossoms, a Shinto shrine and taiko drummers, it struck a chord with some of the audience. Katy is being called a racist for sexualizing a traditional Japanese female figure, who is paid to serve as a hostess and excels in the art of entertainment, says the Huffington Post. Others were delighted by the beautiful aesthetics of the stage and Katy’s solid performance
Taylor Swift continued her AMAs reign.
The AMAs further demonstrated the power of social media when Taylor Swift earned three major awards that were solely based off of fan votes – including artist of the year. This is the third time that Taylor has won this top AMA honor since 2009.
Rihanna received an award from her mother.
Monica Fenty, Rihanna’s mom, stole the show when she came on stage to present her daughter with the first-ever Icon Award. Rihanna reflected on her childhood in her acceptance speech, saying, “Right now I cannot believe at 25 years old that I’m holding an Icon Award. That is weird to even say out loud.”
Miley Cyrus sang alongside a giant virtual kitten.
Miley’s AMA performance definitely hasn’t sparked as much outrage as her VMA performance did, but it’s still provoking conversation. After all, how could one ignore the giant CGI lip-syncing kitten behind her on stage? Cyrus performed her new hit “Wrecking Ball” with the CGI kitten behind her – and it became especially self-referential when the cat finished the song by winking and sticking its tongue out.
Check out a complete list of the winners here.