Swift, Timberlake shine at iHeartRadio Music Awards

Taylor Swift cleaned up in style at the second iHeartRadio music awards, hosted by Jamie Foxx and broadcast live on NBC, from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The country-turned-pop star won three awards — artiste of the year, song of the year and best lyrics — and jammed on an acoustic guitar next to Madonna during a dramatic performance of the pop queen's song “Ghosttown”. 

After winning artiste of the year, Swift, in typical fashion, gave a shout-out to her fans for sticking by her side for the past decade. “I'm so proud of the fact that, having done this for 10 years now, we've gotten closer and closer each year — not farther apart,” she said. “You make me so happy.”

IHeartRadio also presented the versatile and multifaceted Timberlake with the Innovator award. In his speech, Timberlake quoted Steve Jobs' words “stay hungry, stay foolish” as ones that speak to his own career.

Timberlake also shared a message with younger viewers who might be scared of innovating for fear of being an outcast.

“If you're a young person like I used to be, and you're at home watching and you're being called weird, and you're being called different, or whatever the hell you're being called, I'm here tonight to tell you your critics do not count. Their words will fail. You won't.”

Other winners in attendance at the theater included 5 Seconds of Summer for best fan army, Jeremih for hip-hop/R&B song of the year and country singer Brantley Gilbert, who received the Renegade Award. 

As for the performances, the evening gave popular artistes a platform with which they could introduce fresh, new tracks. Rihanna emerged from a helicopter channeling Oscar the Grouch in a bright green fluffy jacket during the first live performance of her new track “B–tch Better Have my Money”.

Meghan Trainor performed her new single “Dear Future Husband” in a sailor-themed number, Jason Derulo showed off his dance moves during a performance of his new hit “Want to Want Me”, and Snoop Dogg got eccentric with a few suggestive props during a lively performance of “Peaches N Cream.”

Source: Variety