The 2019 AMAs are all about Taylor Swift! During her performance at the show, she subtly referenced her drama with Scooter Braun, while also having some famous friends join her onstage.
Taylor Swift, 29, is the ARTIST OF THE DECADE at the 2019 American Music Awards, and she certainly looked the part when she hit up the red carpet before the show. Taylor has been slaying the red carpet game this year, and this appearance was no different. The singer wore a dazzling green dress which featured a slit all the way up one side. She paired the look with Casadei thigh-high black boots, which she showed off through the slit. She styled her hair by pulling it back to one side, with her bangs left hanging in the front. Gorgeous!
Later in the show, Taylor gave a highly-anticipated performance that fans have been buzzing about for weeks. As Artist of the Decade, Taylor sang a medley of her biggest hits of all-time at the show. She kicked things off by sending a big message with a performance of “The Man,” while wearing the names of her first six albums written across her shirt (this is a nod to her recent drama with Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta, explained below). She stripped off the outfit to reveal a sparkling gold bodysuit next, and sang “Love Story,” “I Knew You Were Trouble,” and “Blank Space.”
Next up, she sang “Shake It Off,” and was joined by some of her famous friends for the performance, as Halsey and Camila Cabello hit the stage to belt out the track with her. After that, Taylor took a seat at the piano to sing her latest single, “Lover,” while two dancers performed gorgeous choreography in front of her. Oh, and her piano was covered in the names of her previous albums, as well, in another nod to the recent drama.
Unfortunately, there was some controversy in the weeks leading up to her taking the stage. On Nov. 14, Taylor revealed on Twitter that her old record label, Big Machine, which owns the masters to her first six albums, was not licensing her the rights to perform the old songs. An agreement between them was eventually reached, but Taylor’s issues with the label head, Scott, as well as Scooter, who acquired Big Machine earlier this year, still stands. This situation has led her to want to make a bigger statement than EVER on the AMAs stage.
Of course, Taylor is no stranger to the American Music Awards. Before the 2019 show, she won 24 awards at the event over the years, and she’s nominated for five more (in addition to Artist of the Decade) in 2019. Taylor is for sure the star of this year’s show!
Meanwhile, 2019, in general, has been a massive year for Taylor. She released her seventh studio album, Lover, back in August, and it received rave reviews. Earlier this week, the record helped earn her THREE Grammy nominations: Song of the Year (for “Lover”), Best Pop Solo Performance (for “You Need To Calm Down”) and Best Pop Vocal Album. 2020 looks like it’s shaping up to be just as good!