On March 17, America tuned in to one of the most anticipated award shows of the year — the “iHeartRadio Music Awards.” On Monday, the show was streamed live from sunny Los Angeles, California. The audience witnessed fun red carpet looks, special performances from favorite celebs and grateful speeches from the night’s winners.
Before the show, celebrities showed off their red carpet looks, and some stuck to the trends — nothing as extravagant as the Grammys, but there were many good, solid, red carpet looks. Becky G and Kelsea Ballerini gave us gold sun and silver moon vibes with their similar but striking looks — detailed with sparkly tops to show off some skin and their lean physiques accentuated by long, curvy gowns.
Artists like Nelly and Offset wore more casual looks like a simple suit and tie. Then, there was Freddie Mercury — WAIT, I meant Benson Boone — who spiced his suit up with lace detail, which is something that’s been in fashion lately, even if the “pants are a little too tight.” Who am I missing? OH! Taylor Swift.
Chances are if you are a “Swiftie,” you are extremely satisfied with the nine out of 10 awards Swift won, but Swift was not in the room all night. She comfortably accepted her awards from her home. In her pre-recorded acceptance speech, her classic red lip, snake necklace and classy black outfit were sophisticated enough to impress anyone watching.
Swift’s collaboration with Post Malone on “Fortnight” didn’t stop Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga from sweeping the “Collaboration of the Year Award” for “Die with a Smile.” I mean, of course it did — that song just hits different. I do, however, wish Malone could have experienced a special win on something he worked for. He truly deserves it.
Following Taylor’s — almost — perfect winning streak, her “bestie” Sabrina Carpenter won “Pop Song of the Year” and “Pop Artist of the Year.” Despite only winning less than half the number of awards Taylor did, the titles sing a thousand words. Pop music now is hard to beat. To keep it “short and sweet,” I guess Taylor was the perfect mentor and bestie built for her all in one.
We know that Swift was MIA all night, but Lady Gaga came back big time. Little Monsters fans were living for it, like she lives for the “applause,” which was heard after her acceptance speech for the “Innovator Award.” Gaga preached the importance of finding individual sounds as an artist.
“To every artist who’s ever been told they’re different, complicated or too much — please, never change. Break the mold. The world doesn’t need another copy. It desperately needs your original.” Gaga said.
It is no secret that Lady Gaga is an OG from the 2000s pop era, and I think it’s so inspiring to see her resilience. From what other people think of her journey to listening to Gaga herself, it is perfectly OK to stop and slow down to take a break, even if you are in your late 30s.
Benson Boone had the reaction of a lifetime when reacting to hearing his name called for winning the Song of the Year Award for “Beautiful Things.” It shocked him, and his face said it all. He carefully removed his shades to reveal his popping wide eyes, slowly turning to his friend for some excitement build-up and they both burst out in joy. It’s clear they prepared this funny bit ahead of time, but his sweet and sincere acceptance speech made it more than apparent how emotional he was after receiving this award. Not only was his reaction the silliest, but his speech was genuine, wholesome and appreciative for all of his listeners.
It is easy to say that Nelly and Ashanti were the power couple of the night, matching and all. However, I was the one left speechless as Nelly failed to give a speech, even after his wife proudly commended him for his success. The Landmark Award, established in 2024 for albums that have inspired and shaped culture over multiple decades, was accepted by Nelly with a hug, a kiss and a goodnight.
Another successful duo wasn’t a power couple, but rather two icons who happened to be siblings — Billie Eilish and Finneas. Their performance of “Wildflower” actually had to happen twice because the iHeartRadio video producers FORGOT to push the RECORD BUTTON?! Awkward! These people have one job, but maybe they were too starstruck over Eilish. I feel bad for Eilish because like any artist, she puts all of her energy into putting on a quality and memorable performance. Her only worry was performing one song perfectly, and I would be frustrated too. Aside from the technical difficulties, I am more than satisfied she pulled off the win for the “Album of the Year Award.” Gracie Abrams, on the other hand, put on a heartwarming but electrifying performance of “That’s So True” on her guitar with her band behind her and fans singing along in the audience.
The one key element that often makes or breaks an awards show is the performances of the night. People may forget who won what award by tomorrow, but the music is what keeps the crowd’s energy flowing and going in between awards. It’s what the people are there for in the first place — to listen to the songs they hear on the radio.
Whether you are attending this show as an artist, guest or watching at home, the music is why you tune in. Therefore, selecting the most captivating artists is vital to iconic events like this, and I think the iHeartRadio Awards did quite fine this year. Featuring performers like Billie Eilish & Finneas, GloRilla, Grace Abrams, Kenny Chesney and more, it gave a diverse range of genres and artists that speak the most to the “heart!”
If you didn’t get a chance to stream the awards live, especially if you are a busy college student, the iHeartRadio YouTube channel has all the highlights ready to go for you to watch.