Canadian pop star Justin Bieber swept the American Music Awards on Sunday, topping strong competition from Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, and sending new-comers British boybands One Direction and The Wanted home empty-handed.
This is for all the haters who thought that maybe I was just here for one or two years, but I feel like I am going to be here for a very long time- Bieber
Bieber, 18, won all three categories in which he was nominated, including the night’s biggest award, artist of the year, over Rihanna, Katy Perry, Maroon 5 and Drake.
“This is for all the haters who thought that maybe I was just here for one or two years, but I feel like I am going to be here for a very long time,” Bieber said, dedicating his first win of the night to his mother, Pattie Mallette, who ac-companied him after his widely reported split from girlfriend Selena Gomez.
Bieber, who also won favourite pop/rock male artist and favourite pop/rock album for Believe, took to a bare stage to sing an acoustic stripped-down version of his latest single As Long As You Love Me before livening up the show with Nicki Minaj for Beauty and a Beat.
The American Music Award nominees and winners are voted online by fans. The awards are handed out during a live three-hour broadcast.
R&B singer Rihanna, 24, and rapper Minaj, 29, led the nominees with four apiece.
Minaj won favourite rap/hip hop artist and rap/hip hop album of the year for Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The singer, known for her extravagant on-stage performances, sang her latest hit Freedom in a winter wonderland-themed set.
Rihanna came away with one win. She could not make the show because she is in Berlin, midway through a seven-day tour across seven cities around the world promoting her upcoming Unapologetic album.
Canadian pop singer Carly Rae Jepsen, 26, picked up the new artist-of-the-year award over One Direction, Australian artist Gotye, indie-pop band fun. and rapper J. Cole. She performed her hit Call Me Maybe.
“Newcomer British-Irish boy bands One Direction, which had three nominations, and The Wanted, which had one nomination, went home empty-handed, losing out in the favourite pop/rock group category to well-established Los Angeles group Maroon 5.
French DJ David Guetta won the first-ever American Music Award for electronic dance music over DJs Calvin Harris and Skrillex.
“It’s wonderful also to see electronic music recognised at this level in the US,” Guetta said in a taped acceptance speech.
Only 13 of the 20 awards were handed out during the live broadcast. Katy Perry was named favourite female pop/rock artist, Shakira was named favourite Latin artist, while Beyonce was voted favourite soul artist. None of the three attended the show.
Country-pop darling Taylor Swift, 22, scored the favourite female country artist award before performing her latest single I Knew You Were Trouble from her chart-topping album Red, on a masquerade ballroom-style stage with dancers in tuxedos, gowns and Venetian masks.
R&B star Usher kicked off the night with a medley of his hits on a laser-filled stage, while pop-rocker Pink teamed her performance of her latest single Try with a dramatic interpretive dance covered in paint with a male dancer on a stage filled with burning debris. The 1990s ska-punk band No Doubt performed Looking Hot from their first album in a decade, Push & Shove, while rockers Linkin Park performed their latest Burn it Down after winning favourite alternative rock band over The Black Keys and Gotye.
Korean rapper Psy did not score any nominations but he was named the AMA new media honoree for his viral hit music video Gangnam Style, accompanied by his trademark horse-riding dance.
The star closed out the show with his hit song, joined by surprise guest MC Hammer, one of the pioneering rappers from the 1980s, who was known for his catch phrase ‘Hammer Time’.
Singer Brandy paid tribute to the late Whitney Houston while AMA founder Dick Clark, who also passed away earlier this year, was given a touching tribute by veteran soul singer Stevie Wonder.
The key winners
■ Artist of the year
Justin Bieber
■ New artist of the year
Carly Rae Jepsen
■ Favourite male artist – pop/rock
Justin Bieber
■ Favourite female artist – pop/rock
Katy Perry
■ Favourite band, duo or group – pop/rock
Maroon 5
■ Favourite album – pop/rock
Believe, Justin Bieber
■ Favourite male artist – country
Luke Bryan
■ Favourite female artist – country
Taylor Swift
■ Favourite band, duo or group – country
Lady Antebellum
■ Favourite album – country
Blown Away, Carrie Underwood
■ Favourite artist – rap/hip hop
Nicki Minaj
■ Favourite album – rap/hip hop
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, Nicki Minaj
■ Favourite male artist – soul/R&B
Usher
■ Favourite female artist – soul/R&B
Beyoncé
■ Favourite album – soul/R&B
Talk That Talk, Rihanna
■ Favourite artist – alternative rock
Linkin Park
■ Favorite artist – adult contemporary
Adele
■ Favourite artist – Latin
Shakira
■ Favourite artist – contemporary inspirational
tobyMac
■ Favourite artist – electronic dance music
David Guetta