Entertainment

Bruno Mars leads American Music Awards winners

SOUNDS FAMILIAR - Baby A. Gil - The Philippine Star

November 21, 2017 | 4:00pm

Bruno Mars leads American Music Awards winners

Bruno bags seven awards including Favorite Artist of the Year and Favorite Video of the Year for That’s What I Like

If he is in his right mind or I should say, if he is not yet blasé about being bestowed awards, then I am sure that Bruno Mars must be pulling his hair and pounding walls these days. This is because he was unable to make it to the 2017 American Music Awards (AMAs) where he won seven trophies. I know, life goes on and this year’s winners are now yesterday’s news, but still such wonderful moments as he might have experienced had he been there at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles last Sunday do not happen again.

But Bruno or no Bruno at the AMAs, I am glad he won big. This is because whether he says so or not, Bruno is actually as Pinoy as you and I. He was born of Pinoy parents in Hawaii, he looks Pinoy, he is built like a regular Pinoy and he has tons of music talents just like most of us Pinoys. Bruno, who is set to perform at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 3 and 4 won the AMA top plums including Favorite Artist of the Year and Favorite Video of the Year for That’s What I Like.

Sad to say though, despite the fact that his name was called out several times, the awards night went on marvelously in what must have been one of the most entertaining shows ever produced for the AMAs. There was really no way that anything could have gone wrong when you have the music of Diana Ross and Whitney Houston to enjoy, young idols like Niall Horan and Shawn Mendes to swoon at, a death-defying ballet by Pink to lay ruin to your heartbeat and even those K-Pop stars from South Korea, the BTS, up there on stage.

Remember how the AMAs were taken to task by some people a few months ago for not having female nominees in its major categories. There was no way the list of nominees could be changed after that but the organizers of the AMAs certainly made up for the supposed lapse by filling the awards show with several memorable performances by female artists.

It has been 25 years since the opening in theaters of the iconic film The Bodyguard starring Kevin Costner and the late Whitney Houston. So the AMAs thought a tribute number is in order and brought in the gorgeous-sounding Christina Aguilera to sing the Whitney songs like I’ll Always Love You and I Am Nothing that resulted in the biggest-selling soundtrack album of all time. Vocals-wise, Aguilera was an apt choice and she also looked her most beautiful.

Pink was a daring aerialist during her pre-pop star days and performs such numbers in her shows. So I was not surprised that she chose to do her latest single, Beautiful Trauma while dancing on air. And this time, it was not only a somersault or two from up above. Pink sang the song while suspended alongside the wall of the JW Marriot Hotel.

Lady Gaga accompanied herself on the piano for The Cure. She was another absent winner and was doing a show in Seattle during the AMAs…the first American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson recounted her early days with the songs Miss Independent and Love So Soft…she and Pink also did a duet of REM’s Everybody Hurts as a tribute to the First Responders and other heroes during times of crime or natural disasters… Selena Gomez turned blond for the evening during which she played a bloodied accident victim who performed Wolves with Marshmallows…Alessia Cara nearly torched the place up with her steamy take on Stay with Zedd on the piano.

Then to close, there was Diana Ross, a true legend, who is this year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the AMAs. And she received it in true diva fashion. Looking like her usual glamorous self, the ageless beauty performed a medley of some of her biggest hits like I’m Coming Out and Ease On Down The Road and then to close, she did the gorgeous Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, a big seller during her days with the Supremes, while her grandchildren paraded on stage.

And then the confetti. See you again next year.

Artist of the Year: Bruno Mars

New Artist of the Year: Coldplay; Niall Horan

Collaboration of the Year: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber, Despacito

Tour of the Year: Coldplay

Video of the Year: Bruno Mars, That’s What I Like

Favorite Pop/Rock

Male Artist: Bruno Mars

Female Artist: Lady Gaga

Duo or Group: Imagine Dragons

Album: Bruno Mars, 24K Magic

Song: Luis Fonsi & Yankee Daddy feat. Justin Bieber, Despacito.