The AMAs are Sunday night, and while there’s a full slate of performers scheduled for the awards show, that list has undergone a last-minute change.
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion, who was scheduled to perform at Sunday night’s 2021 American Music Awards, announced Saturday that she was dropping out due to a personal matter.
“Hotties I was so excited to go to the @AMAs and perform with @BTS_official, but due to an unexpected personal matter, I can no longer attend,” she tweeted. “I’m so sad! I really can’t wait to hit the stage with my guys and perform #BTS_Butter real soon.”
Performers still scheduled to appear on the show include Olivia Rodrigo, BTS, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Lopez, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, New Edition, New Kids on the Block, rapper Tyler The Creator, Bad Bunny, Tainy and Julieta Venegas, Italian rock band Maneskin, Silk Sonic and country music stars Mickey Guyton and Walker Hayes.
Rodrigo has a leading seven nominations, including nods for artist and best new artist of the year in the fan-voted competition.
Five-time AMA winner The Weeknd earned six nominations, including artist of the year, favorite music video and favorite pop song.
Bad Bunny, Doja Cat and Giveon earned five AMA nominations each. Bad Bunny’s nominations include favorite male Latin artist and favorite Latin album. Doja Cat, the 2020 winner of the best new artist award, is nominated for favorite R&B artist and favorite R&B album. Giveon, a first-time nominee, is up for best new artist, favorite male R&B artist and collaboration of the year.
Also nominated for artist of the year were Arianna Grande, BTS, Drake and Taylor Swift. Swift is the record-holder for most artist of the year awards with six, and she holds the record for most AMAs with 32.
Country singer Morgan Wallen was nominated for a pair of AMAs in the country music categories, but he will not be permitted to take part in the ceremony in any way due to continued concerns over racially insensitive remarks he made that were caught on video. AMA producers noted that the show’s nominations are based on charting, and are not made by any type of nominating committee.
New categories this year are favorite trending song, with nominations from TikTok; favorite gospel artist and favorite Latin duo or group.
The 2021 American Music Awards will be presented at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles at 5 p.m. Sunday. The show will be aired on ABC at 8 p.m. Sunday and stream the following day on Hulu.
Five-time AMA winner and celebrated rapper Cardi B will make her hosting debut. She is the first female rapper to win Favorite Hip-Hop Song twice at the AMAs and performed “I Like It” with J Balvin and Bad Bunny in 2018.
“When I received the invite to host the AMAs, I was so excited,” Cardi B said. “I’m ready to bring my personality to the AMAs stage! Thank you to Jesse Collins, ABC and MRC for making this happen.”
Previous hosts have included Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Murphy, Jimmy Kimmel, Britney Spears, LL Cool J, Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross.
Here is a complete list of nominations:
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Ariana Grande
- BTS
- Drake
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Taylor Swift
- The Weeknd
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- 24kGoldn
- Giveon
- Masked Wolf
- Olivia Rodrigo
- The Kid LAROI
COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
- 24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
- Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “DAKITI”
- Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
- Doja Cat ft. SZA “Kiss Me More”
- Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon “Peaches”
FAVORITE TRENDING SONG
- Erica Banks “Buss I”
- Maneskin “Beggin’”
- Megan Thee Stallion “Body”
- Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”
- Popp Hunna “Adderall (Corvette Corvette)”
FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO
- Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) “Leave The Door Open”
- Cardi B “Up”
- Lil Nas X “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)”
- Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”
- The Weeknd “Save Your Tears”
FAVORITE MALE POP ARTIST
- Drake
- Ed Sheeran
- Justin Bieber
- Lil Nas X
- The Weeknd
FAVORITE FEMALE POP ARTIST
- Ariana Grande
- Doja Cat
- Dua Lipa
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Taylor Swift
FAVORITE POP DUO OR GROUP
- AJR
- BTS
- Glass Animals
- Maroon 5
- Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
FAVORITE POP ALBUM
- Ariana Grande “Positions”
- Dua Lipa “Future Nostalgia”
- Olivia Rodrigo “SOUR”
- Taylor Swift “evermore”
- The Kid LAROI “F*CK LOVE”
FAVORITE POP SONG
- BTS “Butter”
- Doja Cat ft. SZA “Kiss Me More”
- Dua Lipa “Levitating”
- Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”
- The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Save Your Tears (Remix)”
FAVORITE MALE COUNTRY ARTIST
- Chris Stapleton
- Jason Aldean
- Luke Bryan
- Luke Combs
- Morgan Wallen
FAVORITE FEMALE COUNTRY ARTIST
- Carrie Underwood
- Gabby Barrett
- Kacey Musgraves
- Maren Morris
- Miranda Lambert
FAVORITE COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP
- Dan + Shay
- Florida Georgia Line
- Lady A
- Old Dominion
- Zac Brown Band
FAVORITE COUNTRY ALBUM
- Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”
- Gabby Barrett “Goldmine”
- Lee Brice “Hey World”
- Luke Bryan “Born Here Live Here Die Here”
- Morgan Wallen, “Dangerous: The Double Album”
FAVORITE COUNTRY SONG
- Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”
- Chris Young & Kane Brown “Famous Friends”
- Gabby Barrett “The Good Ones”
- Luke Combs “Forever After All”
- Walker Hayes “Fancy Like”
FAVORITE MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
- Drake
- Lil Baby
- Moneybagg Yo
- Polo G
- Pop Smoke
FAVORITE FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
- Cardi B
- Coi Leray
- Erica Banks
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Saweetie
FAVORITE HIP-HOP ALBUM
- Drake “Certified Lover Boy”
- Juice WRLD “Legends Never Die”
- Megan Thee Stallion “Good News”
- Pop Smoke “Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon”
- Rod Wave “SoulFly”
FAVORITE HIP-HOP SONG
- Cardi B “Up”
- Internet Money ft. Gunna, Don Toliver & NAV “Lemonade”
- Lil Tjay ft. 6LACK “Calling My Phone”
- Polo G “RAPSTAR”
- Pop Smoke “What You Know Bout Love”
FAVORITE MALE R&B ARTIST
- Chris Brown
- Giveon
- Tank
- The Weeknd
- Usher
FAVORITE FEMALE R&B ARTIST
- Doja Cat
- H.E.R.
- Jazmine Sullivan
- Jhene Aiko
- SZA
FAVORITE R&B ALBUM
- Doja Cat “Planet Her”
- Giveon “When It’s All Said And Done … Take Time”
- H.E.R. “Back of My Mind”
- Jazmine Sullivan “Heaux Tales”
- Queen Naija “missunderstood”
FAVORITE R&B SONG
- Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) “Leave The Door Open”
- Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
- Giveon “Heartbreak Anniversary”
- H.E.R. “Damage”
- Jazmine Sullivan “Pick Up Your Feelings”
FAVORITE MALE LATIN ARTIST
- Bad Bunny
- J Balvin
- Maluma
- Ozuna
- Rauw Alejandro
FAVORITE FEMALE LATIN ARTIST
- Becky G
- Kali Uchis
- KAROL G
- Natti Natasha
- ROSALIA
FAVORITE LATIN DUO OR GROUP
- Banda MS de Sergio Lizarraga
- Calibre 50
- Eslabon Armado
- La Arrolladora Banda El Limon De Rene Camacho
- Los Dos Carnales
FAVORITE LATIN ALBUM
- Bad Bunny “EL ULTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO”
- Kali Uchis “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)”
- KAROL G “KG0516”
- Maluma “PAPI JUANCHO”
- Rauw Alejandro “Afrodisiaco”
FAVORITE LATIN SONG
- Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “DAKITI”
- Bad Bunny x ROSALIA “LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE”
- Farruko “Pepas”
- Kali Uchis “telepatia”
- Maluma & The Weeknd “Hawai (Remix)”
FAVORITE ROCK ARTIST
- AJR
- All Time Low
- Foo Fighters
- Glass Animals
- Machine Gun Kelly
FAVORITE INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST
- CAIN
- Carrie Underwood
- Elevation Worship
- Lauren Daigle
- Zach Williams
FAVORITE GOSPEL ARTIST
- Kanye West
- Kirk Franklin
- Koryn Hawthorne
- Maverick City Music
- Tasha Cobbs Leonard
FAVORITE DANCE/ELECTRONIC ARTIST
- David Guetta
- ILLENIUM
- Marshmello
- Regard Tiesto
Source: NBC Los Angeles