Mary J Blige rocks the house
2006-12-05 08:17
Las Vegas - An R&B veteran and a young upstart won big on Monday night at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards.
Chris Brown, a 17-year-old lothario who calls his music "hip-hop with a swagger", claimed new artist of the year, male artist of the year and artist of the year awards.
Newcomers Rihanna and idol-turned-country star Carrie Underwood also walked away with high honours at the two-hour show aired live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
But it was a seasoned artist that took home the most honours. R&B diva Mary J Blige's comeback album, The Breakthrough, delivered nine awards to the 35-year-old singer, including R&B/Hip-Hop artist of the year, female R&B artist of the year and R&B/Hip-Hop album of the year.
The album debuted at the top of the Billboard charts in December 2005 and has sold 2.6 million copies since.
Blige, in white go-go boots and a sparkly mini-dress, rocked the full house by belting out a medley of her Enough Crying and Take me as I am.
Blige said she's already reached the pinnacle of her career by enduring personal struggles that once led her to sing hopefully about having "no more drama" in her life.
'Nobody is going to love me more than I do'
"I've realised if I don't (love) myself, nobody will. Nobody is going to love me more than I do," Blige told reporters after the show.
It was an 18-year-old from Barbados that edged out Blige and Beyonce for the top songstress honour.
"I really can't feel my legs, this is phenomenal," said Rihanna as she accepted the award for best female artist of the year award. "That was a really tough category."
Janet Jackson opened the show with a nod to the old and the new. Sporting a short bob haircut and a belly-baring white turtleneck sweater that offered no chance of wardrobe malfunction, Jackson performed her 1980s classic, The Pleasure Principle, mixed into So Excited, a single from her 2006 comeback album, 20 YO.
No sign of Britney, Paris
The telecast did not, however, feature Tinseltown's duo du jour - heiress Paris Hilton and mom-gone-wild Britney Spears.
After their recent binge of late-night partying, it was reported that the new best friends would be co-hosting the show. But neither appeared and the show went on without a host, a line-up of presenters filling in to move things along.
Country crossover Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts won both country album and album of the year. The American Idol winner was named female country artist of the year.
Atlanta rapper TI took home rap artist of the year and rap album of the year for his fourth solo album, King, which debuted at No 1 on the Billboard albums chart in March.
Canadian rockers Nickelback's All the Right Reasons, won rock album of the year and artist-duo/group of the year. The band closed the show jamming to Looking for some Touch, with Kid Rock and ZZ Top.
The Billboard Awards are given to the year's chart-topping artists. Winners are determined by the magazine's year-end chart listings, which are based on record sales and airplay.
On the net:
www.billboard.com
www.fox.com
- AP