Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

The most memorable performances at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards

Celine Dion

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Celine Dion at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena.

Billboard Music Awards 2017

Drake kisses presenter Kate Beckinsale's hand as he walks on stage to accepts the award for top male artist at the Billboard Music Awards at the T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, May 21, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Launch slideshow »

It was Drake’s night at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena, where the hip-hop star surpassed Adele as the biggest single-year winner ever with 13 awards — including Top Artist, the biggest prize. His performance was one to remember, as well, delivering “Gyalchester” from current album More Life from a floating stage in the Fountains of Bellagio, backed by plenty of pyrotechnics.

It may have seemed like Drake bolted from grabbing awards onstage to his Bellagio show, but the performance (broadcast about 7:05 p.m. Vegas time) was actually pre-taped from the previous night. (Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran also “performed” at the BBMAS, both from their international tour stops.)

So which live acts were the most stunning in person at T-Mobile? Here are our top five.

1. Celine Dion The headliner of headliners wowed the crowd with a 20th anniversary rendition of “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic, prompting an arena-wide sing-along — even Miley Cyrus joined in. If you thought Celine’s gorgeous white ensemble and crystalline voice beneath that huge, hovering chandelier was something spectacular on TV, it was even better up close.

2. Cher Celine’s fellow Vegas resident performer Cher received the Icon Award at this year’s Billboards and seized the opportunity to present a small slice of her career-spanning production currently running at the Monte Carlo’s Park Theater. She dropped a super-disco version of “Believe” and followed it up with ’80s classic “If I Could Turn Back Time,” complete with that ’80s classic costume. Expect a boost in ticket sales.

3. Nicki Minaj Bolstered by appearances by hitmaking collaborators Lil Wayne, Jason Derulo and David Guetta, the best-selling female rapper of all time opened the show with an action-packed nine minutes of elaborate sets, athletic dancers and dominatrix-Catwoman gear, performing "No Frauds," "Light My Body Up," "Swalla" and "Regret in Your Tears."

4. Lorde It took a little while for the otherwise excitable audience to get into the 20-year-old New Zealand-born alt-popper’s performance, which was cleverly designed as an afterhours karaoke booth in which Lorde was reading her own lyrics to new hit “Green Light.” But her confident energy won everyone over for what proved to be one of the coolest performances of the night.

5. Julia Michaels Immediately after dance-pop chart-toppers (and Las Vegas resident DJs) The Chainsmokers played their song “Young,” up-and-coming singer/songwriter Michaels took to the smaller floor stage and made her major performance debut with single “Issues.” It was the only time all night the typically huge Billboard award show managed to create a more intimate feel, and Michaels’ unique voice and style presented quite the contrast to the mainstage bombast.

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