The Weeknd, BTS, Bad Bunny win big at Billboard Music Awards

Los Angeles, May 24 (IANS): Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd won big at the Billboard Music Awards that took place at Los Angeles, Sunday night. He won a total of 10 awards from 16 nominations. While the Korean boy band sensation BTS won all categories nominated for and Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny also won multiple awards.

Rapper Drake was named the artist of the decade. He accepted the award with his 3-year-old son. Singer-songwriter Pink received the Icon Award and was joined onstage by her 9-year-old daughter.

The Weeknd was awarded as the top male artist, top radio songs artist, top R&B artist and top R&B male artist. His album, “After Hours” was named top R&B album and his single “Blinding Lights” as titled as the top radio song and top R&B song.

He also performed his song “Save Your Tears” in the parking lot, later in the show.

Bad Bunny was named Top Latin artist and also won top Latin male artist, top Latin song and top Latin album. BTS won multiple awards including top duo/group, top song sales artist and top social artist.

Country music singer Gabby Barrett bagged three awards — Top Country Female Artist, Top Collaboration and Top Country Song. She gave an emotional speech while accepting the award.

“I’m gonna try to keep together, as best I can,” she said sccording to etonline.com. She laughed as she held back tears. “I wasn’t supposed to mess up my makeup, so I gotta play it cool now. This means so much to me. I’ve been performing for 10 years, really hard…we’ve worked so hard to get here,” she added.

Singer Machine Gun Kelly won the Top Rock Artist awards. According to hollywoodreporter.com, he said: “First big stage I’ve been invited to accept an award on. I just want to say to the dreamers who are going to be tested by reality he way I was. Suspend logic and invite magic. If five years or 10 years or 12 years would have been too long waiting for this moment, then I wouldn’t be having this moment. So just show the universe that it can’t take a dream from you.”

Singer Morgan Wallen also won three awards, for top country album, top country artist and top country male artists.

The other winners included Taylor Swift, who won the top female artist and top Billboard 200 artist. Kanye West won the top gospel artist award and top gospel song. Lady Gaga was named the top dance/electronic artist and also bagged the award for top dance/electronic album, Carrie Underwood won the award for top Christian album.