Olivia Rodrigo wins Female Artist of the Year award at 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Image Source: ET
The 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards were held on March 22nd, 2022 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and was broadcasted live on Fox. American rapper and actor LL Cool J served as the host of the evening who started with a medley of songs.
The rapper before moving on to the ceremony acknowledged the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and said that he wants to send his love and support to the people of Ukraine. LL Cool J added that our thoughts and prayers are with the people who have lost their lives in the war and concluded that it is important for every one of us to send our prayers and love to them and let them know that we are all here for them.
The audience also witnessed the performances by Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, Charlie Puth, Megan Thee Stallion, Billy Porter, etc.
Here are the winners of the iHeartRadio Music Awards 2022:
Song of the Year- Levitating- Dua Lipa
Female Artist of the Year- Olivia Rodrigo
Male Artist of the Year- Lil Nas X
Best Duo/Group of the Year- Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic
Best Collaboration- Stay- The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber
Best New Pop Artist- Olivia Rodrigo
Pop Album of the Year- 30- Adele
Alternative Song of the Year- Monsters- All Time Low featuring Blackbear
Alternative Album of the Year- Happier Than Ever- Billie Eilish
Alternative Artist of the Year- Machine Gun Kelly
Best New Alternative Artist- Måneskin
Rock Song of the Year- Waiting on a War- Foo Fighters
Rock Artist of the Year- Foo Fighters
Rock Album of the Year- Medicine at Midnight- Foo Fighters
Best New Rock Artist- Mammoth WVH
Country Song of the Year- If I Didn’t Love You- Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
Country Artist of the Year- Luke Combs
Best New Country Artist- Lainey Wilson
Dance Song of the Year- Do It to It- ACRAZE featuring Cherish
Dance Artist of the Year- David Guetta
Dance Album of the Year- Future Nostalgia- Dua Lipa
Hip Hop Song of the Year- What You Know Bout Love- Pop Smoke
Hip Hop Artist of the Year- Drake
Best New Hip-Hop Artist- Yung Bleu
Hip-Hop Album of the Year- The Off-Season- J. Cole
R&B Song of the Year- Leave the Door Open- Bruno Mars, Anderson. Paak, Silk Sonic
R&B Artist of the Year- Jazmine Sullivan
Best New R&B Artist- Giveon
Latin Song of the Year- Pepas- Farruko
Latin Artist of the Year- Bad Bunny
Best New Latin Artist- Grupo Firme
Regional Mexican Song of the Year- La Casita- Banda Sinaloense MS De Sergio Lizárraga
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year- Calibre 50
Best Lyrics *Socially Voted Category- All Too Well (10 Minute Version) Taylor’s Version (From the Vault)- Taylor Swift
Best Cover Song *Socially Voted Category - Good 4 U (Olivia Rodrigo)- Camila Cabello
Best Fan Army *Socially Voted Category- #BTSARMY BTS
Best Music Video *Socially Voted Category- Butter – BTS
Best Comeback Album *Socially Voted Category (New Category)- 30- Adele
Social Star Award *Socially Voted Category- Bella Poarch
Tour of the Year- Harry Styles Love on Tour
Favorite Tour Photographer *Socially Voted Category- Love on Tour- Anthony PHAM
TikTok Bop of the Year *Socially Voted Category- Good 4 U- Olivia Rodrigo
TikTok Songwriter of the Year *Socially Voted Category- Jax
Producer of the Year- FINNEAS
Songwriter of the Year- Omar Fedi
ICON Award- Jennifer Lopez
Trailblazer Award- Megan Thee Stallion
Lil Nas X who won the award for Male Artist of the Year took the opportunity to get vulnerable and share a story that he saw on TikTok that encouraged viewers to be delusional. The artist said that sometimes it’s okay to be delusional when you’re chasing your dream. He added that he was not able to understand the video at first but later realized what she said in her video is similar to what led him to be receiving the award.
Lil Nas X shared that if he was not delusional, he wouldn’t be standing on stage receiving the award and be where he is right now in his life and career. He added that he believed that he could drop out of school and become someone with international fame in a year, that’s being delusional. He added that believing that he could come out of the closet when he’s at the peak of his career and to even think he could do that would be delusional. Lil Nas X openly came out as gay in 2019 in front of his father and sister.
Jennifer Lopez became the third recipient of the ICON Award following Bon Jovi who received it in 2018 and Elton John in 2021. During her acceptance speech, she mentioned that ICON in her case is an acronym for ‘I Can Overcome Negativity’. She went ahead to thank everyone by mentioning who come to her show, streaming her songs or watching her movies, or following her on social media. She said that the fans are the ones who allow her to live a life she couldn’t imagine would come true when she was a little girl. Jennifer Lopez’s boyfriend Ben Affleck was spotted cheering for the lady love with his son Samuel and her daughter Emme.
