Sunday night’s 2019 American Music Awards featured singer Halsey picking up her first win ever and then giving a speech that seemed to reference a previous awards show snub.
The singer collected the trophy for her song Without Me and then gave a somewhat lengthy speech with a seemingly subtle message enclosed. She also featured prominently with several performances throughout the night.
Halsey wins AMA for Favorite Song – Pop/Rock
Halsey was one of the earliest winners at the 47th annual AMAs, along with Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift. The singer bested fellow nominees Lil Nas X, Post Malone, Jonas Brothers, and Panic! at the Disco for the win in the category.
We love it, you love it and @halsey is your Favorite Song – Pop/Rock winner for "Without Me"! #AMAs pic.twitter.com/qx3OZsO0v9
— American Music Awards (@AMAs) November 25, 2019
As the singer appeared on her stage to claim her prize, she was surprised, but also talked about these awards being like “metaphors.”
“I grew up watching shows like this, and I would sit at home, wide-eyed, and watch artists in these beautiful gowns and handsome suits stroll up and hold these awards,” the singer said. “They were usually gold-plated and shiny and weighted, these metaphors, right?”
“These trophies that were supposed to be some kind of validation for the soul-crushing and heartache-inducing work of bringing a song to life,” Halsey continued. “I really believed that fairy tale. When I was a kid, I used to believe this award was the ultimate validation, and I would come up here and laugh and cry, and my fans at home would rejoice, but the truth us, I am older now and I’m also an artist.”
Halsey went on to praise the American Music Awards for being the largest fan-voted awards show and said she’d continue to keep making music for the people. She also noted that while awards are nice, they aren’t necessarily what they seem to be.
“Sometimes you grow up and the stuff you believed in starts to lose its magic. But music never does, because real fans and real music keep that magic alive,” the singer said in her speech.
The singer would go on to perform several times during the night after her awards win. She had a solo performance of her song Graveyard which involved a good bit of paint. Some fans on Twitter called the Halsey performance “truly artistic.”
She’d later join Artist of the Decade award recipient Taylor Swift on stage to help out with Shake It Off during Swift’s medley of hits.
It's crazy when the thing you love the most was that @halsey performance ✨ #AMAs pic.twitter.com/pN6bRFfr4N
— American Music Awards (@AMAs) November 25, 2019
The singer failed to take home the Artist of the Year or Favorite Music Video, awards she was nominated for which both went to Swift. However, her earlier awards win and accompanying speech is what had many people talking after she claimed the trophy.
Halsey may have referenced recent snub
While she didn’t say it outright, many people believe that Halsey’s American Music Awards speech was making reference to her snub last week. The song she won the AMA for, Without Me, was snubbed from the recent Grammy nominees.
The song is five-times Platinum in the United States and reached No. 1 on multiple U.S. Billboard charts including the Hot 100 and Top 40.
After that snub and an outcry from her fans last week, the singer posted on Twitter about it to comfort her fans.
my fans ? please do not waste your anger or frustration. i see a lot of you are upset. of course im sad too. none of it matters. literally none of it. you’re here. im here. + everything is gonna stay exactly the same and without me is still a super tight, record breaking song ?
— h (@halsey) November 20, 2019
It seems the most important aspect for Halsey is the artistry of music and that her fans continue to endorse her. That’s what should count most, right?