Madonna, Rihanna, Sam Smith to Perform at iHeartRadio Awards
The iHeartRadio Music Awards usually rival the Grammys and VMAs when it comes to star power, and this year’s ceremony at the Shrine in Los Angeles keeps that tradition alive by featuring performances by Madonna, Rihanna, Iggy Azalea, Sam Smith, Snoop Dogg and many more. Taylor Swift will also make an appearance during the show and Jamie Foxx will both host and perform at the three-hour event, which will broadcast live simultaneously on both NBC and iHeartRadio stations on March 29th.
Also set to perform at the awards show, which will “showcase the year’s most popular artists and songs determined by the iHeartRadio Chart and fan voting,” are the newly solo Nate Ruess, Jason Aldean, Meghan Trainor, Jason Derulo, Kelly Clarkson, Alesso, Jennifer Hudson, Florida Georgia Line. The iHeartRadio Awards also promise “unexpected collaborations” between the marquee artists.
Smith – who dominated the Grammys – and Azalea lead the field in iHeartRadio nominations with five apiece, including nods in the Artist of the Year and Best New Artist categories. Swift and Ariana Grande each scored four nominations, including Artist of the Year, with country singer Luke Bryan the fifth nominee for the award show’s most desired trophy.
Fan voting is still open in three categories – Best Fan Army, Best Lyrics and the inaugural Renegade Award – with the ballot box closing on March 20th. The Renegade Award “recognizes an emerging standout artist that defies convention and who takes risks while still staying true to themselves,” organizers noted in a statement. Azalea and Trainor will face off against Charli XCX, Hozier and Brantley Gilbert in that new category.