Gayety

Tag: American Music Awards

  • Rebecca Black Finds Her ‘Salvation’ and a Fresh Beat in Queer Pop’s Future

    Rebecca Black Finds Her ‘Salvation’ and a Fresh Beat in Queer Pop’s Future

    Rebecca Black is back—and she’s not just reclaiming Fridays. The pop provocateur has ushered in a bold new chapter with SALVATION, a high-octane, genre-defying project that fuses rave energy, emotional release, and queer joy into one seven-track stunner. And if the sweaty dance floors she’s commanding are any indication, this is Black at her most powerful, playful, and self-possessed.

    The Rebirth of Rebecca Black

    Long gone are the meme days. Rebecca Black has carved out a place as a fearless creative force in pop music’s underground, blending fashion, queerness, and sonic experimentation with unmatched flair. With SALVATION, she doesn’t just push boundaries—she obliterates them.

    Photo: Davis Bates
    Photo: Ella Margolin
    Photo: Finn Sanders
    Photo: Finn Sanders

    This latest project is a shimmering collection of club-ready tracks that flirt with chaos, catharsis, and camp. Standouts like “TRUST!,” “Sugar Water Cyanide,” and the title track “Salvation” are pulsing with hard techno, Y2K electro nostalgia, and a deeply emotional undercurrent that hits just as hard as the beats.

    “I realized my salvation was never something I had to find outside of myself,” Black has shared about the project. “It was already there. I just had to claim it.”

    Dance Floor Deliverance

    SALVATION isn’t just a sonic statement—it’s a cultural one. Black has taken her new sound to the people, headlining her own sold-out tour across the U.S., U.K., and Europe, and spinning DJ sets at some of the most buzzed-about events of the year. Her recent set at the 2025 American Music Awards after party had the crowd raving, literally.

    She also made her Boiler Room debut—one of the most coveted co-signs in underground dance culture—and brought her pulsing pop vision to Coachella’s DoLab stage. Coming up, she’s slated to bring that same energy to Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Bonnaroo, and a lineup of Pride festivals that couldn’t feel more fitting.

    Mainstream Meets the Margins

    Black’s rise is unique in that it bridges two worlds: the gritty, glitter-drenched underground and the polished stage of pop royalty. She’s currently on tour with none other than Katy Perry and drag legend Trixie Mattel, proving her versatility as a performer and cultural connector.

    Whether she’s belting over distorted synths or spinning euphoric techno to a sea of queers under festival lights, Rebecca Black is delivering a message of radical self-love and creative freedom. SALVATION isn’t just an album—it’s a manifesto for anyone who’s ever had to reclaim their own story.

    Rebecca Black Is Just Getting Started

    As she continues to define what pop can be in 2025, Black is doing it on her own terms—with sweat, sequins, and a beat that won’t quit. She’s not chasing validation; she’s offering liberation. And if SALVATION is the gospel, the club is her church.

    You can find Rebecca Black at WeHo Pride’s OUTLOUD main stage on Sunday, June 1st.

  • Jennifer Lopez Heats Up 2025 AMAs with Same-Sex Kisses on Stage Involving Multiple Dancers

    Jennifer Lopez Heats Up 2025 AMAs with Same-Sex Kisses on Stage Involving Multiple Dancers

    Jennifer Lopez delivered a sizzling, show-stopping opening performance at the 2025 American Music Awards on Monday night, reminding audiences why she remains one of pop culture’s most electrifying performers. The global superstar set the stage ablaze with a six-minute dance medley featuring 23 of the year’s hottest songs—and yes, a steamy make-out session with her backup dancers.

    Returning as the AMAs host for the first time since 2015, Lopez made her grand entrance with a cinematic performance that transported viewers into a high-octane musical multiverse. Opening with a slowed-down rendition of her 2012 hit “Dance Again,” the Bronx-born icon eased audiences into what quickly became one of the most talked-about performances of the night.

    A Tribute to the Year’s Biggest Bangers

    The high-energy medley took fans on a whirlwind journey through 2025’s biggest chart-toppers. Lopez moved effortlessly across genres, dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s gritty “Squabble Up,” Doechii’s soul-stirring “Denial Is a River,” and the viral sensation “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey. Her performance also included Bruno Mars and Rosé’s TikTok-fueled “APT,” which had the audience on their feet and fans across social media scrambling to recreate the choreography.

    Midway through the set, Lopez turned up the heat with a sensual mash-up of Chappell Roan’s queer-pop anthems “Hot to Go!” and “Good Luck, Babe!”—both LGBTQ+ favorites that have dominated dance floors and gay bars all year long. Wearing a glittering, custom-designed catsuit, Lopez fanned herself dramatically while strutting across the stage, clearly in tune with Roan’s sultry, self-empowered lyrics.

    She then paid tribute to musical icons Billie Eilish and Beyoncé with a nod to “Birds of a Feather” and the country-tinged “Texas Hold ’Em,” before closing the segment with a gravity-defying dance break set to Bad Bunny’s reggaeton club hit “NuevaYol.” The moment channeled “Dancing with the Stars” meets underground vogue ballroom—flips, dips, and high kicks included.

    A Queer-Inclusive Kiss-Off

    In one of the night’s most headline-making moments, Lopez leaned into her “nasty” side. As Teddy Swims’ hit ballad “Lose Control” played, Lopez shared passionate onstage kisses with multiple backup dancers of all genders, in a clear nod to inclusivity and self-expression. The kisses weren’t just for shock value—they emphasized the diversity of love, identity, and sensuality at the core of Lopez’s performance ethos.

    Lopez then transitioned into Tinashe’s bold and unapologetic “Nasty,” grinding and gliding across the stage as pyrotechnics exploded behind her. The performance wrapped up with an explosive mash-up of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” and the buzzy track “TV Off,” as the camera zoomed in on Lopez striking a triumphant pose, glowing under the lights.

    A Legacy of Pop Performance Excellence

    “I had to kick things off by turning it up to the biggest songs of the year and dancing my heart out for all of you,” Lopez told the star-studded crowd as the performance ended. “But tonight, the spotlight belongs to you, because this is the world’s largest fan-voted award show, where you decide the winners.”

    Lopez added that the 2025 American Music Awards saw a record-breaking number of votes, underscoring the dedication of fans across the globe.

    This year marks a full-circle moment for Lopez, who last hosted the AMAs a decade ago in 2015. Her previous hosting gig also included a jaw-dropping dance medley, featuring hits like Beyoncé’s “7/11,” Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud,” and Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen.” But 2025’s opening performance proves that the multi-hyphenate entertainer has only gotten bolder, more fearless, and more inclusive.