Taylor Swift makes history with 20 wins
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 11 years, 3 months AGO
<p>Ed Sheeran performs at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday in Las Vegas. </p>
<p>Taylor Swift poses in the press room with the awards for top Billboard 200 album for "1989," top female artist, chart achievement, top artist, top Billboard 200 artist, top hot 100 artist, top digital song artist, and top streaming song (video) for "Shake It Off" on Sunday night. </p>
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Taylor Swift had a historic night at the Billboard Music Awards. The pop star is the most decorated artist in the show's history with 20 wins, beating Garth Brooks' 19-win record.
She won eight awards Sunday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, including top artist, and also opened the show with the premiere of her action-filled, star-studded music video for "Bad Blood."
"It's unbelievable that the fans went out and proved what they proved this year, and that's the only reason I won eight awards," Swift said in an interview with The Associated Press following her wins.
"Is it eight? Did I win eight awards?" she asked excitedly. "Yeah, sick."
Swift's video opened with her and Selena Gomez fighting men in an office and then fighting each other. It ended with Swift's and Gomez's armies going head to head. Other stars in the clip included Mariska Hargitay, Ellen Pompeo, Jessica Alba, Ellie Goulding and Hayley Williams of Paramore.
Swift swapped her first two verses with new ones from rapper Kendrick Lamar for "Bad Blood," a song rumored to be about Swift's friendship with Katy Perry.
Swift's other wins included top female artist and Billboard 200 album for "1989." She sat in the audience with some of her "Bad Blood" co-stars as well as rumored boyfriend Calvin Harris. Swift kissed the DJ-producer-singer on the cheek and gave him a hug after winning her awards.
"I'm happy right now that it all was pulled off without a hitch," an excited Swift said in the AP interview about her new video. "I can't believe it didn't leak. I can't believe the Kendrick version of the song didn't leak. Right now I am just taking the biggest sigh of relief that the fans got to experience it the way I wanted them to experience it, which was a full element of surprise."
Though Swift had an epic opening of the Billboard Awards with her video, Kanye West's closing of the show was tragic. The rapper was booed when he performed "All Day" and "Black Skinhead." The stage was smoky, and it was hard to see West at times.
But others had a good night onstage. Iggy Azalea, Pharrell and Sam Smith - who is recovering from vocal cord surgery - won three awards each.