Overview

• Attendees at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas reported watching empty stages as pre-recorded videos of Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton aired without on-air disclosure
• TikTok and other social posts showed crew members preparing the stage behind screen projections of the duo’s sets, leading viewers to accuse the broadcast of misrepresentation
• On May 28 Blake Shelton posted on X that he and Stefani “came and performed when the show asked us to,” adding that there was “really nothing else to say”
• Production sources confirmed that both artists pre-taped their segments before the ceremony, noting that such recordings are common at major awards shows
• The AMAs also featured live performances by Benson Boone, Renee Rapp and Janet Jackson, and drew criticism for sparse celebrity attendance and a limited number of on-air awards