Taylor Swift, Benson Boone and Mariah Carey. Photo:
FOX; John Salangsang/Shutterstock; Kevin Mazur/Getty
The 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards came and went, but it left us with plenty to talk about.
From Nelly‘s nostalgic medley (and a confusing lack of an on-air speech) to Mariah Carey‘s relatable question about the stage lighting, the two-hour show saw some of music’s biggest stars deliver memorable moments. Some, like Taylor Swift, even made an impact virtually, especially when fans began buzzing about her accessory choices.
Ahead, see the best, worst and most questionable moments of this year’s awards ceremony.
Finneas O’Connell and Billie Eilish. Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty
Brother-sister dream team Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell kicked off the iHeartRadio Music Awards with an intimate performance of “Wildflower” off Billie’s latest album Hit Me Hard and Soft. Her soaring vocals showed exactly why she received the album of the year honor later that night.
Nelly and Ashanti. Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty
Nelly rolled back the years to perform a medley of his throwback hits, including “Hot in Herre” and “Ride Wit Me.” After his dynamic performance had the crowd hyped up, his wife and R&B star Ashanti walked onstage to hand him the Landmark Award. Right when Nelly seemed to begin his speech, the show cut to a commercial break. He was the only award recipient during the live show to not receive talking time.
Lady Gaga and Doechii. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
The year’s biggest rising star, Doechii, praised Innovator Award honoree Lady Gaga for helping “weird” kids feel comfortable expressing themselves.
“As a kid that identified as an artist, as queer and as a little monster, Lady Gaga wasn’t just a pop star. She was a lifeline. Gaga taught us that it was okay to be our real selves, to try new things, to try anything, to speak out and to create,” Doechii said.
She continued, “Gaga was, and always is new, fresh and different. And not only is that okay, but it’s ideal.”
Before beginning her speech, the “Born This Way” singer turned to Doechii and called her “an innovator already.” How fortunate are we to witness an all-time great anoint a future pioneer in the industry? And how long until we get a collab?
Gracie Abrams and Billie Eilish. Kevin Winter/Getty
Gen Z’s signature sad girl pop stars Billie Eilish and Gracie Abrams reunited onstage in a sweet moment as Eilish awarded Abrams with the Breakthrough Award. In her introduction, the “Birds of a Feather” singer revealed that she had known Abrams since they were 15-year-old songwriters on the rise.
Following Abrams’ performance of her viral song “That’s So True,” the two shared a warm embrace, and Abrams called her longtime friend an “icon.”
Tori Kelly and Muni Long. Kevin Winter/Getty (2)
Paying tribute to Icon Award recipient Mariah Carey, Muni Long and Tori Kelly brought the house down by belting two of Carey’s biggest hits, “We Belong Together” and “Always Be My Baby” — notoriously challenging songs to nail live, and with the added level of difficulty of performing them in front of the diva herself. Long and Kelly rose to the occasion, though, and delivered a performance that Carey seemed flattered by.
Mariah Carey. Kevin Winter/Getty
The legendary singer makes every event she attends one to remember. Carey began her Icon Award acceptance speech in the most Mariah manner, asking, “Is the lighting okay? Because I don’t like bad lighting.”
Later, she poked fun at the generational gap, quipping, “As a kid, I used to listen to my favorite artist on the radio and dream of being on the airwaves myself. Now, for those of you who may not know what airwaves are, think of it as the non-Wifi version of streaming, okay?”
However, she struck a balance between playful and sincere, shouting out her fans — affectionately called the “Lambily” — and her late mother Patricia, who died in August 2024.
“On this Saint Patrick’s Day, I want to honor my mother Patricia Carey for giving me the gift of music,” Carey concluded her speech.
GloRilla. Kevin Winter/Getty
Although we’re impressed GloRilla had it in her to give a speech after a breathtaking performance featuring Sexyy Red, it was slightly jarring to see her read straight from her iPhone. We suppose it’s difficult to rattle off a long list of thank yous from memory immediately after delivering a killer dance routine.
“Don’t let nobody tell y’all what y’all can’t do, because they tried to count me out, but look where I’m at,” the rapper said. “And I just want to thank everybody. Oh, first of all, thank God. Take everybody back. Thank God first.”
Taylor Swift. FOX
Taylor Swift typically films her remote acceptance speeches in front of a plain white wall or — as fans like to joke — the inside of a cleaning cart before going onstage. Regardless, the backgrounds are usually nothing to write home about.
In a video accepting the Tour of the Century award, she reflected on the Eras Tour in front of an exposed brick wall and continued her pattern of plaid clothes. Plus, she seemingly hinted at Reputation (Taylor’s Version) with a black outfit and a snake necklace. What does it all mean?
Forget about it, and enjoy a never-before-seen live performance of “Mirrorball” from the Eras Tour opening night.
Bad Bunny. Monica Schipper/Getty
We could have crowned Bad Bunny‘s electric performance of “Eoo” from his new album Debí Tirar Más Fotos with several different superlatives: best coat removal, best energy, best face card … but the performance truly peaked when he dove from a platform into a pit of his dancers.
Benson Boone. fox
After Benson Boone won song of the year for “Beautiful Things,” he slowly removed his shades to reveal an over-the-top shocked expression. We were overdue for a new “surprised awards show face” meme, so thank you to Benson Boone for your service.
