With a bold and memorable opening act, Jennifer Lopez made a dramatic comeback to the American Music Awards stage on Monday, sparking conversations around the globe.
The 55-year-old singer and actress, who hosted the 51st American Music Awards at the recently opened Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, ignited social media when she made out with a number of her male and female backup dancers during her intense performance.
The moment came just months after her very public split from Hollywood actor Ben Affleck. The couple, who married in July 2022, finalised their divorce in February 2025, with Lopez filing in August 2024 and citing a separation date in April.
Lopez opened the show with a captivating performance of her 2012 hit song, Dance Again, while sporting a nude, glittering jumpsuit and sleek, straight honey-blonde hair.
With upbeat choreography to some of 2025's most popular songs, such as Doechii's Denial Is a River, Bad Bunny's NUEVAYoL, Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us, and Billie Eilish's Birds of a Feather, the medley gained momentum. She also grooved to Bruno Mars and BLACKPINK's Rosé duet, A Bar Song, by Shaboozey and APT.
However, it was during Lose Control by Teddy Swims that Lopez shocked viewers by engaging in a provocative sequence of kisses with her dancers. She ended the performance with a mash-up tribute to Lamar’s Not Like Us and TV Off, in recognition of his record-breaking number of nominations this year.
Comedian Tiffany Haddish, presenting the nominees for R&B Song, was visibly floored by the spectacle and joked, “Save a dancer for me, J.Lo, d***! You ain’t the only one that’s single.”
Fans flooded X (formerly Twitter) with reactions. One wrote, “JLO KISSING A WOMAN IN THE OPENING PERFORMANCE WAS NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING," while another commented, “Why was JLo kissing everyone?” A third added, “Not JLo going Madonna on stage lmao kissing girls! #amas,” drawing parallels with Madonna’s iconic 2003 MTV VMAs moment.
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Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, Lainey Wilson, Reneé Rapp, and Benson Boone are among the other performers at this year's ceremony. Janet Jackson will be honoured with the coveted Icon Award, and Rod Stewart will be given the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lopez disclosed earlier this month that she sustained a facial injury while rehearsing. She later thanked famous plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Diamond for suturing her nose after posting a picture of the cut on Instagram.
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