J-Lo pashes female dancer as Janet Jackson makes huge comeback

American Music Awards host Jennifer Lopez opened the show with a bang — and a kiss — as Janet Jackson made her first TV appearance in years.

More than two decades after Madonna and Britney Spears pashed at the MTV VMA’s, Jennifer Lopez has had her moment by locking lips with two back-up dancers.

Opening the American Music Awards (AMAs) in Las Vegas, JLo donned a sparkly catsuit took the time to pash two of her dancers, one male and one female.

Host US singer and actress Jennifer Lopez (R) performs onstage during the 51st American Music Awards at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2025. Picture: Robyn Beck / AFP

It wasn’t enough though to make up for the fact Taylor Swift was a no-show to the awards ceremony, where she didn’t win any awards from six nominations.

Nostalgia was the order of the night with Janet Jackson pulling out all the stops as she danced and sang on stage in her first television appearance in years.

Jackson was honoured with the Icon Award on the night.

US singer Janet Jackson performs onstage during the 51st American Music Awards at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. Picture: Robyn BECK / AFP

And more nostalgia came as 80-year-old Rod Stewart won the Lifetime Achievement Award, with his five adult children presenting him the gong.

It was evidently a big surprise to Stewart, who swore mid-speech.

Eight-time Grammy Award winner and one of the best selling Latina singers of all time, Gloria Estefan, 67, was also on hand, performing a medley of her huge hits including Conga.

There were multiple no-shows with nominees like Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, Chappel Roan and of course Swift not in attendance at the Bleau Live Theatre at luxury hotel Fontainebleau.

Taylor Swift announced the release of The Tortured Poets Department at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in 2024. Picture: AFP

Swift was widely tipped to use the awards as a platform to announce her new album.

The singer has been steadily rerecording her albums ever since her feud with music executive Scooter Braun who owns the masters to much of her original work.

Among the “Easter eggs” fans believed they spotted were that Swift posted 26 times about the recently wrapped Eras tour. The music awards was held on May 26, American time.

They also noted she has posted a total of 676 times to Instagram (the last time being in December) with the number equal to 26 squared.

The final piece of “evidence” was Swift’s discounted merchandise to 26 per cent off in her online store in a sale she has labelled the Apparel, Music, Accessories sale which boasts the same acronym as the AMAs.

Billie Eilish also didn’t turn up to the AMAs. She was the biggest winner of the night, winning in all categories in which she was nominated.

Her seven wins included Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for Hit Me Hard And Soft.

Bruno Mars was named Favourite Male Pop Artist while New Artist of the Year went to Gracie Abrams, who recently toured Australia.

Beyonce won Favourite Female Country Artist while Post Malone is Favourite Male Country Artist for 2025.

Originally published as J-Lo pashes female dancer as Janet Jackson makes huge comeback