American Music Awards to showcase ex-Las Vegas Strip headliners

Las Vegas Review-Journal

2 days ago

Tom Dumont, left, and Gwen Stefani of No Doubt perform during the FireAid benefit concert on Th ... — Tom Dumont, left, and Gwen Stefani of No Doubt perform during the FireAid benefit concert on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Gwen Stefani, left, and Tony Kanal of No Doubt perform during the FireAid benefit concert on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Blake Shelton, left, and Gwen Stefani pose for photographs on the red carpet at the 27th annual Power of Love gala at MGM Grand Garden on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Pedro Capo, from left, Gloria Estefan and Diego Torres perform a medley at the 22nd annual Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Lainey Wilson (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Familiarity with the Strip is not a prerequisite for performers at the upcoming American Music Awards. But for a few superstars on the bill, it helps.

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton have been announced for the May 26 show at Fontainebleau’s BleauLive Theater.

AMA telecast/stream on CBS and Paramount+ is set for 5 p.m. Pacific time.

Stefani is to perform a medley from medley from “Love.Angel.Music.Baby,” in its 20th anniversary, including “Hollaback Girl.” The No Doubt co-founder is also presenting a song from her latest album, “Bouquet.”

Shelton’s set list has not been revealed, though he sang “Texas,” his 30th No. 1 hit on the country charts, at the May 8 Academy of Country Music Awards Show in Frisco, Texas.

Shelton and Stefani are not announced as duet partners, but … come on. The couple kicks it up at Ole Red Las Vegas every chance they get, for a few hundred folks.

Host Jennifer Lopez is scheduled to double up and perform. She and Stefani of course headlined lengthy residency productions at Zappos Theater (PH Live today) at Planet Hollywood. Lopez starred in “All I Have” from 2016-2018. Stefani headlined “Just a Girl” from 2018-2021. Shelton in February performed a six-show spree at the Colosseum and is the celeb partner in the aforementioned Ole Red.

Gloria Estefan is performing at the awards show for the first time since 1993, when she also co-hosted for her second and final time (the first being 1990). Reneé Rapp, and AMA nominees Benson Boone and Lainey Wilson are also set to perform.

Estefan is tangentially tied to Las Vegas through Siegfried & Roy’s longtime manager and”Awakening” at Wynn co-producer Bernie Yuman. The celebrated Vegas entertainment pro co-produced the Broadway musical “On Your Feet!” the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, which ran from 2015-2017 and has toured internationally.

Boone is performing a song from his latest album, “American Heart.” He headlines a tour stop at T-Mobile Arena on Sept. 26. Wilson has headlined MGM Grand Garden Arena in December, and The Theater at Virgin Hotels in December 2023. Rapp is the newcomer in the just-announced lineup, making her live award-show performance debut a song from her second album. The title has not been revealed.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.