Two amazing artists brought their A-games to the 2018 American Music Awards on October 9. Taylor Swift brought the heat (literally!) to the AMA stage during the opening performance. Mariah Carey stunned with an epic show, complete with a daring ensemble. Keep reading to get all the details!

THE 2018 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS(r) – The “2018 American Music Awards,” the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 8:00 p.m. EDT, on ABC. (ABC/Image Group LA)
TAYLOR SWIFT
Taylor kicked off the 2018 American Music Awards with her song “I Did Something Bad” from her album reputation. Her pop beats and strong vocals were paired with bursts of fire and a giant snake in the background. She even showcased some dancing skills, performing a routine with her dancers. She styled the opening of the song the same way she did on her just-wrapped rep tour – she drew out the intro, which made the lead in beat that much more impactful. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and I thought she brought a fun spin to one of my favorite tracks off her album!
Taylor won all of the categories she was nominated for. She took home 4 awards: “Artist of the Year”, “Tour of the Year” (rep tour), “Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock”, and “Favorite Album – Pop/Rock” (reputation.) She made history with the most awards by a female artist – congrats Taylor!

THE 2018 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS(r) – The “2018 American Music Awards,” the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 8:00 p.m. EDT, on ABC. (ABC/Image Group LA)
MARIAH CAREY
Mariah looked all sorts of amazing as she took the stage to debut her hit, “With You.” She wore a hot pink mermaid style gown with black detail along the sides. The coolest part? The floor was dressed with a matching pink fabric, making it look as if the whole stage was taken up by her gown; when in reality, it actually housed her dancers! They slowly rose up from their places on stage, surrounding Mariah as she sang. This really added an interesting element to her performance. I loved how everything flowed seamlessly – her hair into her dress, the dress into the floor, it all came together nicely.
While she was not up for any awards, she has won a total of 21 AMAs over her many years in the business which is impressive in itself! Kudos to her for her performance and continued success as one of pop’s most influential artists!
Check out all the photos of Taylor Swift and Mariah Carey’s performances at the 2018 American Music Awards!
Kari Highman is a Beauty and Fashion Blogger at Feeling the Vibe Magazine. Otterbein Alum (2017) – English & Psychology. Always learning & creating. Avid fan of mid 2000’s TV & pop music. Comments or tips, email kari@feelingthevibe.com