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Billie Eilish Takes Top Prize at American Music Awards

Billie Eilish gives acceptance speech for the Artist of the Year award virtually at the 2025 American Music Awards, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, May 26, 2025. (Reuters)
Billie Eilish gives acceptance speech for the Artist of the Year award virtually at the 2025 American Music Awards, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, May 26, 2025. (Reuters)
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Billie Eilish Takes Top Prize at American Music Awards

Billie Eilish gives acceptance speech for the Artist of the Year award virtually at the 2025 American Music Awards, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, May 26, 2025. (Reuters)
Billie Eilish gives acceptance speech for the Artist of the Year award virtually at the 2025 American Music Awards, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, May 26, 2025. (Reuters)

"Birds of a Feather" singer Billie Eilish landed the top honor on Monday at the American Music Awards, winning artist of the year in Las Vegas at a red-carpet ceremony that celebrated winners selected by fan votes.

Pop singer Eilish claimed the artist prize over Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen and other nominees. Eilish won all seven categories in which she was nominated, including album of the year and favorite touring artist.

"This is so crazy. I feel speechless," Eilish said in a video message from Europe, where she is on tour. "I wish I could be there tonight."

Eilish, 23, released her third studio album, "Hit Me Hard and Soft," in May 2024.

"That's So True" singer Gracie Abrams, winner of new artist of the year, also sent a recording to accept her honor. She thanked her fans, who she said "I have been lucky enough to learn from."

"They have reminded me of the light that exists out there," Abrams said.

SZA took home AMA accolades for female R&B artist and for R&B song for "Saturn." Becky G was named favorite female Latin artist.

Many big names on the nominees' list did not attend the show, which was broadcast live on CBS from the Fontainebleau Las Vegas hotel.

One absentee was Beyonce who claimed favorite female country artist and favorite country album for "Cowboy Carter," her first AMA wins in country categories. Post Malone was named favorite male country artist.

Other no-shows included Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar.

Lamar went into the ceremony with a leading 10 nominations. He earned one award, favorite hip-hop song, for "Not Like Us."

The festivities opened with host Jennifer Lopez singing and dancing to a six-minute medley of 23 hits by the nominees. The songs included Eilish's "Birds of a Feather," Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso" and Beyonce's "Texas Hold 'Em."

Janet Jackson was honored with the Icon award, a tribute for artists with global influence.

"I don't consider myself an icon," Jackson said on stage. "The one thing that I hope for is that I'm an inspiration for others to follow their dreams and succeed."

Eighty-year-old Rod Stewart received a lifetime achievement honor and danced and sang to his pop hit "Forever Young," which was released in 1984.

Stewart said that when he started his career "I had this burning ambition to sing."

"That's all I wanted to do. I didn't want to be rich or famous," he said.

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‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Tops the US Box Office

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Mason Thames, as Hiccup, riding Night Fury dragon, Toothless in a scene from "How to Train Your Dragon", (Universal Pictures via AP)
This image released by Universal Pictures shows Mason Thames, as Hiccup, riding Night Fury dragon, Toothless in a scene from "How to Train Your Dragon", (Universal Pictures via AP)
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‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Tops the US Box Office

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Mason Thames, as Hiccup, riding Night Fury dragon, Toothless in a scene from "How to Train Your Dragon", (Universal Pictures via AP)
This image released by Universal Pictures shows Mason Thames, as Hiccup, riding Night Fury dragon, Toothless in a scene from "How to Train Your Dragon", (Universal Pictures via AP)

Neither Pixar nor zombies were enough to topple “How to Train Your Dragon" from the No. 1 slot at North American box offices over the weekend. The Universal Pictures live-action remake remained the top film, bringing in $37 million in ticket sales in its second weekend, despite the sizeable new releases of “Elio” and “28 Years Later” , according to studio estimates Sunday. “How To Train Your Dragon” has rapidly amassed $358.2 million worldwide, The Associated Press reported.

Six years after its last entry, the Dean DeBlois-directed “How To Train Your Dragon” has proven a potent revival of the DreamWorks Animation franchise. A sequel is already in the works for the $150 million production, which remakes the 2010 animated tale about a Viking boy and his dragon.

Pixar's “Elio” had a particularly tough weekend. The Walt Disney Co. animation studio has often launched some of its biggest titles in June, including “Cars,” “WALL-E” and “Toy Story 4.” But “Elio,” a science fiction adventure about a boy who dreams of meeting aliens, notched a modest $21 million, the lowest opening ever for Pixar.

“This is a weak opening for a new Pixar movie,” said David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm FranchiseRe. “These would be solid numbers for another original animation film, but this is Pixar, and by Pixar’s remarkable standard, the opening is well below average.”

“Elio,” originally set for release in early 2024, had a bumpy road to the screen. Adrian Molina — co-director of “Coco” — was replaced mid-production by Domee Shi (“Turning Red”) and Madeline Sharafian. Back at Disney’s D23 conference in 2022, America Ferrera appeared to announce her role as Elio’s mother, but the character doesn’t even exist in the revamped film.

Disney and Pixar spent at least $150 million making “Elio,” which didn’t fare any better internationally than it did in North America, bringing in just $14 million from 43 territories. Pixar stumbled coming out of the pandemic before stabilizing performance with 2023’s “Elemental” ($496.4 million worldwide) and 2024’s “Inside Out 2” ($1.7 billion), which was the company's biggest box office hit.

“Elemental” was Pixar's previously lowest earning film, launching with $29.6 million. It rallied in later weeks to collect nearly half a billion dollars at the box office. The company's first movie, “Toy Story,” opened with $29.1 million in 1995, or $60 when adjusted for inflation. It remains to be seen whether “Elio's” decent reviews and “A” from CinemaScore audiences can lead it to repeat “Elemental's” trajectory.

With most schools on summer break, the competition for family audiences was stiff. Disney’s own “Lilo & Stitch,” another live-action remake, continued to pull in young moviegoers. It grossed $9.7 million in its fifth weekend, bringing its global tally to $910.3 million.

“28 Years Later” signaled the return of another, far gorier franchise. Director Danny Boyle reunited with screenwriter Alex Garland to resume their pandemic apocalypse thriller 25 years after “28 Days Later” and 18 years after its sequel, “28 Weeks Later.”

The Sony Pictures release opened with $30 million. That was good enough to give Boyle, the filmmaker of “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Trainspotting,” the biggest opening weekend of his career. The film, which cost $60 million to make, jumps ahead nearly three decades from the outbreak of the so-called rage virus for a coming-of-age story about a 12-year-old (Alfie Williams) venturing out of his family’s protected village. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes co-star.

Reviews have been good (90% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) for “28 Years Later,” though audience reaction (a “B” CinemaScore) is mixed. Boyle has more plans for the zombie franchise, which will next see the release of “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” next year from director Nia DaCosta.

“28 Years Later” added another $30 million in 59 overseas markets.

After its strong start last weekend with $12 million, A24’s “Materialists” held well with $5.8 million in its second weekend. The romantic drama by writer-director Celine Song and starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans has collected $24 million so far.

Next weekend should also be a competitive one in movie theaters, with both “F1,” from Apple and Warner Bros., and Universal’s “Megan 2.0” launching in cinemas.