American Music Awards: Selena Gomez Returns to the Stage With “Wolves” Performance

Selena Gomez made her return to the American Music Awards stage in her first performance in over a year and her first post-kidney transplant.

Performing her new song “Wolves” alongside DJ-producer Marshmello, the newly blond Gomez began her performance lying on a stranded car set-piece, with the stage mimicking a forest on a foggy night. As Marshmello played drums in the background, female dancers appeared from the trees, donning white nightgowns as they paraded around the singer. At one point, Gomez was lifted and carried by her dancers as she continued the moody performance.

In the days leading up to her performance, Gomez took to Instagram to share her rehearsal for her anticipated return to the stage. With a mic in hand, the singer sang the lyrics to the moody tune. Gomez had also live-streamed a video of her rehearsing an acoustic version of the song.

While offering a glimpse into her rehearsal, Gomez also shared that the awards show is a place where she’s shared “intimate moments” before, such as her heartbreaking performance of “The Heart Wants What It Wants” after splitting from Justin Bieber in 2014 and her acceptance speech last year, in which she addressed her recovery from treatment for her emotional health.

 

My first performance in over a year.. the AMAs have been a place where I’ve shared some of my most intimate moments. Heart wants what it wants, after treatment and now Wolves. This Sunday

A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on Nov 15, 2017 at 7:43pm PST

“I had to stop because I had everything, and I was absolutely broken inside. I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down, but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down,” Gomez said of her two-month hiatus during last year’s show after accepting the award for favorite female artist.

The AMAs are airing live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross is hosting.

Watch part of Gomez’s performance below.