Taylor Swift (center) with her "Bad Blood" music video cast, Zendaya (far left), Hailee Steinfeld, Lily Aldridge and Martha Hunt at the Billboard Music Awards red carpet in Las Vegas on May 17.
Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards broadcast was full of killer performances — starting with Van Halen’s rocking “Panama” and wrapping with Kanye West‘s epic “All Day.” But there was a lot going on before the show, in the crowd, behind the scenes and during the commercial breaks that you didn’t see during the packed three-hour telecast.
That’s where Billboard comes in — it is our party, after all! We had reporters on the red carpet, backstage and in the arena to cover all the bases. Below, 21 things you didn’t see on TV (all times in local Pacific Time).
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3:24 p.m. PT: Bryshere “Yazz” Gray‘s mother is accompanying him down the red carpet, ahead of his big performance as part of the Empire cast. “I’m just so proud of him!” Gray’s mother gushes.
4:06 p.m.: Ed Sheeran and Hozier embrace, laugh and pal around on the red carpet.
#BBMAs @Hozier @edsheeran sharing a laugh on @OfficialBBMAs @billboard Red Carpet pic.twitter.com/CTDGYcIP0T
— Silvio Pietroluongo (@silpiet) May 17, 2015
4:13 p.m.: “She can sing her butt off!” Prince Royce says of Ariana Grande, when asked on the red carpet about his upcoming support slot on her Honeymoon Tour.
.@Lavernecox, @TherealTaraji and @EstelleDarlings are having a moment on the red carpet! #BBMAs pic.twitter.com/XyjqNeUZvY
— billboard (@billboard) May 17, 2015
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4:40 p.m.: Epic screams ring out at the start of the red carpet, and non-photographers rush over to snap a blurry cell shot. Taylor Swift has arrived at the Billboard Music Awards.
Why hello, @Harry_Styles #BBMAs #BBMAs1d pic.twitter.com/2fHdV86cnA
— shirleyhalperin (@shirleyhalperin) May 17, 2015
#FifthHarmony = adorable as always on the red carpet. #BBMAs https://t.co/PeERY34tXI
— billboard (@billboard) May 18, 2015
5:01 p.m.: The members of Fifth Harmony excitedly crane their necks on the red carpet and hope to catch a glimpse of Mariah Carey, who has just arrived and is taking photos.
.@MariahCarey making her way down the red carpet! Who’s excited to see her perform?! #BBMAs pic.twitter.com/i2mthuC0iN
— billboard (@billboard) May 18, 2015
.@chrisbrown brought his baby daughter Royalty as his date to the #BBMAs pic.twitter.com/bqTpdwZ5Vl
— billboard (@billboard) May 18, 2015
The #BBMA crowd is crazy rowdy. Perhaps the hosts’ drinking game is underway.
— Tony Gervino (@microtony) May 18, 2015
6:14 p.m.: Their tumultuous history is well-documented, but Van Halen have (so far) successfully put the past behind them and have been reunited with flamboyant lead singer David Lee Roth since 2007. When Roth chatted with reporters backstage on Sunday night — after the band’s show-opening performance of “Panama” — he acknowledged that history in a way only he could. “This is a band that has so many stars crossed and has a history that is so colorful — you know, stop and start,” he said. “The hijinks are something out of a f—ing Lucille Ball comedy. Getting the band on the road? About every three and a half years. It’s like a James Bond movie. You can set your watch to it. And then it becomes, ‘Weren’t you just here?’ You never want to hear that. It’s like the third Pirates movie with Depp.”
6:36 p.m.: Lindsey Stirling took home her first Billboard Music Award on Sunday night — top dance/electronic album for Shatter Me — beating out some of her EDM idols, including Skrillex and Calvin Harris. “To be nominated with them is awesome. It’s a huge honor.” While the violinist could also be classified as a classical artist, she likes to call herself a dance artist — so she’s happy Billboard agrees. “It’s cool that they gave me an award in the category that I want to be in!”
6:49 p.m.: It was fitting for Celine Dion to appear on the MGM Grand Garden Arena stage to present top male artist to Sam Smith, seeing as she’s making her way back to the Vegas scene when her residency returns to Caesars Palace in August. While she wrestled with the decision of whether to return to the stage, considering her husband/manager René Angélil has had recent health issues. In the end, they decided as a family to jump back in. “It’s not do we come back, it’s when,” she told reporters backstage. “I’m ready — and I cannot just say I’m ready; we’re ready.” She’s also ready to welcome fellow Vegas entertainers Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez into the fold. “Las Vegas is becoming the capital of showbiz.”
6:59 p.m.: When a reporter brought up Howard Stern Show co-host Robin Quivers‘ love for Hozier, the “Take Me to Church” troubadour was a little flustered and then admitted he’s “flattered” by her crush. “I can’t say it’s not mutual,” he said with a smile.
What a voice @ToriKelly @OfficialBBMAs @billboard @scooterbraun . Talk about winning an audience over. pic.twitter.com/ayGTtlimz2
— Silvio Pietroluongo (@silpiet) May 18, 2015
Kanye (+ super-sized posse) has arrived #BBMA2015 pic.twitter.com/7nSsTsOkTQ
— shirleyhalperin (@shirleyhalperin) May 18, 2015
