IGGY AZALEA ARIANA GRANDE Perform BMA - H 2014
Ethan Miller/Getty Images via ABCUp-and-comers Iggy Azalea and Ariana Grande made a solid pitch for why they’ll be sticking around for some time at Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas.
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Azalea delivered her top five hit “Fancy” in full cheerleader getup, leading the squad while her sidekick, Charli XCX, delivered the hook with extra sass. After the hip-hop smash concluded, Azalea stuck around for Grande’s entrance, which was marked by the blaring horns of new hit “Problem.” Sporting a black-and-white dress and flaunting her powerful pipes, Grande bounced along to “Problem” and briefly ceded the floor to Azalea for her rapid-fire guest verse.
After the 20-year-old Grande debuted “Problem” at the Disney Music Awards on April 27, the song rocketed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, dated May 17. That was thanks in part to one of the biggest sales starts ever: 438,000 downloads in its first wee, the fourth-biggest ever for a song by a female artist.
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The track is the first single off Grande’s upcoming second album, due out in the fall. In addition to performing at the BBMAs, Grande is a finalist for the Top New Artist award.
Azalea’s “Fancy,” featuring Charli XCX, currently stands at No. 3 on the Hot 100. With “Problem” at No. 4, Azalea is the first female rapper ever to have two songs concurrently in the top five of the Hot 100 chart.
Watch Azalea and Grande’s performances below.
This story first appeared on Billboard.com.
