'This Is So Weird': Viral Fan Video of Gwen Stefani's 2025 AMAs Performance Sparks Controversy Over Her Presence at the Show

While the American Music Awards were intended to be a grand celebration of music, viewers picked up on several issues with the event. One attendee noted that some performers did not sing live, despite being advertised as doing so.

On May 26, 2025, the American Music Awards (AMAs) were broadcast live from Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. Among the scheduled performers was Gwen Stefani. However, a significant inconsistency in her performance caught the attention of netizens.

That same day, a Stefani fan shared a now-viral video on TikTok claiming it was of the "live" performance. Over the clip, she wrote, "Gwen Stefani live at the AMAS," and added, "...the live view..., we've been lied to."

The footage revealed a large screen displaying Stefani performing alongside her backup dancers, while the actual stage remained dim and the performers were barely visible. Turning the camera on themselves, the TikToker remarked, "She's not here."

The TikTok video was captioned, "LIKE WHATTT… why would they say performing live when they aren't even here?? 😭." One viewer responded, "WHAT I'm absolutely floored she wasn't even there. I was fooled 😅."

Another fan questioned, "but....WHERE is she?? why is there a crowd in the video????😭 [sic]" Observing the situation, one person commented, "I knew it looked weird!! And she looked almost blurry in some shots??"

Further expressing disappointment, someone wrote, "This awards show was awful. I thought that she looked very filtered," while another added, "this is so weird… yes i know some award shows have other stages or pre recorded performances but tonight felt like a whole lot of nothing?? [sic]"

Echoing the confusion, one person asked, "is there another stage?! like how weird?! [sic]" A puzzled fan wondered, "Was no one there???"

One viewer, laughing, remarked, "LOL even the performers didn't show up 😂."

Ironically, both the AMAs and CBS TV uploaded Stefani's pre-recorded performance to Instagram.

In the clip, the singer appeared fully dressed in her costume as she performed "The Sweet Escape" with a live band and backup dancers.

Stefani also performed "Hollaback Girl," with the AMAs posting a clip where she was seen receiving cheers and applause from the audience present at the event.

Set to her track "Swallow My Tears," Stefani also gave fans a closer look at her AMA's outfit. She walked the runway, twirled, and posed, showing off the short skirt and the dress's long, fluffy train.

The singer credited RandM's Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn for her styling, and noted that Hair Sulon's Suzette Boozer handled her hair.

She also shared several stills from her performance and captioned them, "thank u @amas 🤍🎤 so much fun! ✨."

The same person who posted Stefani's performance also uploaded footage of her husband, Blake Shelton, supposedly performing at the same event. Like his wife's set, a large screen displayed Shelton in a pre-recorded video, singing and playing the guitar with his band.

Meanwhile, the actual stage featured a few people seated on chairs and others moving around in a dimly lit setting. It appeared that a band was setting up with keyboards and other instruments.

The video ended with the TikToker turning the camera on herself in the audience, looking unimpressed and bewildered. She revealed that Shelton was another "live performer" who wasn't physically present, and added, "we were all SO confused. [sic]"

After returning home from the ceremony, the same woman posted an update on the awards show, expressing her frustration. Filming from her car, she explained her issues with the event.

She emphasized that neither Stefani nor Shelton performed live, despite conflicting claims from the AMAs. While she wasn't against pre-recorded sets, she criticized the event for misleading attendees by promoting them as live performances.

She explained that she and a friend had bought tickets with the expectation of watching the couple perform live, and they were disheartened when that wasn't the case. The woman described the experience as a "slap to the face."

Additionally, she mentioned that she didn't get to see the anticipated performances featuring Post Malone with Shelton, or Lainey Wilson with Jelly Roll. These acts reportedly weren't even acknowledged during the show, which led the TikToker to accuse the event of lacking transparency.

According to the TikToker, most awards weren't presented that evening, aside from a few, including "Artist of the Year." She even speculated that television viewers may have seen more awards than the in-person audience did.

The woman also discussed Taylor Swift, who was neither in attendance nor a winner that night. The TikToker believed Swift deserved the "Best Touring Artist" title for the worldwide Eras Tour. Furthermore, she noted that when the "Artist of the Year" nominees were announced, the audience's cheers for Swift were allegedly muted.

That moment was reportedly cut from the televised broadcast. In the end, the TikToker expressed that she was "very disappointed with the AMAs."

The controversy surrounding the 2025 AMAs has sparked debate over authenticity in live broadcasts. As fans demand greater transparency, event organizers may face increased scrutiny in how performances are presented and promoted.

As previously reported, the 2025 AMAs came and went with noticeably less fanfare, as the star power that usually lights up the red carpet was in short supply. The 51st AMAs took place with Jennifer Lopez steering the fast-paced, two-hour ceremony.

But while the show delivered music and surprises, what truly caught fans' attention was who wasn't there: Swift.

Her noticeable absence became a hot topic online, especially as she did not bag a single win. Fans quickly took to social media to share their thoughts, theories, and a mix of frustration and amusement.

One fan speculated on a possible reason for her absence, "Maybe taylor was gonna go to the amas then she saw that people tracked her jet so she was like 'you know what maybe ill sit this one out [sic].'"

Another fan wondered, "Surprised Taylor Swift skipped the 2025 #AMAs her presence is always such a highlight![sic]" Someone else took a more defiant stance, admitting, "Ngl i'm glad taylor didn't even bother going to the amas bc clearly they don't respect her [sic]."

An individual mocked the awards outcome, "Ofc taylor didnt attend the #amas thats why she didnt win any of her categories LMAOOO [sic]." Another fan theorized about the reason behind the results, "Amas were pissed taylor didn't attend and gave the awards to other poeple [sic]."

One commenter didn't hold back on criticizing the entire event: "The amas had got to be BROKE this year cause that event was a mess 😭 completely disorganized red carpet, hardly any notable attendees, and less than two hours of runtime??? lowkey glad taylor did not attend [sic]."

Another person raised questions about the legitimacy of the outcomes, "Amas results are all very fishy not even just for taylor but the fact no one even slightly big attended (besides renee rap) and all 7 major categories went to 1 person, which good for them but those odds are highly unlikely. [sic]"

And finally, one fan dropped a cryptic theory, "Alternative opinion but maybe bc they purposefully snubbed her - the amas are now the reason for no explanation there will just be reputation [sic]."

For fans who have come to expect Taylor Swift to dominate the AMAs, the shutout felt unusual, if not intentional. This year, the singer was nominated for six major awards, including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Favorite Touring Artist, Favorite Female Pop Artist, and Favorite Pop Album—all of which she lost to Billie Eilish.

Her collaboration with Post Malone, "Fortnight," was also up for Collaboration of the Year but lost to Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' "Die With A Smile."

The AMAs weren't the only awards show where Swift walked away empty-handed. At the 2025 Grammys, she faced a similar outcome despite landing multiple high-profile nominations. Her album "The Tortured Poets Department" was up for Album of the Year but lost to Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter."

Sabrina Carpenter claimed Best Pop Vocal Album with "Short n' Sweet," while Kendrick Lamar swept several major categories with "Not Like Us," winning Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Music Video.

Meanwhile, Swift's only collaborative nod—Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Fortnight" with Post Malone—lost out to Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' "Die With A Smile."

Swift has been lying low lately, skipping several major events, including the Met Gala earlier this month. She and her boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, were both reportedly invited but couldn't make it work due to scheduling conflicts.

While Kelce has never attended the Met Gala, Swift last walked its iconic red carpet in 2016, when she served as a co-chair for the event themed "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology."

While Swift and Kelce have skipped several high-profile events, the duo seems to be enjoying their personal time and was recently spotted on a cozy date night in Florida.

Furthermore, even with their limited public appearances, the duo has remained a constant topic of conversation among fans. Swift, in particular, made headlines after Justin Baldoni's lawyer suggested she could be deposed in his ongoing legal battle with her close friend, Blake Lively.

A source said that the pop star is a strong woman who isn't hiding from anything. According to the insider, she's simply taking some time to enjoy being under the radar with Kelce.