Taylor Swift kicked off her week with a rare political post on social media, and at the American Music Awards she continued the conversation by encouraging fans to vote in the upcoming midterm elections.

Swift won four honours including artist of the year at the fan-voted show on Tuesday in Los Angeles, beating out Drake, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons and Post Malone for the top prize.

鈥淭his award and every single award given out tonight were voted on by the people, and you know what else is voted on by the people,鈥� she said, 鈥渢he midterm elections on November 6.鈥�

Swift announced on Sunday that she was voting for Tennessee鈥檚 Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen, breaking her long-standing refusal to discuss anything politics.

Voting was a hot topic at the AMAs. Host and Golden Globe-winning 鈥渂lack-ish鈥� actress Tracee Ellis Ross wore a shirt that said, 鈥淚 am a voter,鈥� and comedian-actor Billy Eichner told the audience, 鈥淭he biggest election of our lifetime is happening.鈥�

鈥淧lease grab your friends and tell them to vote. Now is the time. If you believe in equality for women, for people of colour, for the LGBTQ community. If you believe that climate change is real and that we need to do something about it,鈥� he said onstage before presenting an award.

鈥淎nd you can go to Vote.org like Taylor Swift told you to,鈥� he added.

Swift made history by becoming the most decorated woman in the show鈥檚 history with a total of 23 AMAs. Despite having the year鈥檚 top-selling album and three No. 1 hits, Drake didn鈥檛 win a single award. He did not attend the show but tied Cardi B with most nominations walking into the AMAs.

Swift kicked off the show with a performance of 鈥淚 Did Something Bad,鈥� while Cardi B 鈥� who won three honours 鈥� picked up the night鈥檚 first award, favourite hip-hop/rap artist, which she dedicated to her daughter.

鈥淚 really want to thank my daughter,鈥� said Cardi B, who gave birth to Kulture Kiari Cephus in July. 鈥淚 gotta prove people wrong. They said I wasn鈥檛 going to make it after I had a baby.鈥�

The rapper hit the stage to give a festive and colorful performance of her No. 1 hit, 鈥淚 Like It,鈥� where she was joined by J Balvin and Bad Bunny, who was wheeled onstage inside a shopping cart. Cardi B鈥檚 husband, Offset of the rap trio Migos, danced along in the audience with group member Quavo as Cardi B worked the stage with vibrant dance moves, including the salsa.

Cardi B returned the favour, screaming happily when Migos was named favourite pop/rock duo or group, beating out Maroon 5 and Imagine Dragons, later in the show.

鈥淲e did not know we was winning this at all,鈥� said Quavo, also giving a shout-out to group member Takeoff, who didn鈥檛 attend the AMAs.

鈥淚 want to thank you sexy lady,鈥� Offset said, pointing to Cardi B.

Like Cardi B鈥檚 performance, rising newcomer Ella Mai also won over the crowd when she sang the year鈥檚 biggest R&B hit, 鈥淏oo鈥檇 Up,鈥� starting the performance as she walked down the aisle of the Microsoft Theater. Khalid, Quavo and Offset were some of the audience members dancing along, while others sang and some even filmed her with their phones.

Others who shined onstage included R&B singer Ciara, who showed off her skilled dance moves and was joined by a fierce Missy Elliott. Carrie Underwood was in perfect form vocally, and Camila Cabello 鈥� who tied Swift with four wins 鈥� gave a heartful, touching and vocally impressive performance of the ballad 鈥淐onsequences,鈥� earning her a standing ovation.

The three-hour show closed with a rousing tribute to Aretha Franklin, who died in August. Gladys Knight, Ledisi, Mary Mary, Donnie McClurkin and CeCe Winans were among the musicians who paid tribute to the Queen of Soul鈥檚 gospel roots and her iconic album, 鈥淎mazing Grace.鈥�

Rapper-singer XXXTentacion, who was fatally shot in June, was also honoured: He won favourite soul/R&B album for his 2017 debut, 鈥�17.鈥� It was days after he was named best new artist at the BET Hip-Hop Awards.

His mother, Cleopatra Bernard, said she was honoured to accept the award on behalf of her son. 鈥淚鈥檓 so nervous,鈥� Bernard said as the audience cheered her on.

Kane Brown swept the country categories with three wins, including male artist, album and song.

Post Malone, who wore a baby blue suit and performed, won favourite pop/rock male artist, Underwood was named favourite country female artist and Khalid picked up favourite soul/R&B male artist.

Other performers included Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Shawn Mendes and twenty one pilots.

The Associated Press

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