Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who was visibly absent from the American Music Awards (AMAs), won three awards on Sunday night; including the top “favourite artist” honour. Swift explained her absence as due to being busy in the studio re-recording her entire Big Machine catalogue.
In addition to the top favourite artist award, Swift had also won favourite pop/rock female and favourite music video (for Cardigan); awards that the showrunners presumably left off-camera because Swift had only submitted one speech.
“This is a fan-voted award, which means so much to me,” Swift said. “You guys have been beyond wonderful all the years of my career, but especially this one, when we’ve been so far apart.”
“We haven’t been able to see each other in concert, but I still feel really connected to you through the music,” Swift said.
“The reason I’m not there tonight is I’m actually recording all of my old music in the studio where we originally recorded it,” Taylor Swift told the AMAs viewing audience. “So it’s been amazing and I can’t wait for you to hear it.”
Swift had declared that she was already re-recording her catalogue this past week so this was not a surprise. Last year, Swift’s former record label Big Machine sold the rights to six of Taylor Swift’s eight studio albums; without her consent, to nemesis Scooter Braun.
A few days ago, Swift released a statement confirming that her master recordings had been sold without her consent yet again; this time by Scooter Braun’s Ithica Holdings to Shamrock Capital.
But Swift seemed to want to emphasize her current recording status to fans, and/or to Shamrock and Braun.
With these three trophies, Swift broke her own record for the highest number of wins at the AMAs; upping her tally from 29 to 32. The previous record-holder was Michael Jackson, with 24.
Other three-time winners were The Weeknd (favourite male soul R&B artist, favourite soul/R&B song, favourite soul/R&B song); and Dan + Shay (collaboration of the year, favourite country song, favourite duo or group).
Swift’s big AMAs haul came a day and a half before the announcement of the nominations for the 2021 Grammys; where Folklore is expected to contend as well.