LOS ANGELES CNS) — Golden Globe-winning actor, writer and producer Taraji P. Henson will host the "2020 American Music Awards" live from Los Angeles on Sunday November 22, ABC and Dick Clark Productions announced Monday.
The awards will be broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles and aired on ABC at 8 p.m. both on the West Coast and in the east, according to a statement. It will be Henson's AMA hosting debut.
What You Need To Know
- Taraji P. Henson will host the "2020 American Music Awards" live from Los Angeles on Sunday November 22
- The awards will be broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles
- Henson has entertained audiences for years through a variety of roles, including the hit musical drama Empire
- This year's AMA nominees include The Weeknd and rapper Roddy Ricch, both of whom snagged eight nominations
"The AMAs brings together the music community to celebrate what really drives all artists -- the fans," said Henson. "I'm proud to take the stage as this year's host and also a fan for what promises to be an electrifying night of music."
Henson has entertained audiences for years through a variety of roles, including the hit musical drama "Empire," for which she won a Golden Globe and was nominated for multiple Emmy awards; and iconic film roles including the Academy-Award-nominated film "Hidden Figures" and her breakout performance in the critically acclaimed "Hustle & Flow."
She is also the New York Times bestselling author of "Around the Way Girl," a memoir.
She launched the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in honor of her late father to provide scholarships to African American students majoring in mental health, offer mental health services to youth in urban schools, and work to lower the recidivism rates of African American men and women.
Henson will shine a spotlight on mental wellness in a new talk show for Facebook Watch. She is currently developing an Empire spinoff with her production company, TPH Entertainment, as part of her first-look deal with 20th Television.
This year's AMA nominees include two-time AMA winner The Weeknd and rapper Roddy Ricch, both of whom snagged eight nominations, leading all of this year's nominees, and both earning a nomination for the night's most coveted award, Artist of the Year. First-time nominee Megan Thee Stallion earned five nominations, becoming the most nominated female artist this year, including nods in the New Artist of the Year and Collaboration of the Year categories.
And in a six-way tie, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and first-time nominees DaBaby and Doja Cat all earned four nominations each. Two-time nominee Dua Lipa will perform at this year's show.
The American Music Awards, the world's largest fan-voted award show, is seen in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Nominees are based on key fan interactions -- as reflected on the Billboard charts -- including streaming, album and digital song sales, radio airplay and social activity. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partners MRC Data and Next Big Sound, and reflect the time period of Sept. 27, 2019, through Sept. 24, 2020.
The AMA winners are voted entirely by fans. Voting is now open for all AMA categories and fans can access the official voting ballot for the AMAs directly by visiting TheAMAs.com/Vote.