Ludacris and Ciara to Host the Award Show Live From
T-Mobile Arena on SUNDAY, MAY 22, at 8:00 p.m. EDT / 5:00 p.m. PDT on ABC
Billboard and dick clark productions announced today that international music sensation Rihanna will perform on the “2016 Billboard Music Awards,†almost ten years to the day since her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (“SOS†hit the charts on May 13, 2006, and spent a total of three weeks at No. 1). The “2016 Billboard Music Awards†will broadcast LIVE from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on SUNDAY, MAY 22 at 8:00 p.m. EDT / 5:00 p.m. PDT on ABC. For the first time in Billboard Music Awards history, viewers on the West Coast will watch the show live along with fellow fans on the East Coast. This year’s show, which will be hosted by hip-hop artist Ludacris and international music sensation Ciara, will showcase big performances, unexpected collaborations and much discussed pop-culture moments. Rihanna joins previously announced performers Justin Bieber, Celine Dion, DNCE, The Go-Go’s, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Shawn Mendes, P!nk, “Kia’s One to Watch†Troye Sivan, Britney Spears, and collaborations with Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla $ign, Nick Jonas with Tove Lo, and Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, and Madonna will honor Prince.
Rihanna has taken the music, entertainment and fashion industry by storm. As an accomplished performer, she has sold 60 million albums and 215 million digital tracks worldwide making her the top-selling digital artist of all time. She’s put out 8 albums, achieved 14 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and won 8 Grammy Awards. With over 8.5 billion views and 21 Vevo certified videos she is the most viewed female artist on Vevo/YouTube and is one of the biggest artists on Facebook with over 81 million likes.  In addition, she’s successfully launched six fragrances, is PUMA’s global ambassador for Women’s Training and now serves as the creative director of the brand, bringing her styling sensibilities and innovation to PUMA’s collections. The first drop of the PUMA creeper collection sold out in just three hours and continues to fly off the shelves with every release. Aside from PUMA, her limited capsule collection with Manolo Blahnik is in stores now. As of July 2015, Rihanna also serves as contributing creative director and punk & poet brand ambassador for Stance.
Rihanna is also a finalist for this year’s fan-voted Billboard Chart Achievement Award. Fans can vote for their favorite artist who has accomplished an outstanding and rare achievement on the Billboard music charts over the past year. The finalists are:
- Adele‘s album 25 scored the largest U.S. sales week ever for an album in Nielsen Music history: 3.38 million sold in its first week.
- Drake scored his landmark 100th Billboard Hot 100 hit, a sum only four acts heave reached.
- Rihanna has now spent 60 total weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her 14 No. 1s, passing the Beatles for the second-most weeks at No. 1 all time.
- Little Big Town‘s “Girl Crush†set the record for most weeks at No. 1 (13) by a group (of at least three members) on Hot Country Songs.
- The Weeknd is now one of only 12 acts to replace himself at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as “The Hills†succeeded “Can’t Feel My Face.â€