B eyoncé‘s reign is stronger than ever — that was clear at tonight’s Billboard Music Awards on ABC, where the star received the Billboard Millennium Award and performed her new single, “Run the World (Girls),” for the first time on network television.
Beyoncé: The Billboard Music Awards Q&A
Several of Beyoncé’s close relatives, famous friends and collaborators — including First Lady Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, The-Dream, U2‘s Bono, Babyface, Stevie Wonder, Solange and her son Daniel “Juelz” Smith, Barbra Streisand, Matthew Knowles and Tina Knowles — took part in the Billboard Millennium Award presentation with pre-recorded personal messages about the singer’s accomplishments and impact. Lady Gaga, who collaborated with Beyoncé on remixes of their singles “Telephone” and “Videophone,” summed it up best: “You represent the dream,” she said.
The honoree herself then took the stage in a barely-there silver number to perform “Run the World (Girls),” the lead single from her fourth studio album, “4,” for the first time ever. Virtual duplicates of Queen B rocked behind her until an impressive 100 back-up dancers emerged to rock collectively to the girl-power anthem.
2011 Billboard Music Awards Main
After the show-stopping performance, Tina Knowles and Juelz presented Beyoncé with the Billboard Millenium Award, as the singer breathlessly thanked her parents, Destiny Child‘s Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams and even former members of the group, LaToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson.
Beyoncé ended her speech by shouting out her husband — “I love me some Jay-Z,” she said, as the rap star smiled and nodded and a collective “aw” could be heard in Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Arena and on social networks.
Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Eminem Top 2011 Billboard Music Awards
The 2011 Billboard Music Awards are being broadcast on ABC from Las Vegas with performances by Nicki Minaj, Lady Antebellum, Cee Lo Green, Taio Cruz, Far East Movement and Ke$ha, among others, while Neil Diamond will take the stage to deliver a not-to-be-missed performance.