When Jennifer Lopez steps onto the stage at the 2025 American Music Awards, she won’t just be performing or hosting — she’ll be revisiting a deeply personal chapter of her journey. It’s more than just another glamorous night in Las Vegas. It’s a full-circle moment that takes her back over three decades, to a time when she wasn’t “J.Lo,” the multi-hyphenate icon, but a 21-year-old dancer with big dreams, wearing jeans and a leather jacket as she grooved behind New Kids on the Block.
Now at 55, with global superstardom etched into her name and a career that spans music, film, fashion, and business, Jennifer Lopez is returning to where it all began — in spirit, and in legacy. The American Music Awards, airing live from the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on May 26, mark not just a performance for Lopez, but a tribute to a journey built on rhythm, risk, and resilience.
It’s easy to forget that before Lopez was headlining world tours and selling out stadiums, she was a Fly Girl on In Living Color — a dancer hungry for a spotlight of her own. That same fire brought her to the AMAs stage in 1991 as a backup dancer, long before she became a musical powerhouse.
Lopez herself recalls the moment with fondness and a laugh. “I was just 21. I was there to dance. That’s it,” she told USA TODAY ahead of this year’s awards. “I wore jeans and a leather jacket, and I was doing these crazy ’90s moves behind the New Kids. But it meant everything to me at the time.”
Those early experiences weren’t just background noise to the stardom that would follow. They were the foundation. “The AMAs have been such a big part of my music journey and history,” Lopez reflects. And it’s true. Her return this year isn’t just as a star — it’s as someone who helped define what an AMA performance could look like.
Interestingly, Lopez has never really been one to jump at hosting opportunities. Despite her confidence on stage, she admits that hosting — talking, guiding, and being the thread that ties a show together — is not her comfort zone.
“Believe it or not, I’m quite shy,” she says with a smile. “I’m a performer, so if I have a script or a song, I can do that and I love doing that. But hosting is a different thing, a different skill set. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite thing to do.”
And yet, she said yes.
Why?
Because right now, music is alive in a new and exciting way — and she wants to be part of that celebration. From the global rise of Spanish-language hits to the genre-bending sounds of new artists, Lopez sees a musical landscape that is more diverse and more open than ever before. “I feel music is really exciting right now,” she says. “Especially with Spanish music being so global.”
She’s particularly thrilled to see Gloria Estefan honored this year. “She’s a pioneer,” Lopez says. “A true crossover artist who opened doors for people like me.”
And perhaps that’s part of the reason Lopez is willing to host — to help guide and lift the next generation, just as Gloria once did for her.
Let’s be real: a Jennifer Lopez performance is never just vocals. It’s choreography. It’s precision. It’s show. And she’s not about to change that formula anytime soon.
“I don’t think there’s ever been a performance where I don’t dance!” she says with a laugh.
So fans tuning in can expect just that — a dazzling opening number that sets the tone for the night, with J.Lo leading the charge in full force. And she won’t be alone. The performance lineup is stacked with names like Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson, Reneé Rapp, and Gloria Estefan herself. Not to mention Icon Award winner Janet Jackson and Lifetime Achievement recipient Rod Stewart.
But Lopez won’t just be in front of the camera. She’ll also be supporting her peers from the wings, cheering them on. “I hope people are entertained and have a good time,” she says. “And that they get to feel their impact in choosing and cheering on their favorite artists.”
That reminder — that the AMAs are fan-voted — is something Lopez doesn’t take lightly. She knows it’s the public that gave her her platform, her power, and her longevity. “It means something, knowing the fans are the ones who vote,” she says.
Though she’s often noted for her fashion, film roles, and tabloid-fueled romances, Jennifer Lopez’s musical accomplishments deserve their flowers.
Her 1999 debut album, On the 6, gave the world “If You Had My Love” and the Latin-dance anthem “Let’s Get Loud.” That album alone cemented her as a musical force and broke barriers for Latinas in mainstream pop. It was more than just catchy songs — it was cultural representation.
Her 2001 album J.Lo made history by simultaneously topping the album and box office charts (with The Wedding Planner). The success wasn’t just commercial — it was symbolic. Here was a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx who could act, sing, dance, and dominate every space she entered.
In the years since, her discography has grown to include hits like “Love Don’t Cost a Thing,” “Jenny from the Block,” “On the Floor,” and countless collaborations that reflect her versatility — from urban to pop, EDM to reggaetón.
And even now, decades later, she’s not done.
“I have a few things up my sleeve,” she teases when asked about new music. Which, in J.Lo-speak, probably means another hit or possibly a tour that fans will be scrambling to get tickets for.
Lopez just wrapped filming a romantic comedy, Office Romance, alongside Brett Goldstein — the lovable grump from Ted Lasso. And this fall, she’ll hit the screen in the musical thriller Kiss of the Spider Woman, slated for release on October 10. The film, based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, is expected to showcase not just her acting chops but her continued commitment to bringing complex, nuanced roles to life.
She’s become a master of toggling between the glitz of performance and the grit of film work. Where others fade into one lane, Lopez keeps expanding the highway. She builds on her past, but never gets stuck in it.
That’s part of why her presence at the AMAs still feels so fresh — even after 30+ years.
Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room: pop culture can be unforgiving to women as they age — especially in music. But Jennifer Lopez has defied every expectation and rewritten every rule.
At 55, she’s still commanding prime-time stages, pulling off choreography that would exhaust dancers half her age, and doing it all with the same — if not greater — intensity she had in her twenties.
It’s not luck. It’s discipline. It’s intention. And it’s love — for the craft, for the music, for the audience.
That’s why seeing her at the AMAs means something. It reminds us that longevity is possible. Reinvention is possible. That you don’t have to disappear just because you’ve hit a certain age.
She’s not just showing up — she’s showing out.
This year’s AMAs also come at a time when the music industry is in flux. From the dominance of streaming to the genre-blending nature of Gen Z’s playlists, it’s not enough to stick to a single lane. Artists must evolve. Connect. Cross-pollinate. And Jennifer Lopez has always been ahead of that curve.
By hosting and performing this year, she’s not just reflecting on her past. She’s helping shape the future.
“I love all of the new artists because there isn’t a certain sound to them,” she notes. “They’re doing their own thing.”
It’s a statement that shows just how much Lopez respects the current moment — and how much she still has to give.
In the end, Lopez’s return to the AMAs is more than a headline or a career move. It’s a love letter — to her roots, to her fans, and to the journey that’s brought her here.
From dancing in the background to commanding the stage, from shy host to confident icon, she’s lived every phase. And she’s still evolving.
As she takes the stage on May 26, fans won’t just be watching a performance. They’ll be witnessing history — and a woman who continues to prove that passion, purpose, and perseverance never go out of style.