Fergie reunited with the Black Eyed Peas at the American Music Awards for their first appearance together since they parted ways in 2018. The band won the AMA for Best Throwback Song for “Rock Your Body”. It also was Fergie’s first television appearance in four years, period.

Fergie has kept a pretty low profile since 2018, so any time she pops out it’s always something that makes my Y2K heart skip. Seeing how emotional she was on stage to be accepting an award after so many years was heartwarming and she even included a little shout out to her twelve-year-old son Axl which was priceless.  

Fergie’s emotion is an indication of just how much she really missed being on stage. Last night felt like she stepped right out of 2010 after being frozen in time. It felt like watching her remember who she was, and that’s a beautiful thing to see, since the last time that Fergie was out in the spotlight she had a rough go. This was back in 2018 after her NBA All-Star Game performance, and she basically disappeared afterwards. Aside from a short-lived reality competition series that same year and a performance with Jack Harlow in 2022, she hasn’t been in the limelight for a minute. Could this appearance with the Peas represent a possible reunion? The Peas have continued to make music in the last few years without her and even scored a hit with Shakira. I’m totally here for a Fergie comeback, solo or with Black Eyed Peas, I’ll take whatever I can get.

The American Music Awards have always invited a set of legends each year who get their respective honours. This year it was Billy Idol who was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Leon Thomas (who also won for Breakthrough R&B Artist). However, in 2026, aside from BTS, the majority of the broadcast was all icons and throwbacks, with very few currently “relevant” artists in attendance. Everyone from Lisa Rinna, Paula Abdul, New Kids On the Block to… Hootie & The Blowfish? Watching KATSEYE stand and dance side to side to “Hold My Hand” was a sight to see.

Then you have the fact that there even is a Best Throwback Song category. I love Fergie and I’m happy it gave me another TV moment with her but the fact that this is even a real award to win is really a reflection of where we are in music today. Older tracks have become so ingrained in the conversation that they are now overtaking new releases which is indicative of the public’s perception of new music. I’ll let you do the math on that one.

Queen Latifah, who hosted the show, even took a few moments in the crowd to sing the lyrics to “Iris” with John Reznik of the Goo Goo Dolls. What’s old is new again… and also a little cringe.

The Pussycat Dolls made their stage debut as a trio performing a medley of their iconic hits including “Buttons”, “When I Grow Up”, “Don’t Cha” and their new single “Club Song”. The girls looked sexy as ever in red latex giving me all the Britney “Oops” video feels, and also made me sad to mourn the tour that could have been. The North American leg of their “PCD Forever” tour was cancelled due to low ticket sales only a few weeks before its scheduled kick off which was to be next week. Why they are choosing now to perform here is beyond me, and frankly, quite annoying as a fan. That being said, it was a cute performance and I did love Nicole’s little “we’re baaaack” after “Buttons”. It felt like a bat call for all of us who we’re obsessed as kids. This is including Karol G who spoke on the red carpet about wanting to collaborate with the Dolls since she adored them as a child.

In terms of the performance quality and whether they work as a trio though, it’s obvious that there’s not the same magic without the other girls. Maybe that was the hesitation on their end when it comes to performing before the tour, they likely believed that they could fill the arenas just off nostalgia alone. It didn’t work - so the girls are back on stage. As fun as it was, it was still missing that “je ne sais quoi” that was present in their 2019 reunion. Plus, they did rely heavily on the presence of backup dancers to fill out the stage. One thing remains certain though, it is still very much the Nicole show and I still loved every second of it, warts and all. I walked out to “When I Grow Up” at my Bar-Mitzvah … these girls are in my DNA.

Another millennial icon who made her AMAs return is Hilary Duff. This is her first time at the awards since 2005 when she performed “Beat of My Heart”. Hilary was in Vegas performing a series of shows at Voltaire over the weekend. She walked the carpet in a stunning silver Rabanne FW19 gown. Call me crazy but I thought she looked like a million bucks, and watching her at a music awards show again felt so wonderfully nostalgic for me. It wasn’t just me either. Glorilla, KATSEYE and Sombr all had their own moments fangirling over Hilary too. The amazing reception to Hilary’s comeback has been a pleasant surprise, even to Hilary herself, because I don’t even think she realized just how many people love her. That’s Lizzie McGuire, bitch!

CBS has the rights to the American Music Awards to air new telecasts through 2029, so they have a few more years to step up their game in terms of attracting the Sabrina Carpenters and Olivia Rodrigos on the charts. I love throwbacks, but they can’t be the majority of the event. You need to be able to make it enticing for the bigger artists to show up. BTS did this for ARMY to thank them for making ARIRANG the top-selling album of the year thus far, but most artists aren’t so gracious. If the AMAs can’t get bigger names by the end of this CBS deal, we may very well be watching the last hurrah.

apl.de.ap, will.i.am, Fergie and Taboo of Black Eyed Peas, winners of the Best Throwback Song award for 'Rock That Body,' at the 52nd American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 25, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada/Billy Idol at the at the 52nd American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 25, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Pussycat Dolls perform on the 52nd American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 25, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada/Hilary Duff attends the 52nd American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 25, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada

Photo credits: Matt Baron/BEI/Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock, MBS/MEGA/Nicky Nelson/WENN

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