Justin Bieber comes up big at Teen Choice Awards
LOS ANGELES – Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and The Twilight Saga continued their runs as teenage fan favorites, winning the top honours at Sunday’s Teen Choice Awards.
Country music star Swift, 22, picked up five awards, including choice music female artist and female country artist, as well as voice actress for her role in animated comedy The Lorax. The singer was also among the top winners last year at the awards show that airs on the Fox television network.
Canadian pop star Bieber, 18, received a loud welcome as he performed his song Boyfriend and latest single, As Long As You Love Me with rapper Big Sean on a futuristic set. The singer won four awards, including choice music male artist and single by male artist for Boyfriend.
Teen Choice favourite film The Twilight Saga picked up the Ultimate Choice Award this year, ahead of the franchise’s final installment, Breaking Dawn - Part 2 coming to theatres in November.
The blockbuster movie series and its actors have won 41 Teen Choice awards over the last four years, and stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner went on stage together to accept the surfboard trophies, which they then gave to the audience.
“This award especially is an extreme honour. It’s a true testament to all the support you’ve given us over the years. It’s amazing you’re still around and just as loyal and just as strong,” Lautner said to the avid Twilight fans in the audience, known as “Twi-hards.”
The Teen Choice Awards, voted for by teen viewers online, gives actors, musicians and other artists who are popular with kids the chance to thank their fans. The trophies are life-size surfboards and are given in numerous categories spanning film, television and music, as well as unconventional awards.
The two-hour awards show was hosted by former Disney Channel actress and current X Factor judge Demi Lovato and Glee star Kevin McHale, who also picked up awards.
Among other awards, the movie “lip-lock” Teen Choice trophy went to Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games. Choice “Hotties” went to Miley Cyrus and Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder.
Southern Californian pop punk band No Doubt, which will be releasing their first album in more than a decade this month, performed their single Settle Down from the upcoming release Push and Shove. Rapper Flo Rida also performed his latest single Whistle and his hit, Wild Ones.
Carly Rae Jepsen, choice breakout artist winner, sang her infectious hit single, Call Me Maybe, which was voted choice summer song, accompanied by a video of the night’s star-studded audience lip-syncing to the song.
Selena Gomez, who celebrated her 20th birthday on Sunday, won a surfboard for best music group and single by a group with her band The Scene.
Host Lovato, 19, who won the special “Inspire” award at last year’s Teen Choice awards after overcoming personal abuse issues, presented this year’s “Inspire” award to fellow starlet and Nickelodeon actress Miranda Cosgrove, for her work with young people and education.