Taylor Swift did not attend the 2024 Billboard Music Awards in person, but she still took the time to share a special message with the audience.
The pop star, 34, prerecorded a video for the Thursday, December 12, awards show, where she made history after taking home 10 wins. The new wins bring her total Billboard awards to 49, making her BMA’s top winner of all time.
“I just want to say hi and thank you to the Billboard Awards and thank you to the fans because Billboard is counting your stuff, they’re counting what you listen to, the albums that you’re passionate about,” she said in her acceptance speech. “And so I count these as fan awards because you guys are the ones who care about our albums and come see us in concert.”
She continued: “And everything that’s happened with the Eras Tour and the Tortured Poets Department, I just have to say thank you. It means the world to me that you guys have embraced the things I’ve made and the fact that you care so much.”
Swift, who turns 35 on Friday, December 13, said she saw the award as the perfect gift.
“This is like, the nicest early birthday present you could have given me. So thank you very much. I love it. It’s exactly what I wanted.”
Swift was up for 17 Billboard Music awards this year, making her the most-nominated woman and second most-nominated artist behind Zach Bryan, who received 21 nods.
Swift’s nominations included Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Hot 100 Songwriter, Top Hot 100 Producer, Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Billboard Global 200 Artist, Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album for 1989 (Taylor’s Version) and The Tortured Poets Department, Top Radio Song, Top Billboard Global 200 Song and Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Song for “Cruel Summer” and Top Collaboration for “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone.
Ahead of the awards show, Swift was tied with Drake for the most Billboard Music Awards wins by any artist, with 39 each. The rapper, 38, was nominated in eight categories this year and faced off against Swift in three: Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist and Top Billboard 200 Album.
Swift’s virtual appearance at the Billboard Music Awards comes days after she concluded her record-breaking Eras Tour in Vancouver on Sunday, December 8. The venture kicked off in Glendale, Arizona, in March 2023, ultimately spanning five continents and grossing more than $2 billion with a total of 149 concerts in front of a combined 10.1 million fans.
During her Friday, December 6, show in Vancouver, Swift reflected on her journey over the past two years.
“I’ve never played more shows on tour or toured longer than I have with the Eras Tour,” she told the audience. “There are so many reasons for that, like, nobody’s backstage saying, ‘You gotta do more shows.’ I decided to make this tour the longest I’ve ever done because you have made this feel like so much more than a concert tour in so many ways.”
She continued, “I’ve been going on tour since I was 15 years old, and this has felt different in every single way. It’s felt like this escape to a planet where nothing but joy and passion and togetherness and camaraderie exists every night coming out to these crowds.”
Swift added that each Eras concert allowed her to “relive [her] favorite memories” from past tours while simultaneously finding a way to “make new” ones.
Earlier this week, Swift shared a series of photos via Instagram from her final shows. “It was rare. I was there. I remember it. ♥️,” she captioned her Wednesday, December 11, post, quoting lyrics from her hit song “All Too Well.”
