It's about to be the summer of "Fancy" and "Problem," so it's only fitting that Iggy Azalea and Ariana Grande were on hand to perform the Nos. 3 and 4 songs in the county at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night (May 18).
The back-to-back performances began with Azalea and Charli XCX, who appeared on the expansive stage alongside dozens of red and black dressed cheerleaders to take on "Fancy," playing off the song's Clueless high school music video theme. Azalea and XCX, of course, were wearing the words REBEL on their uniforms, because you know, they're not really cheerleaders.
The vocals and raps were on point, with the relative musical newcomers proving that they deserved to be at the MGM Grand alongside some of 2014's biggest musicians. Despite her status as a chart-topping female MC, Azalea is largely unknown in the music world, but she won't be soon.
As the last notes of "Fancy" faded away, Grande appeared on stage to tackle her "Problem." For each of her three televised live performances of "Problem," Grande has been following a similar go-go aesthetic and continued the black and white theme in both her outfit and staging for her BBMAs gig. Her boots were longer than her dress, however, and there were just a few little wardrobe malfunctions.
But, Grande was far more energized for "Problem" than she has been in recent weeks, nailing the sky high vocals and commanding the stage like a seasoned pro. Her dance moves are still a little giggle-worthy (just as Rihanna), but her confidence is booming. Azalea reappeared onstage, complete with her cheerleader outfit once again, to deliver her verse and trade off blasted lines.
Watch the performance of "Fancy" and "Problem" below:
