The iHeartRadio Music Festival returned to Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena for two days of the biggest music stars on the planet. Friday’s jam-packed lineup included Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Usher, Taylor Swift, Jason Derulo, and Coldplay, with plenty of surprises.
Queen Nicki delivered her biggest hits including “Super Bass,” “Beez in the Trap,” and “Anaconda,” and even spit her verse on Beyoncé’s “Flawless (Remix)” a cappella. She also brought out Ariana Grande for “Bang Bang,” and closed with “Starships.”
Ariana served up a soaring set of her own with “The Way” and “Problem,” as well as new cuts off her No. 1 album My Everything. While her rumored boyfriend Big Sean was backstage, Childish Gambino joined her on stage for “Break Your Heart Right Back.”
Usher lit up the arena with his UR singles “Good Kisser” and “She Came to Give It to You,” and surprised the crowd by bringing out Chris Brown for “New Flame.”
Surprise guest Alicia Keys, whose second child is due in November, showed off her baby bump and blessed the stage with her empowering new anthem “We Are Here.”
Check out the highlights from night 1 below:
(photos via Kevin Winter,Ethan Miller,Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
