Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton Face Backlash for Pre-Taped AMAs Performances Amid Live Show Expectations

Fans express disappointment as the iconic duo’s recorded segments spark controversy in an otherwise live 2025 American Music Awards broadcast

The 2025 American Music Awards (AMAs), held Monday night at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, promised a coast-to-coast live spectacle celebrating music’s biggest names. Yet, among the dazzling live performances and star-studded moments, two of the evening’s most anticipated acts—Gwen Stefani and her husband Blake Shelton—stirred confusion and criticism from viewers who discovered their sets were pre-recorded rather than performed live on stage.

Stefani, celebrating the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby., was featured in a medley performed via a large screen above the stage. Social media users quickly noticed the discrepancy between the televised “live” announcement and the empty stage where the AMAs crew appeared to be preparing for upcoming live segments. One TikTok user, @alywinder, posted a video highlighting the pre-taped nature of Stefani’s performance, captioning it: “‘Gwen Stefani live at the AMAs’… the live view. We’ve been lied to 😭.”

Blake Shelton faced a similar reaction when a viewer shared footage of his new single “Stay Country or Die Tryin’” projected on the big screen, while the band sat silently on the otherwise vacant stage. “When Blake Shelton is ‘performing’ at the AMAs but there is no sign of Blake Shelton in sight 🫠,” commented user @savewithfelix.

While it is common for large-scale award shows like the AMAs to intersperse live performances with pre-taped segments for technical and scheduling reasons, many fans felt misled by the event’s heavy promotion as a fully live broadcast. Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that Stefani and Shelton were the only artists to perform via pre-taped segments this year. Other notable performers, including Benson Boone, Lainey Wilson, Gloria Estefan, Reneé Rapp, Rod Stewart, Becky G, Manuel Turizo, and Icon Award recipient Janet Jackson, all delivered their performances live.

Leading up to the ceremony, Stefani actively promoted her AMAs appearance, sharing rehearsal clips and performance teasers on social media, building anticipation for her homage to a milestone album. Despite the backlash over the pre-recorded performance, she also took time to celebrate a personal moment, posting a heartfelt tribute to her son Kingston on his birthday.

Neither Stefani nor Shelton have publicly responded to the criticisms regarding their pre-taped segments, and the AMAs representatives declined to comment on the matter when approached by Entertainment Weekly.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez, who hosted the ceremony, delivered a fully live and high-energy performance, dazzling the audience with eight costume changes and performances of hits like “Dance Again.” Lopez’s role as host and performer added a vibrant live element to the evening, which also saw Billie Eilish crowned Artist of the Year—though she was notably absent from the event.

As award shows continue to evolve, the balance between live spectacle and prerecorded content remains a delicate one. For viewers of the 2025 AMAs, the revelation that some performances were not live left a lingering question about transparency in the entertainment industry’s most celebrated night.