Taylor Swift Triumphs at iHeartRadio Awards with Seven Wins
Taylor Swift delivered a touching tribute to her fiancé, NFL star Travis Kelce, as she secured an impressive seven victories at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday. The 36-year-old Grammy-winning artist, who made her awards show debut alongside the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, accepted the Pop Album of the Year award for her 2025 LP The Life of a Showgirl during the star-studded evening.
Emotional Tribute to Kelce and Upcoming Wedding
Swift's appearance with Kelce comes amid reports that the couple are planning to exchange vows in June, just months after the ceremony. Taking the stage after presenter Raye, the Love Story singer reflected on her latest album, describing it as having "an energy of just feeling really happy and strong and confident and free." She added, "And I think that this album probably also feels very happy and confident and free because that's the way that I get to feel every single day of my life. Because of my fiancé, who's here tonight. So thank you, thanks for all the vibes," prompting cheers from the audience.
The camera captured Kelce applauding with a proud smile as Swift expressed gratitude. In her speech, she noted that The Life of a Showgirl was "inspired by the energy that I felt, like, looking into crowds and seeing you guys and connecting with you every single night." She also thanked her fans, the Swifties, for making her song The Fate of Ophelia "the biggest hit of my career, which is crazy at this point."
Artist of the Year and Additional Honors
Later in the evening, Olympic gold medalist and U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu presented Swift with the Artist of the Year award, praising her as "the goat of music" with 34 iHeartRadio Music Awards, the most in history. Liu revealed that Swift's wins included Album of the Year, Pop Song of the Year, Favorite Tour Style (Eras Tour), Best Lyrics, and Best Music Video for The Fate of Ophelia, in addition to Pop Album of the Year and Artist of the Year.
In her acceptance speech, Swift said she was "inspired" by Liu and emphasized her love for songwriting. "I love writing songs more than anything in the world. And it, I didn't think I was an artist when I first started doing it. It was a hobby. And then it was my favorite hobby," she shared. She encouraged others to nurture their dreams, stating, "I'm a firm believer that anything you feed your mind, it will internalize anything. Anything you feed the internet, it will attempt to kill. And I don't want that for your dreams."
Swift concluded by thanking fans for allowing her to turn her hobby into a career. Earlier in the evening, she walked the red carpet solo but reunited with Kelce inside the Dolby Theatre before the festivities began, sharing sweet moments as they made their awards show debut together.
Other Notable Winners and Highlights
The awards ceremony also celebrated other music icons. Miley Cyrus received the Innovator Award, marking the 20th anniversary of her series Hannah Montana. In her speech, Cyrus reflected on the show's impact, saying it "inspired" her career and allowed her to "create a persona that gives you the confidence and the courage to perform authentically." She emphasized that while awards are rewarding, her true compass is creating art that resonates with people.
John Mellencamp was honored with the Icon Award, presented by his daughter Teddi Mellencamp, who emotionally credited him with saving her life during her cancer battle. Mellencamp performed his classics Jack & Diane and Pink Houses on stage.
Alex Warren won Breakthrough Artist of the Year for his 2025 track Ordinary, encouraging viewers to pursue their passions and thanking his wife and late parents. He also secured Song of the Year for Ordinary, Best New Pop Artist, and Favorite Debut Album.
Ludacris, who hosted the event, received the Landmark Award and teased new music, performing a medley of hits including Move B***h and Rollout (My Business). Other winners included Sabrina Carpenter for Pop Artist of the Year, HUNTR/X for Duo/Group of the Year, Shaboozey for Country Song of the Year, Morgan Wallen for Country Album and Artist of the Year, Ella Langley for Best New Country Artist, Kendrick Lamar for multiple hip-hop categories, Kehlani for R&B Song of the Year, Shinedown for Rock Artist of the Year, and David Guetta for Dance Artist of the Year.
