The raw talent of rising R&B vocalist Giveon took center stage during his performance of “Heartbreak Anniversary” at the 2021 AMAs.
Appearing on a sparse stage backlit with vibey paneled lights and just a few musicians and backup singers, Giveon looked sharp in all white. He crooned his breakup ballad while moving back and forth across the space with a slow swagger, and when he momentarily moseyed into the seated area, V from BTS even reached out for a mid-performance handshake.
Throughout the performance Giveon’s baritone was rich and soulful, with the performance earning a cacophony of cheers along with a few thumbs ups from the fellow members of BTS who were watching from the audience.
Giveon wrote his first song when he was 11 years old, he told Billboard this past August. Just like “Heartbreak Anniversary” that original song was about a breakup. “Ever since that moment,” Giveon said, “I always tried to touch on relatability as the starting point. If one person understands where I’m coming from, I know there’s going to be a world of people who relate.”
After his performance this evening, there’s likely a lot more people in the world now relating to Giveon.
The American Music Awards are produced by MRC Live & Alternative, which is owned by MRC. MRC and Penske Media are co-parent companies of Billboard.
