Jennifer Lopez Makes First Award Show Appearance Post-Ben Affleck Divorce Filing

Jennifer Lopez made her first awards show appearance at the American Music Awards (AMA) 50th Anniversary Special on October 6 since her split from Ben Affleck. At 55, she has a long history with the AMAs, having performed multiple times and won three awards. In a pre-recorded segment, she talked about how important music is in her life.

Jennifer Lopez reminisced about her childhood, saying, “Fifty years of the American Music Awards. I remember watching them at home when I was a little girl.” She also remembered her debut performance at the AMAs in 2001, noting how “electric” the atmosphere was.

“Winning a fan-voted award is incredibly special because it’s directly from the people that you make the music for. It’s just a humbling experience,” she shared while recalling about her 2011 win for Favorite Latin Artist. Lopez also talked about her hosting experience in 2015 and called it “a huge honour.”

“I decided that I was gonna change for every time I came out there [onstage],” she explained. “We did this dance medley to all of these amazing songs from that year, and I wanted everyone to feel that love and energy. Maybe I will do it again one day, who knows,” she added.

One of her standout moments came in 2013 when she paid tribute to the legendary Cuban singer Celia Cruz, describing it as “one of the special nights” of her life.

“She is such an icon and not just in live music but across the world,” she said.

The Ain’t Your Mama singer concluded her speech with, “Music really does have the power to heal and to uplift and to connect us. The AMAs have been showcasing that for half a century now and I’m excited for the next 50 years of music and magic.”

This comes following Lopez’s divorce from Affleck, which was filed on August 20, 2024. Reports indicate that the primary reason for their separation stems from fundamental differences that led to their incompatibility as a couple. They got married in 2022.

Recently, the former couple was spotted enjoying lunch together with their children at the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel on September 14. Although the outing appeared friendly, sources informed People that they are “still moving forward with the divorce” and are “working out financial details amicably.” The gathering included Affleck’s two younger children, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12, along with Lopez’s 16-year-old twins, Max and Emme.