Carrie Underwood flexed her skills as an aerialist once again during her performance at the 2022 American Music Awards on Sunday night (Nov. 20). The country star took to the stage — and the air — with “Crazy Angels,” one of the most upbeat and pop-friendly songs off her sonically diverse 2022 album, Denim & Rhinestones.
Eighties influences are a major component on Underwood batch of music, and on the AMAs stage, she embraced those vibes in the visual aesthetics of her performance, too. Rocking big, bouncy curls and a colorful bodysuit reminiscent of a glammed-up version of an ’80s aerobics leotard, Underwood performed under neon pink lights.
Of course, the performances’ biggest moment came when she climbed up into a pink-and-silver aerial globe and soared over the crowd, belting out the chorus of the song.
Aerial work has been a big part of Underwood’s live act for much of 2022: Fans first saw her descend from the ceiling on an aerial hoop back in April at the CMT Music Awards. At the time, she explained that it was her Reflection Las Vegas residency that inspired her to learn the new skill.
“I would see our aerialists perform every night in our show, so it came from a place of envy — jealousy and envy,” Underwood told Billboard. “They get to fly and it’s so beautiful, graceful and athletic.”
Underwood was nominated in two categories at the 2022 AMAs: Favorite Country Album, for Denim & Rhinestones, and Favorite Female Country Artist. In both categories, the trophy ultimately went to Taylor Swift, who extended her record as the most-awarded artist in AMAs history during Sunday night’s show.
