The American Music Award for Favorite Male R&B Artist went to Chris Brown. However, since Chris Brown was not present at the ceremony, Kelly Rowland graciously accepted the award on his behalf. After announcing Chris’s name, the audience responded with boos, a reaction that Kelly Rowland quickly addressed.

“Excuse me, chill out,” Kelly said to the audience. “I want to tell Chris thank you so much for making great R&B music and for being an incredible performer. I’ll take this award to him. I love you, congratulations Chris.”

Chris Brown’s win was somewhat overshadowed by controversy. Just days before the awards show, Chris had posted a video from a rehearsal on social media, claiming that his performance had been canceled at the last minute. In the caption, he wrote, “Would have been the AMA performance, but they canceled me for reasons unknown.”

The video clip also revealed that Chris had planned to pay tribute to the late Michael Jackson, specifically to Jackson’s “Thriller” album, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Ahead of the show, Kelly Rowland spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the unpredictable nature of the AMAs. “I love the fact that at the AMAs, it’s very spontaneous. You never know what to expect. That’s what I’m most excited about tonight. I’m looking forward to seeing all these artists and how they express themselves. It’s really exciting.”

Overall, the night was full of surprises and unexpected moments, reflecting the unique and dynamic spirit of the American Music Awards.