Jennifer Lopez was the recipient of the Icon Award at the 2022 iHeartRadio Awards on March 22.
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“Thank you for believing in me even when I didn’t,” said a tearful Lopez in her acceptance speech. “Thank you for teaching me who I really am.”
Upon winning Lopez, dressed in an elegant v-neck olive gown, was met by a standing ovation by the audience, including her two children and boyfriend Ben Affleck.
“I wish I could tell you that awards were the most important thing to me, but that’s not true,” said Lopez. “And don’t think that I don’t appreciate the shining sparkling things. I do. I cannot lie. Everybody knows I do.”
She added, “This isn’t why I do this. It’s not what matters the most to me. I really do it for you guys… because the love you give me and the appreciation and the kindness, and the way you let me into your lives, even in a small way, means the most.”
In previous years, the iHeartRadio Icon Award was given to Bon Jovi in 2018 and Elton John in 2021.
Performing on a platform that read “Equality,” Lopez, now donned a sparkling black Roberto Cavalli jumpsuit, performed a medley of her hits after receiving her award, including “Get Right” from her fourth album Rebirth (2005), and recent single “On My Way” from her romantic comedy Marry Me, also starring Owen Wilson.
On stage, Billy Porter kicked things off for Lopez’s performance shouting, “The word for tonight is ‘icon,’ legendary, mesmerizing, show-stopping,” before using the stage as a runway with his legion of drag queens donning some of JLo’s most memorable fashion looks over the years, including the green Versace dress and her “Jenny From the Block” outfit.
“Icon,” said Lopez at the end of her speech. “I can overcome negativity and so can you every single moment. Let me tell you something else, I’m just getting started.”
