Tracee Ellis Ross Channels Her Inner Pop Star and Exhausts Herself in Wild American Music Awards Opener

Tracee Ellis Ross brought the energy to her opening number on the American Music Awards, but she had the unenviable position of following Taylor Swift's highly-anticipated kickoff performance.

Nevertheless, the returning host gave it her all, and perhaps a little more than her all if her mid-performance attempt to stop is any indication. In a rousing performance that shifted from Cardi B to Childish Gambino, Beyonce and Aretha Franklin, Ross offered up a tribute to what's hot in music today, and what laid its foundation.

Honestly, it was a little weird that she had a mic for the entire performance, because it saw a lot of grunting and shouting from her throughout. Sure, that was probably the point, but it came out more off-putting than charming or funny.

Maybe that's why her "black-ish" kids, co-stars Miles Brown and Marsai Martin, only gave her a "3" and "7," respectively, rocking "Dancing with the Stars" paddles. "Well, you know what? Together that makes a perfect 10," Ross trumpeted.

"J.Lo, I don't know how you do this all the time!" Ross said, singling out the singer in the crowd. She then lamented she could barely talk with her "TER" grill in. Perhaps, the pop star lifestyle just isn't for her.

"I am not a dancer, I'm just a lady with some moves," the actress said. "I don't even know if I can even say that. I'm just a lady who moves." But at least she set the tone with the right energy and enthusiasm for the night.

A little later, she had a moment where she explored the names of modern singers, coming up with some pretty creative explanations for them. G-Easy? He's a gangsta who likes to take it easy. Post Malone? obviously, the third child so there's a Pre and a Mid before him.

She presumed that Halsey had a lot of sore throats as a child. She also let the audience figure that one out. "And of course then there's Lil Dicky," Ross said. After letting that simmer for a moment, she added,"I have no idea what that one means."

After Jennifer Lopez performed, Ross sought out her husband, Alex Rodriguez, in the crowd to talk to him about something extremely important. "What do you do with your skin?" she asked, as he erupted in laughter. "It is like you wash your face in the tears of baby angels. Your skin is stunning. What are your beauty secrets?"

And we're with Ross on this one. J.Lo always geets the credit for her age-defying beauty and skin, but A.Rod is right there with her. They are shockingly stunning.

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