Ladies lead at Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas

There are times in life when a mere one Madonna just won’t do. For Madonna.

Wednesday was one such occasion.

So, what’s a bedazzled-eye-patch-wearing pop queenpin to do?

Blow seven-figures on a quartet of computer-generated likenesses, one of which came equipped with an accordion, naturally.

In what is reported to be the most expensive performance in Billboard Music Awards history, Madonna coughed up $5 million of her own money, according to TMZ, to stage her high-tech take on new single “Medellin” with Colombian reggaeton star Maluma at MGM Grand Garden.

She did so flanked at times by four holograms of herself representing various points of her career, from wedding-dress-clad “Material Girl”-era Madonna on.

It was quite the display, the pseudo-Madges materializing and dissipating in rhythmic unison with their corporeal counterpart.

Yeah, it was a ladies-first kind of night.

To wit, the evening’s biggest honor, the Billboard Icon Award, went to Mariah Carey, who performed a medley of her many standards in front of a giant illuminated “M,” still hitting notes that only she can hit and doing so with ease, as if they were lobbed to her underhand.

Her voice practically did backflips through “Emotions.”

Moreover, the BMAs’ most nominated artist this year was rapper Cardi B, who was up for a near-record 21 awards, and who won for top rap song, Top Hot 100 song and more.

Then there was yet another female superstar who christened the evening, the ceremonies beginning with a bang — of confetti cannons — that lent a ticker-tape-parade vibe to Taylor Swift’s show-opening performance, which came swathed in more pastels than an Easter egg hunt.

Prefaced by a drum line who stomped through the arena in pink marching band gear, Swift took the stage in a short, sheer dress to shimmy along to her winkingly cocksure latest single “ME.” Panic! at the Disco frontman and Las Vegas native Brendon Urie would soon join her to duet on the playful pop come-on, swiveling his hips in a multicolored silk suit that looked as if it had been ralphed upon by a rainbow.

Urie would later return to perform Panic! at The Disco’s horn-fired electro pop hit “Hey Look Ma, I Made It,” singing from the tips of his toes, spinning himself in circles, smile as big as the song’s outsize bass lines.

Shortly thereafter, Panic would win top rock song for “High Hopes,” Urie thanking his parents, who were going bonkers in the crowd. Urie also won for top rock album for “Pray for the Wicked.”

In another local connection, Vegas’ Imagine Dragons were named best rock artist, with frontman Dan Reynolds using the band’s acceptance speech to denounce conversion therapy practices directed at LGBTQ youth and calling for legislation to outlaw those techniques.

Elsewhere, the fellas continued to have their moments, with Drake winning Billboard top artist and top male artist and coming with the sweet “Game of Thrones” references — “Shoutout to Arya Stark for putting in that work last week,” he said upon earning the Top Billboard 200 album award en route to becoming the most decorated artist in BMA history.

Then there was newly retired NFL great Rob Gronkowski rolling his shoulders along to a newly unretired Jonas Brothers, who brought the pyro as they performed a medley of tunes, the stage almost as inflamed as the passions of the trio’s many female admirers as they did so.

Still, this was ultimately a night dominated by female artists, who turned in a number of memorable performances.

A pretty-in-pink, multiple BMA-winner Ariana Grande sang trap-pop hit “7 Rings” in front of a matching low rider parked onstage, while Paula Abdul broke out a tap dance routine, dusted off her Laker Girl moves and inadvertently (?) hit Julianne Hough with her tossed-off hat as she worked her way through a slew of her late-’80s/early-’90s hits at show’s end.

Earlier, Halsey writhed on the stage dramatically in a one-piece, red-leather get-up during her performance of tempestuous slow burner “Without Me,” glaring hard through it all as if the audience was the McDonald’s drive-thru guy who just got her order wrong. Meanwhile, all that was missing was some imperiled Dalmatians when Ciara donned Cruella de Vil-worthy long black leather gloves for her finger-snapping, horn-fired, ’80s R&B throwback “Thinkin’ Bout You.”

Halsey returned for what was perhaps the most manically received performance of the night, teaming up with K-pop sensations BTS for the live debut of “Boy With Luv.”

BTS totally ruined thousands of teenage vocal chords, earning shrieks — nay, SHRIEKS! — upon mere sight of the boy band hearthrobs.

And now, Las Vegas, it’s time to prepare for the Great Throat Lozenge Shortage of 2019.

Contact Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476. Follow @JasonBracelin on Twitter.