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Dick Clark ProductionsElla Mai was one of the artists announcing the American Music Awards nominations Wednesday in Los Angeles, and it was one of the highlights of her career when she heard she was nominated in two categories.
Mai is up for Favorite Female Artist Soul/R&B, and is competing against Rihanna and SZA. Her breakout hit “Boo’d Up” is also nominated for Favorite Song Soul/R&B, along with “Young Dumb & Broke” by Khalid, and “Finesse” by Bruno Mars and Cardi B.
Mai was happy to be involved in announcing the nominations, and she told ABC Radio her reaction when she heard she was a nominee.
“I was just really excited,” Mai says. “So to then be on stage and hear my name called out made it so much more special,” she adds. “I’m just super honored.”
“Boo’d Up” is one of the hits of the summer, and Mai recalls her shock when she discovered the song, produced by Mustard, was platinum.
“I knew that it was gold but I didn’t know that it was platinum, so DJ Mustard and my manager Mekocame with the plaque to my rehearsal,” she recalls.
“I was excited cause it’s my first plaque, but I’m thinking it’s gold, and then they take the plaque out the box and it was platinum and I was like, wait, did you give me the right plaque?,” the 23-year old singer remembers. “I was so confused but I was just really excited. I mean I’ve dreamt about this my whole life.”
The American Music Awards will air live on October 9 at 8 p.m. on ABC. Mai will open ten shows on the Bruno Mars 24K Magic Tour, beginning with his October 4 concert in New York City.
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