Zach Bryan leads the pack at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards with 21 nominations, followed by Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen, signaling a country music takeover.
“I just feel like this is kind of what we need, because music is music at the end of the day, and it can transcend neighborhood, religion, gender, so many things,” comedian and Billboard Music Awards host Michelle Buteau told Fox News Digital.
Bryan and Wallen are both nominated in the top artist, top streaming songs artist, and top Billboard 100 and 200 categories, as well as for top country artist and country male artist, among other nominations.
ZACH BRYAN DOESN’T LIKE HIS ‘COUNTRY MUSICIAN’ LABEL
Buteau continued, “I think it’s about time. And music is one of those things, too… that bring[s] people together much like comedy. I love when a song comes on that people don’t think I’m supposed to know the words to, but I do. And then we’re singing it together. And that’s like a whole moment. And honestly, like, it always comes down to art and culture for me, period.”
Buteau, a longtime comedian who has hosted shows like “The Circle” on Netflix and appeared in films like “Marry Me” and “Babes,” said she was thrilled to be asked to host the show.
WATCH: ZACH BRYAN, MORGAN WALLEN’S COUNTRY TAKEOVER AT BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS IS ‘WHAT WE NEED’ SAYS HOST
“It’s wild when you get to watch something all the time. And then to actually be in it and have a good time and be, like, I want to do this all the time. It’s amazing. I’m like, how do I get my Ryan Seacrest on in a plus-size dress?” she said.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Though Swift doesn’t lead the nominations at this year’s ceremony, she is the most decorated female BBMA artist of all time, another honor to go alongside her incredible two-year run on “The Eras Tour.”
“Honestly, can we just [take] a moment, a round of applause for Taylor? All her hard work and them good knees. I mean, it ain’t easy,” Buteau joked. “I walk my dogs and I have to bend over to pick up their situations. And I’m like, wow, you can really stretch more often. Taylor is out here doing it for everyone and everybody, all over the world.”
“She fills the room with love. So, you know, it’s not in the nominations. It’s in the feeling,” she added.
TAYLOR SWIFT ‘ERAS TOUR’ ENDS: 8 MOMENTS THAT LEFT FANS SHOCKED
As host, Buteau said it’s easy to stay neutral on who she’s rooting for and ultimately feels “the audiences will tell you who they respond to.”
“But also, at the end of the day, they’re just amazing artists that we’re shaking our booties to, you know what I mean? So either way, you can’t lose. Plus, we never lose. We only learn,” she added.
The BBMAs will feature performances by many of the nominees, including country stars Shaboozey, Jelly Roll and Megan Moroney, as well as Coldplay, Linkin Park, Tyla, Teddy Swims and K-pop stars SEVENTEEN and Stray Kids.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Buteau, a mom of 5-year-old twins with husband Gijs van der Most, is ready to enjoy the show even though she’s working.
“My husband is going to ‘babysit’ so I can go work and see all these amazing performers that I only really listen to in my minivan when I’m picking the kids up. So, like, I mean, even the fact that somebody is going to be bringing me water. And a meal. And wine, are you kidding? I want,” she quipped.
WATCH: BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS HOST PRAISES TAYLOR SWIFT’S ‘GOOD KNEES’ FOLLOWING END OF ERAS TOUR
Buteau did make it to Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour” date in Amsterdam with her husband for Father’s Day, but didn’t make it to “The Eras Tour.”
TAYLOR SWIFT FANS LIVID AS BEYONCÉ TAKES TITLE OF GREATEST POP STAR OF THE 21ST CENTURY
Like many people, though, she experienced it through social media “because I can live vicariously through everybody’s Insta stories.”
“I love people covering these little cute moments of Taylor bringing her boyfriend out on stage and stuff in London, all of those things make me feel like I’m a part of it, too. And so, I really kind of, like, love a very long tour because I’m just, like, I feel like I know a lot about it,” said Buteau.
She added, “I have all the bracelets, I’m doing all the things. My daughter and I still sing ‘Cruel Summer’ on the way to school.”
The 2024 Billboard Music Awards are set to air Thursday night on FOX.
