Janet Jackson Receives ICON Award at the 2025 American Music Awards: 'I Don't Consider Myself an Icon'

Janet Jackson is everlastingly an icon — particularly astatine nan 2025 American Music Awards.

The five-time Grammy victor received nan ICON Award, who CBS and Dick Clark Productions antecedently referred to as "one of nan astir influential entertainers of nan modern era," during nan Tuesday, May 13 ceremony.

Ahead of accepting nan honor, Jackson, 59, took nan shape successful loose-fitting jeans, a achromatic puffer overgarment and a achromatic tee and kicked disconnected her group pinch her 2001 classical "Someone to Call My Lover." She past transitioned into a funky rendition of her 2001 deed "All for You," which included a creation break remix pinch a striking guitar solo.

Afterward, Tasha Smith presented nan grant to Jackson pinch a heartfelt introduction.

"I emotion you truthful much," Jackson began her acceptance speech. "I americium truthful so honored. I americium truthful grateful. I mean, nary disrespect successful immoderate way, but I don't see myself an icon."

She continued: "My family, myself, our dream wasn't ever to beryllium famous. We weren't raised for illustration that. We ever had a typical emotion for music, dancing, singing and fame came pinch nan consequence of difficult activity and dedication. My story, my family's communicative is genuinely an American story. This would person only happened successful America."

Jackson past said she hoped that she's "been an inspiration" to different artists to "follow their dreams and succeed."

After thanking her squad and her fans, nan 11-time AMA grant victor shared her gratitude.

"Because of you and God, I'm opinionated correct here," said Jackson. "I want to convey nan AMAs for this honor, which I americium humbly grateful — and past but not least, I want to opportunity support God successful each portion of your life because that's wherever he wants to be. I emotion you truthful much."

Upon discovering she was receiving nan grant earlier this month, Jackson shared her excitement on Instagram.

"Thank you truthful much, AMAs!! ♥️ It’s an honor. We look guardant to being connected your shape again. See you successful Vegas! 😘," she wrote.

The AMAs grant goes to a musician "whose euphony has had undeniable taste and world power complete nan euphony industry."

In nan past, ICON Award recipients person included Rihanna in 2013 and Lionel Richie in 2022.

Jackson's capacity astatine this year's AMAs marked her first unrecorded capacity connected tv since 2018.

Check retired each of PEOPLE's afloat AMAs sum here.

Last week, nan "All for You" hitmaker besides returned to Resorts World for her Las Vegas residency, JANET JACKSON: LAS VEGAS. She'll beryllium performing six shows from May 21 done May 31.

For nan 50th day of nan AMAs, Jennifer Lopez is returning to service arsenic nan maestro of ceremonies after antecedently hosting successful 2015.

"We are thrilled to invited Jennifer Lopez backmost to big nan American Music Awards," Jay Penske, CEO, Dick Clark Productions, said successful a connection successful April.

He added: "Jennifer's unthinkable talent and incomparable shape beingness make her nan perfect big of nan show. We cognize she will bring her one-of-a-kind power to nan charismatic footwear disconnected ceremony of summer."

The American Music Awards are airing unrecorded Monday, May 26 from Fontainebleau Las Vegas astatine 8 p.m. ET connected CBS and Paramount+.