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May 1 (UPI) -- Taylor Swift opened the 2019 Billboard Music Awards with a performance of her new single "Me!" on Wednesday night. The Nashville pop star kicked off the show with the debut performance. She was proceeded onto the stage at the Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas by a pink-clad marching band and was later joined by dancers dressed in pastel suits.
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Collaborator Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco floated onto the stage to join Swift for the performance before they both departed on a love seat suspended in the air by a giant umbrella.
The song, which was released Monday, set a Vevo record earning 65 million views in 24 hours.
Host Kelly Clarkson then introduced the show in a skit that saw her take a seat next to actor Terry Crews to ask if he was excited for the evening.
Retired New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski arrived to tell Clarkson she had to leave the seat she was sitting in because it belonged to country group Florida Georgia Line.
Clarkson asserted that she was the host of the show and performed a medley of pop hits including Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey's "The Middle," Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin's "I Like It," and Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body."
Unimpressed by the performance, Gronkowski continued to escort Clarkson out of the venue as she pleaded with former American Idol host Paula Abdul to vouch for her.
"Come on Paula tell them who I am. We had a moment, you discovered me," Clarkson said in reference to her time on the hit musical competition show.
The skit came to an end as Abdul denied recognizing Clarkson, who was dragged away by Gronkowski as she introduced the presenters for the night's first award.
