Billboard Music Awards 2019: Ariana Grande, Cardi B among nominees

April 4 (UPI) -- "Thank U, Next" singer Ariana Grande and "Please Me" rapper Cardi B are among the 2019 Billboard Music Awards nominees.

Kelly Clarkson and country music duo Dan + Shay announced the nominees during Thursday's episode of Today.

Grande and Cardi B are both up for Top Female Artist, along with Ella Mai, Halsey and Taylor Swift. The Top Male Artist nominees are Drake, Travis Scott, Ed Sheeran, Post Malone and XXXTentaction. In addition, Grande, Cardi B, Drake, Scott and Malone will compete for Top Artist.

Cardi B has two songs -- "I Like It" with Bad Bunny and J Balvin and the Maroon 5 collaboration "Girls Like You" -- nominated for Top Hot 100 Song. The tracks are up against "Sicko Mode" by Scott, "Better Now" by Malone and "Lucid Dreams" by Juice Wrld.

Dan + Shay themselves are nominated in the Top Duo and Group category. K-pop group BTS, Imagine Dragons, Maroon 5 and Panic! At the Disco are also up for the award.

Billboard also shared the nominees in a series of tweets Thursday.

"Let the games begin... Here is a first look at the 2019 #BBMAs nominees," one post reads.

Other nominees include Cardi B, Drake, Scott, Malone and Juice Wrld up for Top Rap Artist, Dan + Shay, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Luke Combs and Florida Georgia Line for Top Country Artist and Imagine Dragons, Panic! At the Disco, lovelytheband, Queen and Twenty One Pilots for Top Rock Artist.

Grande released the album Thank U, Next in February and dropped the new single "Monopoly" with Victoria Monét this week. Cardi B last released the single "Please Me" with Bruno Mars in February.