Last night, Selena Gomez made her return to the stage mere months after undergoing a kidney transplant to help treat her lupus. During Sunday’s broadcast of the AMAs, Selena sang her new song “Wolves” alongside DJ Marshmello and a number of backup dancers. While it's simply incredible that Sel is up and performing this soon after a serious medical procedure, not everyone was impressed with her performance, with some Twitter users calling her out for lip-syncing.
Selena Gomez is lip-syncing. #AMAspic.twitter.com/cnROPk5vbc
— Edlyn (@razzleberry_e) November 20, 2017
Selena Gomez lip syncing til the day she dies. #AMAspic.twitter.com/mKatugM6lX
— Z (@xOneinami11ionx) November 20, 2017
Selena Gomez is the biggest fraud in the music industry. She can’t even make her lip syncing believable. #AMAs
— Kevin Klein (@Klein25) November 20, 2017
So Selena Gomez's big comeback they've been shoving down our throats for a month was her lip syncing and rolling around on the floor? #AMAspic.twitter.com/CgElzbVSok
— jess (@moaningwithari) November 20, 2017
I love Selena Gomez but she made it so obvious that she lip sync through that whole performance hence why she had her head down & hair covering her face for 99% of the performance. The girl can't sing live so I don't know why she just can't admit it instead of lip syncing #AMAs
— Áine (@ainemartin13) November 20, 2017
Pink sang live while hanging off the side of an LA building while Selena Gomez crawled on and off a car while lip syncing. #AMAspic.twitter.com/IZAoZKXv61
— Michael (@7mseven) November 20, 2017
But for all those who were calling her out, there were also people jumping to Selena’s defense. There's been a rumor circulating that Selena had a panic attack before her performance, which many fans have been citing as a reason for her alleged lip-syncing.
#AMAs Some people should actually read before they comment. Selena Gomez had a panic attack pre performance because she thought her singing wouldn't be good enough hence the lip syncing. Now leave her the fuck alone
— Julie (@jaykay287) November 20, 2017
lip-syncing or not, selena gomez is an inspirational legend and there’s no denying her insanely talented voice. it’s an award show people!!! let her perform and have fun!!! #AMAs
— abbigail singer (@AbbigailSinger1) November 20, 2017
Guys @selenagomez doesn’t deserve us hating on her for lip syncing or if she got back with Justin Bieber it’s her life, and we don’t know everything going on in their lives to be making such comments, let’s not forgot she’s been going through serious health complications
— Silver (@silverxpierce21) November 20, 2017
Soooo we’re gonna shame @selenagomez for *possibly* lip syncing after having MAJOR surgery but praise the boy band who *clearly* was? Naaahhhh. Both were great. Who cares!? #AmericanMusicAwards2017
— Gabrielle Alyse (@_GabrielleAlyse) November 20, 2017
Omg but Rihanna was lip syncing through pretty much every song of the VMA’s and no one said a word & all she got was praise but let’s down @garthbrooks for doing it at the CMA’s & heaven forbid @selenagomez did it at the #AMA’s such BS double standards
— Christina (@ninita_3484) November 20, 2017
Whether Selena was lip-syncing or not, performing live can be terrifying—especially when millions of people can criticize you from the comfort of their couch. So, if Selena did make the choice to lip-sync, that’s her prerogative. But, in my opinion, one of the beautiful things of live performance is the authenticity that is present, even if the artist doesn’t sound perfect. Embrace your flaws, Selena—I’ll love you even more for that!