Queen Latifah on hosting the AMAs, new music and Taylor Swift

Queen Latifah is getting ready to host the American Music Awards on Monday evening. The last and only time she presented was in 1995 as part of a trio with Tom Jones and country singer Lorrie Morgan.

“It was a long time ago, but it was exciting then and it is exciting now,” Latifah says. “I’m just a little bit of a different person, but you know, we still got to make it pop like we did back then.”

Taylor Swift leads the evening with eight nominations.

“I don’t know if I call myself a Swiftie, but I’m definitely a fan of Taylor Swift,” says Latifah. “I always have. I think she makes great songs. She makes really great, catchy songs that we love.”
Latifah isn’t at all surprised by Swift’s stardom.

“She was able to get those records played on the radio. That’s step one. Can you get your record played? Latifah explains. “When she got her records played, there were a bunch of girls who looked like her and felt connected to those songs. She wrote what many young girls felt, and young people for that matter. And when you heard her talk, she seemed like someone who stood up for people instead of talking down to people.”

Will you be performing during the show?

This isn’t the Queen Latifah show. It’s the American Music Awards, and there are lovely people who are nominated, and they deserve to be on stage and really rock the stage. I’m here to facilitate their greatness, that’s all I’m here to do.

But you guys are American music royalty.

Thanks, but I’m always prepared for anything. Rolling up with a piano and when a guitar appears out of nowhere, I’m sure I can think of something.

How do you prepare for such an evening? Do you dive deep into each nominee?

I can’t say I’m such a musicologist that I know everything about everyone, but of course I will play their music to get familiar with anyone I may not know. With some people I realize that I know their music, I just didn’t know their names. I’ll definitely become more familiar with everyone’s songs, and maybe some of their stories – where they come from, what they’re about, because that can be really fascinating too.

How many outfit changes do you have?

One girl doesn’t tell her to change outfits, but let’s say at least three.

What was the last song you actually sang?

I sang in the mirror last night. There’s a girl who did this version of “I Will Survive,” and I just watched it on Instagram. Bray’s anatomy is her name. I saw her singing with all these harmonies, and before you know it, I was singing “I Will Survive” with her.

Your last album was “Persona” from 2009. Any plans for a new album?

I’m going to try to drop something this year. I think I should at least start releasing some of the music I’ve had on my computer for so long. I play it so many times that it feels like it’s already finished. I think I’m actually going to share it with people this year. There’s nothing that really looks like me or is my style. There are bits and pieces here and there, but there’s only one me, so I think I need to release some of this music.

Will it be hip-hop, jazz, soul?

It will be a mixture.

When will we see you in a musical again? (Latifah earned an Oscar nomination for her role as Mama Morton in 2002’s “Chicago.”)

You have to call people and say, “When are you going to put Queen in a musical again?” They listen to you! I don’t think there’s any type of film I enjoy making more than a musical, because honestly, I love rehearsing. You don’t have to rehearse everything else; you get a good rehearsal when you do a musical. And it just feels so good to be able to make those kinds of movies, and people love them, audiences are really treated when a great musical comes out.

How about a musical on Broadway?

That was an option, so it’s always possible.

We gotta get the Jersey Girl on Broadway.

I can shoot through the tunnel very quickly and make it happen for the people.

Dick Clark Productions and CBS are bringing back the AMAs on Memorial Day, May 25, and will broadcast the event live on CBS at 8:00 PM ET and 5:00 PM PT. The ceremony will also be streamed and made available on demand by Paramount+.

And make sure you check out Variety‘s social channels for our red carpet coverage starting at 1:00 PM PT/4:00 PM ET.