This year, the Radio Disney Music Awards got a complete makeover.
Officially renamed the ARDYs: A Radio Disney Music Celebration, the broadcast aired LIVE from CBS Broadcast Center in Studio City last night (June 16) with everyone’s favorite Disney stars in tow. It was less of an award show and more of a showcase featuring today’s most talented musicians! With nine musical performances, multiple dance breaks, countless celebs, and one movie trailer world premiere, the ARDYs were jam-packed with nonstop action for Disney lovers.
Celeb Secrets rounded up the best moments from the night, which you can see if you keep scrolling below.
ARDYs host Sofia Carson kicked off the show with a musical performance of her own. After entering in a balloon shaped like Mickey Mouse’s headphones-clad head, the singer and actress launched into a medley of hits like Panic! At the Disco’s “Hey Look Ma, I Made It,” Marren Morris, Grey, and Zedd’s “The Middle,” Taylor Swift’s “ME!” and Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.”
Adding a pop of color and culture to Sofia’s performance were a group of dancing men painted neon yellow and a gang of breakdancing kids dubbed “ARDYs Dance Crew.” The Disney starlet also managed to pull off a change of clothes mid-song. Talk about an epic start to the show!
Meg Donnelly, star of ABC’s American Housewife and Radio Disney’s NBT (Next Big Thing), was decked out in a sparkly, multicolored two-piece suit showing off her vocal chops with a performance of her songs “Smile” and “With U” featuring Fetty Wap. The rapper joined Meg on stage for the latter song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpjQJYz3VmQ
In what was arguably the most exciting moment of the night for young and old Disney fans alike, the Jonas Brothers took the Wango Tango stage for a performance of their latest single, “Cool,” which was rebroadcast for the ARDYs. As if the pure sight of Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas taking the stage together wasn’t emotional enough, a video package highlighting the brothers’ last 13 years as a band provided some major nostalgia. (Seeing Camp Rock outtakes and clips from the 2008 Burning Up Tour spliced throughout gave us all the feels.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbS_4aSglmU
The world’s favorite K-Pop group, BTS, made an appearance! The boys accepted the ARDY award for Global Phenom via video message, and took a few questions from fans while they were at it. The group broke into a rendition of “Old Town Road” when one fan asked about their favorite music, while another fan’s question about the first dances the boys learned prompted them to bust out their smoothest moves. Per the audible screams, it was clear that the ARDYs crowd was LIVING for this brief BTS moment.
Reigning punk princess Avril Lavigne stepped onstage, making for a total blast from Radio Disney past (remember when “Complicated” was the station’s most-played song? Good times, good times).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVGXXgkiEnU
Not only did Av play a mix of some of her biggest hits, but seasoned Disney stars Olivia Holt and McKenna Grace also presented Miss Lavigne with the Shero Award after her set. The honor recognizes trailblazing women in the music world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5q_4YFznpQ
Andy Grammer sang it out with a choir of kids behind him, and it was super cute. AG played “Don’t Give Up on Me” from the Cole Sprouse-fronted film, Five Feet Apart.
Andy later revealed on Instagram that he high-fived every single one of those kiddos as they came out on stage, and that it was one of his favorite performances ever.
https://www.instagram.com/p/By0LJr_HdEp/
Awww.
Pete Wentz showed up. It was random, but we were here for it. The Fall Out Boy bassist’s video correspondence with Sofia gave viewers a glimpse of the brand new Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run ride at Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge park. Pete chatted with Sofia as he sat in the “ship” and virtually battled it out with the First Order, Skywalker style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsJ-XL8nryo
Would it even be the ARDY’s without a live cover of an OG Disney anthem? Luckily, Tori Kelly gave the die-hard Disney fans what they wanted with her own version of “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid. Accompanied only by piano, strings, and a nautical blue light show, Tori looked and sounded like a true Disney princess herself.
American Idol alum Gabby Barrett brought some country twang to the show with her take on Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” before singing her own song, “I Hope.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF57J2ycSIA
This part of the show was made even sweeter by fellow musicians Madison Beer and Tenille Arts, who had nothing but kind things to say about Gabby as they introduced her. Women supporting women, y’all!
The show took a brief break from music so that Sofia, Cameron Boyce, and Booboo Stewart could present the official full-length trailer for the highly anticipated DCOM, The Descendants 3.
In the trailer, Mitchell Hope’s Ben proposes to Dove Cameron’s Mal before Hades arrives to cast a sleeping spell across Auradon. The third installment in the Descendants series premieres on Disney Channel August 2nd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJPrBFDuBXA
Lovelytheband brought back the tunes with a performance of their song, “These Are My Friends.” During the song, TV screens set up on the stage showed static, before changing to show videos of their fans singing, talking into the camera, and playing instruments.
Who would have thought Donald Glover would ever make an appearance on Disney Channel? The actor, singer, and rapper who lends his voice to Simba in Disney’s upcoming film, The Lion King, introduced his castmates JD McCrary (young Simba) and Shahadi Wright Joseph (young Nala) who performed “I Just Can’t Wait to be King.” The number, featuring dancers, drummers, and audio from the movie, ensured the ARDYs went out with a bang.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKllP_M3veI
