Why Taylor Swift Is Opting Out of This Year’s Top Award Show Despite Leading in Nominations

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce radiated romance during a Friday evening outing in New York, as their wedding day approaches.

The 36-year-old singer showcased her svelte figure in a timeless little black dress, which elegantly highlighted her toned legs.

With her signature caramel locks styled in a ponytail and her fringe framing her face, she accentuated her features with a bold red lipstick.

Her ensemble was completed with matching heels and a dazzling bracelet that perfectly complemented the one worn by her soon-to-be husband.

Kelce, slightly leading the way while holding her hand, accompanied her to their dinner destination, the chic Italian eatery Sartiano’s at the Mercer Hotel in SoHo.

Always ahead in fashion, the NFL athlete sported a Hawaiian shirt adorned with pink tassels lining the hem and sleeves.

Mahogany slacks and dark leather loafers rounded out the outfit for the sportsman, who plays tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. 

The outing came on the heels of news Swift has decided to skip out on the upcoming American Music Awards despite being this year’s most nominated star.

The You Belong with Me singer is up for a total of eight award at the 2026 show following the success of her latest album The Life Of A Showgirl.

But, according to People, she will not be in attendance at the ceremony on Monday, May 25 in Las Vegas, Nevada as her wedding to Kelce, 36, is fast approaching.

Her last appearance at a major award show was in March when she and Kelce attended the iHeartRadio Music Awards, where she won 7 out of her 9 nominations. 

At this year’s American Music Awards, Swift is up for the top coveted awards, including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Female Pop Artist and Best Pop Album. 

The first single from her 12th studio album, The Fate of Ophelia, was nominated for Song of the Year, Best Music Video and Best Pop Song. 

The third official single from her album, Elizabeth Taylor, received a nod for Song of the Summer. 

Swift is already the record-holder for the most wins of all time at the American Music Awards with a total of 40 awards.

In second place is the late King of Pop Michael Jackson with 26 wins. 

The 2026 AMAs will air at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+ on Monday.

Swift also notably skipped last year’s American Music Awards, which were hosted by fellow pop star Jennifer Lopez, 56. 

Her absence came as a disappointment to her loyal fans, many of whom were anticipating the announcement of a re-recording of her 2017 Reputation album.

Last year, she was nominated in six categories for her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, but she failed to secure a single new AMAs win.

Swift’s award show no-show comes amid speculation surrounding her prenuptial agreement with soon-to-be husband Kelce.

If the couple, who just attended a friend’s wedding in New York, choose to ink a legally binding contract ahead of their July wedding, location is a critical factor.

While Swift is worth an estimated $2 billion, per Forbes, Kelce’s net worth falls somewhere between $50 and $90 million, according to various projections. 

Between the two stars, there are at least six states in which their prenup could likely be filed.

They have ties to California, Rhode Island, Missouri, Kansas, Tennessee and New York — where they reportedly plan to marry in July.

The Daily Mail reached out to representatives for Swift and Kelce for comment but did not immediately hear back.

The Love Story singer’s real estate portfolio includes homes in Rhode Island, New York, and Tennessee.

Meanwhile, her husband-to-be owns properties in Leawood, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri, plus a home in Florida he shares with his family, according to Page Six.

Should they ever divorce, the pair would likely prefer for the proceedings to be handled in a state known to enforce prenups and protect separate property.

A favorable state would also protect their businesses, intellectual property, give courts less room to amend agreements and eschew long-term spousal support. 

For example, New York is likely low on the list as it has a reputation for judges who closely inspect prenups, sometimes going as far as to invalidate them, per TMZ.

Contrarily, the outlet predicts Kansas — a prenup-friendly state — is probably a strong contender. 

And it was noted that Tennessee is likely somewhere in the middle as it’s known to be a solid choice for wealthy couples and entertainers.

It helps that the singer-songwriter has roots in Nashville and other places throughout the state.

As Kelce kept his now-wife-to-be busy in August 2025, a team descended on his home garden to stage the setting for his proposal, according to Page Six.

He hired the crew to set up while they were occupied filming his New Heights podcast so that he could ask the songstress for her hand in marriage immediately after.

The Kansas City Chiefs star’s net worth falls somewhere between $50 and $90 million, according to various projections; seen in April

‘Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,’ Swift and Kelce captioned a joint Instagram post announcing their engagement in September 2025.

Page Six reported this past April that Michael Rubin has moved his annual July 4th bash so it doesn’t coincide with Swift and Kelce’s upcoming wedding.  

Rubin is said to have bumped his party to July 1 amid reports that the power couple will tie the knot in New York during Independence Day weekend. 

The US Sun previously reported that the future Mr and Mrs, who began dating in 2023, are preparing to jet off on an extravagant trip for their honeymoon.

According to the outlet, they will fly to the Bahamas before heading to Europe to enjoy the Italian coast at Lake Como.

From there, it’s off to Paris for ‘a few days’ before romantic expeditions to the French Riviera and Croatia.