Stars relive King of Pop

“To you, Michael is an icon,” a sombre Janet Jackson told the crowd at the end of Sunday’s show. “To us, Michael is family and he will forever live in all of our hearts.”
It was a stirring emotional climax for a telecast that was completely revamped to recognise the legacy of Jackson. For the most part, it was a joyous wake.

“He’s the man who made it possible for me to be on the stage; I love you and I miss you,” said Ne-Yo, who sang one of Jackson’s most sensual songs, Lady In My Life.
Host Jamie Foxx kicked off the show with a re-enactment of the choreography from Jackson’s iconic Beat It video in front of the star-studded crowd, on its feet from the start of the show.

Throughout the night, Foxx also regularly turned up in some of Jackson’s signature looks, like the wide-collar black leather outfit from Billie Jean. Sean Paul, Estelle and Alicia Keys were among the celebrities who at one point donned single gloves as part of their ensembles.

Ciara sang Jackson’s humanitarian anthem, Heal the World, dressed in a jacket that had Jackson’s signature military epaulets.
Joe Jackson, the singer’s father, also was on hand to represent the grief-stricken family, though he did not appear on stage during the show. “I just wish he could be here to celebrate himself,” he said on the red carpet. “Sadly, he’s not here, so I’m here to celebrate for him.”

The night ended when Janet Jackson — in her first public appearance since her brother’s shocking death — emerged and elicited the most emotion as she vowed his memory would live forever. “On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love, thank you for all of your support,” she said. “We miss him so much, thank you so much.”