Rhythm Nation just got bigger!
Janet Jackson is all set to rock the stage at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards and she’ll be grooving along next to two excited new faces.
Dancers Phillip Galbert, 28, of New Britain, Connecticut, and La’Vala “Lala” Moss, 26, of Birmingham, Alabama, had already received the news that they’d been chosen out of 75,000 hopefuls as winners of the star’s global #DanceWithJanet competition.
But they then learned from the superstar herself that not only were they part of her JTribe, but they’d soon be taking the stage to perform with her on national television.
Dancers La'Vala "Lala" Moss (L) and Phillip Galbert Solaiman Fazel
“Obviously we saw what you did online and that’s the reason why you’re here. You did a great job,” Jackson, in the exclusive clip above, tells Galbert and Moss, who first submitted auditions online.
RELATED: Janet Jackson Will Receive Icon Award at 2018 Billboard Music Awards
“We’ve come to a decision,” she says seated on the floor next to her current dancers, “How would you like to dance with us on the Billboard Awards?”
The question was met with both dancers collapsing to the floor in disbelief as Jackson and her dancers rush over to embrace them.
“It was so intense,” Moss says in an interview just after getting the news. “This was the longest audition I’ve ever had to do in my life but it was so worth it.”
RELATED VIDEO: Meet Taylor Hatala, The 12-Year-Old Phenom Touring with Janet Jackson
Moss first made national headlines when her original audition tape went viral. Moss had opted to shoot her audition video in the middle of the street in Birmingham when an officer drove up to tell her to move. But after hearing what she was doing, the officer changed his mind, stopped traffic and put on his spotlight encouraging Moss to keep dancing and follow her dream.
For Bronx native Galbert, he almost didn’t have the chance to audition in person. After receiving word that his video audition earned him an invite to the final callbacks in Los Angeles, Galbert responded that he did not have the money to afford a flight from his current home in Connecticut. Furthermore, he was on the verge of eviction. But Jackson’s teamed helped him get to L.A. and the experience changed his life.
“As a professional dancer that’s your dream to dance with Janet Jackson,” Galbert said during an interview. “You grow up wanting to be with these people and inspired by these people…No one understands what I go through, and to have this given to me. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Miller Mobley
As Jackson’s current JTribe members tell the newbies, “Dreams do come true!” They’ll all join the superstar onstage for her first television performance in nine years, at the Billboard Awards.
RELATED: Jenna Dewan on Janet Jackson Receiving Icon Award at the BBMAs: She ‘Changed the Game for Dancers’
Just days after celebrating her 52nd birthday the entertainer and proud mom will be honored with the Icon Award.
The 2018 Billboard Music Awards are broadcast live on NBC from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
It’s all for her!
Janet Jackson graced the Billboard Music Awards stage to receive the prestigious Icon Award on Sunday in Las Vegas. Not only was the moment her first television performance in nine years, but it was also the first time she has performed as a mom.
Bruno Mars surprised fans taking the stage to introduce Jackson. He rattled off her accolades and following a moving montage of her life and career—from the Jackson family’s humble beginnings in Gary, Indiana to her global chart-topping success—he ended his intro naming her “the first black woman to ever receive the Billboard Icon Award.”
Jackson hit the stage in a sparkling gold sweatshirt dress and shiny gold thigh-high shoes as she sang her 1986 hit “Nasty”, as her mother Katherine and other family members beamed from the audience. Jackson launched into her 1993 song “Throb”, everyone from Tyra Banks to Ciara couldn’t help but sing and dance along.
Ethan Miller/Getty
As for dancers, there were many! Those rocking the stage included Phillip Galbert, 28, of New Britain, Connecticut, and La’Vala “Lala” Moss, 26, of Birmingham, Alabama, who recently received the news that they’d been chosen out of 75,000 hopefuls as winners of Jackson’s global #DanceWithJanet competition. PEOPLE broke the news that not only did they get to join her JTribe, but they would be taking the stage to perform with her at the award show.
Check out PEOPLE’s full Billboard Music Awards coverage to get the latest news on music’s big night.
After the electrifying production, that left the audience chanting “Janet! Janet!” Jackson shared heartfelt words in her acceptance speech.
Rob Latour/Shutterstock
“I’m deeply humbled and grateful for this award. I believe that for all the challenges, all of our challenges, we live a great moment in history. It’s a moment that at long last women have made it clear that we will not be controlled, manipulated or abused.” Jackson, who’s brother Randy opened up to PEOPLE in September about her painful divorce, told the audience, “I stand with those women and those men.”
RELATED: Watch Janet Jackson Surprise the Winners of Her Global Dance Competition
She continued with a message on faith. “My prayer is that weary of such noise, we will turn back to the source of all calmness, that source is God. Everything we lack, God has in abundance: compassion, sensitivity, patience and boundless love. Again I want to thank all of you for this honor and I thank God for giving me the precious energy that lets me live my life as an artist who every day seeks to expend my capacity to love.”
Jackson, who has garnered a total of 18 BBMA nominations and 10 wins, joins a group of iconic winners including Neil Diamond (2011), Stevie Wonder (2012), Prince (2013), Jennifer Lopez (2014), Céline Dion (2016) and Cher (2017).
Janet Jackson Frazer Harrison/Getty
RELATED: Janet Jackson Thanks Fans for All the ‘Love’ as She Celebrates 52nd Birthday with a Selfie
These past few days have been a celebratory time for Jackson, who celebrated her 52nd birthday on Wednesday. In addition, she has a busy summer to look forward to as she kicks off her upcoming headlining festival performances at ESSENCE Fest, Panorama and Outside Lands, as well as new dates added for her State of the World Tour.
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The Kelly Clarkson-hosted Billboard Music Awards will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 20 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on NBC.
Watch Janet Jackson's Knockout Medley of 'Nasty,' 'If' & 'Throb' at the Billboard Music Awards
Since the '80s, Janet Jackson has been one of the most ambitious artists in pop music, pushing music forward in new directions with each album. At the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, where she was honored with the Icon Award, Jackson took the stage to perform a medley of three killer dance gems from her catalog: "Nasty," "If" and "Throb."
Jackson opened with "Nasty," the 1986 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 from Control. Janet – or Ms. Jackson, if you're nasty – prowled the stage in a shimmery gold pullover and thigh-high boots. Asking the crowd, "Get the point? Good! Then let's dance," she blessedly delivered the song's iconic line to the audience's joyous response.
Then the sultry, dirty horn riff of her acid house classic "Throb" kicked in (Andy Cohen was loving it) and she delivered a high-energy run-through of that janet. single. She also worked in some of the music and choreography of "If" from the same LP (which just turned 25) before wrapping up and accepting her Icon Award with a moving speech about compassion, love and God.
Watch Jackson's performance above.
Janet Jackson, ladies and gentlemen! The iconic artist was one of the last arrivals on the red carpet ahead of Sunday's Billboard Music Awards, and she certainly made a dramatic entrance: Wearing an outfit that effortlessly blended cool with timeless, Ms. Janet, 52, rocked the carpet like only she can. Few female stars would dare show up at an awards show wearing a plain white t-shirt -- but Janet may have just changed the game.
18 PHOTOS Billboard Music Awards 2018: Janet Jackson See Gallery Billboard Music Awards 2018: Janet Jackson LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Honoree Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Recording artist Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for dcp) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Honoree Janet Jackson accepts the Icon Award onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Honoree Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Honoree Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Recording artist Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Recording artist Janet Jackson perfroms onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Honoree Janet Jackson accepts the Icon Award onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Recording artist Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Recording artist Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Recording artist Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Honoree Janet Jackson performs onstage at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Honoree Janet Jackson performs onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Recording artist Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for dcp) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Recording artist Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Honoree Janet Jackson performs onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Honoree Janet Jackson performs onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 20: Honoree Janet Jackson performs onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Up Next See Gallery Discover More Like This HIDE CAPTION SHOW CAPTION of SEE ALL BACK TO SLIDE
Janet's mint tulle skirt and classic leather belt showcased her playful style, proving once and for all that no age is "too old" for certain styles -- as long as you do it right.
The pop legend will receive the Icon Award tonight and take the stage for a sure-to-be spectacular performance. Past honorees include Prince, Neil Diamond, Cher and Celine Dion.
Take a look at all the Billboard red carpet looks in the gallery below:
