Bruno Mars wins American Music Awards on night of divas

Bruno Mars took the top prize at the American Music Awards on Sunday at a show that paid glowing tribute to legendary divas Diana Ross and the late Whitney Houston.

Mars, the retro star who found fresh success with the funky beats and R&B harmonies of his latest album “24K Magic,” accepted Artist of the Year with a brief but enthusiastic speech recorded in a moving minivan, as Mars explained he was travelling.

Unveiled at a made-for-television gala in Los Angeles, the American Music Awards select winners based on fan voting, unlike the more prestigious Grammys which are decided by professionals.

The awards presented a lifetime achievement award to 73-year-old Ross, the towering voice of Motown, who ended the show with a medley of her hits starting with gay anthem “I’m Coming Out.”

Ross — whose daughter, “Black-ish” television series star Tracee Ellis Ross, was the awards’ host — was introduced by a video from Barack and Michelle Obama, with the former president revealing that the Motown great’s music was still frequently on rotation at their post-White House home.

The awards also honoured Houston to mark 25 years since her blockbuster film and soundtrack “The Bodyguard,” which featured her classic cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”

Houston, 48, was found dead in her hotel bathroom in February 2012 on the eve of the Grammy Awards. A coroner ruled that she died of accidental drowning, with cocaine and heart disease listed as contributing factors.

Christina Aguilera signed up for the daunting task of doing justice to Houston and reached the high notes with flair despite briefly veering off-key.