J.Lo Heats Up French Pop Awards

Pop diva Jennifer Lopez and rhythm and blues sensation Usher lit up the stage today in the French Riviera town of Cannes at the 2005 NRJ Music Awards, France's flashy answer to the Grammys.

The star-studded live broadcast, complete with a paparazzi-lined red carpet reminiscent of the Cannes film festival, was the kick-off event for the world's biggest and most influential music trade fair, MIDEM, which begins tomorrow.

Among the winners, Los Angeles band Maroon 5 took home two trophies for international breakout act and best international song for the catchy This Love.

The group is up for the Grammy award for Best New Artist next month.

Usher won for international male artist of the year, defeating rapper Eminem, rocker Lenny Kravitz and pop singers Robbie Williams and Billy Crawford.

Rocker Avril Lavigne was named best international female artist over pop princess Britney Spears and a trio of American R&B stars - Alicia Keys, Anastacia and Beyonce.

But performances by some of the biggest names in international pop music largely eclipsed the presentation of the awards.

And as for fashion statements, white was clearly the colour of the night.

Lopez, sporting a sultry white tuxedo with black lapels, electrified the youthful crowd with the first live performance of her new single Get Right, from her upcoming album Rebirth.

Usher - decked out from head to toe in white, including his diamond stud earrings - swaggered through his monster hit Yeah!, eliciting screams from the women in the audience with his hip-thrusting dance moves.

The king of American R&B, nominated for eight Grammy awards, dominated the charts in 2004 with Confessions, the year's top-selling album in the United States with nearly eight million copies sold.

Keys, a five-time Grammy winner nominated for eight statues this year, delivered a powerful rendition of If I Ain't Got You.

She followed the A-list dress code with a white trouser suit.

Other winners included US hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas, which took home top honours for best international album with Elephunk.

British pop quartet Blue won for best international group or duo.

French-Canadian pop star Roch Voisine took home the award for Best Francophone Male Artist.

NRJ is one of France's most popular radio stations, and more than five million listeners cast ballots in 13 categories - six French-language, six international and the video of the year - ahead of today's ceremony.

Irish rock band U2 received a special career achievement award.

The group was originally scheduled to perform, but frontman Bono told reporters one of the band's members was attending to a sick child.