A Look Back at Moms-to-Be Who Slayed Onstage While Pregnant
Kevin Mazur/ContributorOnce upon a time, pregnant celebrities were encouraged to hide their bumps away -- but no more! Now, expectant performers take the stage like it's NBD, as evidenced by Beyonce's recent (and unforgettable) appearance at the 2017 Grammys. But Queen Bey isn't the only one to make her pregnancy part of her performance; plenty of other talented mamas have done the same, to the delight of fans!
Check out these amazing onstage moments from some of your favorite celebrity moms who inspired women everywhere to make the most of their bumps!
Ciara
Ciara made headlines for her very pregnant performance at Power 106's Valentine's Crush concert in 2014, when she was expecting her first child with Future. Now pregnant with her second child, Ciara is still in the news for her ability to get down with a baby on board!
Alicia Keys
If your blood pressure spiked when Beyonce tipped backwards in her chair during her Grammys performance -- what if she fell?! -- then you'll relate to the look on Prince's face when a pregnant Alicia Keys climbed up on the piano during his 2010 BET Awards tribute (possibly the most perfect side eye ever).
M.I.A.
Not only was M.I.A. pregnant when she performed "Swagga Like Us" at the 2009 Grammys alongside Kanye West, Jay Z, and Lil Wayne -- the ceremony was held on her actual due date. And she totally stole the show (of course!).
More from CafeMom: Beyonce Paid Tribute to the Powerful Goddess in Every Mom at the Grammys
Shakira
Shakira wasn't about to let a baby bump stop her from shaking those famous hips at the closing ceremony of the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Azerbaijan. She even tweeted that she "felt awesome on stage" after the performance! (She definitely looked awesome!)
Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera not only sounded amazing at KIIS FM's 2014 Wango Tango concert (where she sang her hit "Say Something" with A Great Big World), but she also wore one of the most amazingly flattering maternity dresses we've ever seen!
Kelly Clarkson
Even stars struggle to keep it together under the sway of pregnancy hormones: Poor Kelly Clarkson wasn't even planning on announcing her second pregnancy while performing at the Staples Center in 2015, but when she got choked up during "Piece by Piece," she let the news slip. Awww!
More from CafeMom: 12 Celebrities Who Were Accused of Faking Their Pregnancy
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani fans got more than they bargained for when the singer announced her first pregnancy with then-husband Gavin Rossdale during a concert in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 2005.
"I want you to say it loud enough so the baby hears it," Stefani yelled during the song "Crash." (The audience of course obliged!)
Bjork
Way before pregnant pop stars were a "thing," Bjork shocked audiences when she performed on Icelandic television with a very prominent bump. (Audiences were shocked in part because Bjork looked so young -- she was actually 20 years old at the time.)
Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler's not really a rapper, but she still delivered an epic rap performance about Sarah Palin (who was sitting right next to her) back in her SNL days -- when she was about to deliver her son! No pressure, though:
"I was so pregnant that I was just trying to not give birth -- that was my goal. So whoever was seated next to me, I wasn't really paying attention to that at the time."
More from CafeMom: 15 Stars Who Were Really Pregnant While Playing a Pregnant Character
Carrie Underwood
Not only did a pregnant Carrie Underwood completely nail her presenting (and performing) duties at the 2014 CMA Awards, but she also managed to keep her composure when cohost Brad Paisley unwittingly revealed her baby's gender (she was expecting a boy). Grace under fire!
Beyonce
The 2017 Grammys weren't the only time a pregnant Beyonce took an awards show by storm: Back in 2011, she let the world know she was expecting (Blue Ivy) during a performance of "Love on Top" at the MTV VMAs when she unbuttoned her blazer and rubbed her belly (rumors were swirling at that point already anyway!).
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey was pregnant with twins when she sang at TNT's Christmas in Washington concert, but it was still early enough that doctors had advised her to keep the news quiet. Discretion went out the window, however, when Barack and Michelle Obama bluntly asked her if she was expecting. Whoops!
More from CafeMom: 12 Celebrities Who Were Body-Shamed During Pregnancy
Jennifer Lopez
Yet another mom-to-be who used the stage for her big reveal: Jennifer Lopez shocked fans during a Miami concert with fellow headliner (and now ex-husband) Marc Anthony when she declared, "Marc and I are expecting a baby!" (As it turned out, she was expecting twins!)
Beyonce
In what's sure to go down as one of the most powerful pregnant performances in history, Beyonce was a veritable golden goddess while singing "Love Drought" and "Sandcastles" at the 2017 Grammys. Slay!