Selena Gomez’s 1st Post-Kidney Transplant Performance Will Be Televised at the 2017 AMAs

Nominations for the 2017 American Music Awards were announced earlier this month, and now, we’ve got our first performer, to look forward to, as well: Selena Gomez. The “Wolves” singer will be on hand to premiere her new single, marking her first live performance since revealing that she underwent a kidney transplant due to complications from Lupus.

Taylor’s bestie also tweeted the AMAs announcement, saying, “Can’t wait.” It’s safe to say fans, who have speculated that the song is about their the musician’s battle with Lupus (the word is, after all, Latin for “wolf”), likely feel the same.

#SELENAxAMAs 🐺 11.19 on ABC. pic.twitter.com/zZeMMnPOnK

— AMAs (@AMAs) October 26, 2017

The choice was perhaps a strategic one by the awards show, which drew some early criticism for its lack of female nominees. The 25-year-old also has a habit of making big onstage comebacks. As you may recall, she also made a rather memorable appearance at the 2016 AMAs, returning to the stage for the first time since attending rehab for anxiety and depression. The moment was an emotional one, to say the least, with the songstress revealing that prior to her time off, she felt “absolutely broken inside,” and urging her fans to take care of themselves too. “If you are broken, you do not have to stay broken.”

View this post on Instagram

I’m very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer and questioning why I wasn’t promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud of. So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health. I honestly look forward to sharing with you, soon my journey through these past several months as I have always wanted to do with you. Until then I want to publicly thank my family and incredible team of doctors for everything they have done for me prior to and post-surgery. And finally, there aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis. Lupus continues to be very misunderstood but progress is being made. For more information regarding Lupus please go to the Lupus Research Alliance website: www.lupusresearch.org/ -by grace through faith

A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on Sep 14, 2017 at 3:07am PDT

With both Gomez and The Secret Life of the American Teenager star Francia Raisa, who was the kidney donor for her pal, promising to share more of their shared experience at a later date, we’ve no doubt that this latest performance will be just as touching.

Watch live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles November 19 at 8pm/7c on ABC.

Will you be watching Selena Gomez’s return to stage? Let us know @BritandCo.

(Photos via Dave Kotinsky/Getty)