Once again, ATK Audiotek delivered first-rate audio services during the high-profile awards show, which was broadcast live to a national U.S. audience by ABC, reaching 9.6 million viewers and dominating Sunday night's prime-time viewership. Sennheiser microphones delivered flawless audio for many of the evening's stage performances - both for television viewers at home, as well as those present at the brand new 20,000-capacity T-Mobile arena.
Flying High at the Billboard Awards
Among the evening's highlights was P!NK's superb aerial performance of her new single, Just Like Fire , during which she donned a hidden, bespoke wireless microphone system from Sennheiser. Sennheiser created a customized headmic with an HSP 4 cardioid capsule - this allows her to to fly right in front of the P.A. with no issues, commented Horst Hartmann, monitor engineer for P!NK. This system works very well, looks great and is very small - we have had tremendous support from Sennheiser on this solution from the very beginning.
While there were no less than three days of production rehearsals to prepare for the show, Hartmann was certain that P!NK's performance would be nothing short of perfect: P!NK's aerobatics are not so much of a challenge anymore, because we've done this on tour more than 160 times! Hartmann relies on a Sennheiser SK 5212 bodypack transmitter that is concealed in P!NK's costume, which sends audio to an EM 3732-II dual-channel receiver. The reason we use the 3732-II is because it has 184 MHz switching bandwidth, explains Hartmann. This means we can go anywhere in the world and never have any issues finding available frequencies.
Whether on awards shows, or during arena tours, Hartmann has never been concerned about coverage reliability while using his Sennheiser kit: I've never had problems with Sennheiser wireless, he says. When we were doing this on tour, P!NK was flying 360 degrees from just about everywhere in the arena - in many cases this meant transmitting audio from very far away.
A Performance fit for a Prince
Perhaps one of the more poignant highlights of the evening was Madonna's two-song tribute to Prince, which saw her singing through a Sennheiser SKM 5200 handheld transmitter, couple with an MD 5235 capsule. Dressed in a purple Gucci suit, she performed the Prince-penned blockbuster hit Nothing Compares 2 U while spinning in a formal chair adorned with luxurious looking purple cushioning. For her second number, she was joined onstage by the legendary Stevie Wonder and the duo proceeded to perform the Prince classic Purple Rain , with a host of background vocalists singing through an SKM 5200 transmitter / MD 5235 capsule combination.
For the house wireless, ATK Audiotek set up four Sennheiser EM 3732-II dual-channel receivers, and utilized two additional EM 3732-IIs for the Madonna performance. Jeff Peterson, Sound Engineer at ATK Audiotek, appreciates the EM 3732 not just for its reliability, but also for its companding flexibility: The ability to adjust the receiver to accommodate either the Sennheiser 2000 or 5200 series wireless transmitter is really helpful, he says. Oftentimes, we don't know in advance which transmitter an artist is going to show up with until the last minute, so this kind of flexibility is really helpful. We can fit them into whatever frequency coordination has been set up.
Two Voices in a Heartfelt Performance
Country superstar Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani performed Go Ahead and Break My Heart, following its debut performance on The Voice - where they are both judges - earlier this month. The pair both crooned through Sennheiser SKM 2000 transmitters, coupled with MMD 935 capsules. Shelton's monitor engineer Brad Baisley likes the way the 935 capsule cuts through the mix: That 935 capsule is consistent wherever we go, and there is something about the voicing of it that works perfectly with wedges, he says. Blake likes some low frequencies, but he especially likes to hear some highs - which most of the industry standard mics just don't have. I don't have to do a lot of work with that 935 - I will typically take out some upper mids, but for the most part, I leave it flat.
For the backline, Baisley and ATK's Peterson are equally as enthusiastic about Sennheiser's wired evolution series when it comes to miking up instruments: There are certain go-to mics' - and for us, these include an e 602 and e 902 on the kick drum, and e 604s on the toms. We also use the e 609s and e 906s on the guitars, because they sound fat and rich, and also look cool. Baisley concurs on the Sennheiser e 906: I always travel with my electric guitar mics, he says. Specifically, I prefer the Sennheiser MD 421 and the e 906. The e 906 has the three-position roll-off switch, and I really love that. I prefer the darker setting, which reminds me of a vintage Sennheiser MD 409. For our lead guitarist, I will usually have one of these positioned right on the grill of a Mesa Boogie 4 x 10 cabinet.
Events like The Billboard Music Awards present a significant challenge since there are many different performing artists and programming requirements over the course of the show, says Byron Gaither, Artist Relations for Sennheiser. We are pleased that so many artists and reputable audio services companies like ATK Audiotek continue to rely on Sennheiser microphones and wireless systems for their reliability and sound quality.
For Horst Hartmann, and likely most professionals in the business, the true measure of a successful performance often rests with feedback from the artist: Everything went as it should, he concludes. P!NK was happy - and when she is happy, I'm happy as well!
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
Once again, ATK Audiotek delivered first-rate audio services during the high-profile awards show, which was broadcast live to a national U.S. audience by ABC, reaching 9.6 million viewers and dominating Sunday night's prime-time viewership. Sennheiser microphones delivered flawless audio for many of the evening's stage performances - both for television viewers at home, as well as those present at the brand new 20,000-capacity T-Mobile arena.
