Jennifer Lopez is an icon – but we already knew that.
The singer and actress was presented with this year’s Icon Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards on Tuesday night, and took the opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to her fans.
“I appreciate this so much, so much, much,” a smiling Lopez, 52, told the audience. “I wish I could tell you that prices were the most important thing to me, but that’s not true. And do not think I do not appreciate the shiny, glittering things, for I do! I can not lie, “Everyone knows I do. But that’s not why I’m doing this. It’s not what matters most to me. I’m really doing it for you.”
The star was repeatedly interrupted by the roaring crowd, which included the glorious boyfriend Ben Affleck standing while he clapped, his son Samuel, 10, and Lopez’s daughter Emme, 14.
See PEOPLE’s full iHeartRadio Music Awards coverage.
Ben Affleck and Emme
“Because of you, I can do what I love most in life, and that’s the most wonderful blessing,” Lopez continued. “It’s a gift you give me and I just want to say thank you for that. Thank you to everyone who comes to a show, streams a song, watches a movie, follows me. You are the ones who give me the opportunity every day to live a life I could not even imagine would come true when I was a little girl growing up in the Bronx. “
She continued, “You did it for me. You made that dream come true. I tremble! And I will always be grateful to each and every one of you for it. And I will never forget it, and I will never, ever take it for granted. So I want to say thank you to all of you for believing in me when other people did not, even when I did not. Thank you for teaching me who I really am. “
To end her emotionally charged speech Marry me Star offered her own acronym for the word “icon,” which she said stood for “I can overcome negativity.”
“Let me tell you something else,” she concluded. “I just started.”
After receiving her award, Lopez went on stage for a funky version of “On My Way” from her film Marry meas she sang surrounded by drag queens dressed in some of her most iconic looks from over the years, including the green Versace dress she wore to the 2000 Grammy Awards.
She then performed her 2005 hit “Get Right” while wearing a long white coat with a train adorned with the words “Equality” in black.
Prior to the award ceremony, hosted by LL Cool J, a press release described that Lopez would be recognized for “her influence on pop culture, longevity and continued relevance as a touring and radio force.”
Jennifer Lopez
Most recently, the star released the music video for his “Marry Me” ballad from the new romantic comedy Marry me where she plays the main character Kat Valdez. In the video, Lopez gave fans a look into her daily life, and Affleck made a subtle appearance.
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Last month, Lopez also announced that she would be writing a bilingual children’s book with her longtime friend Jimmy Fallon, called Con Pollo: A bilingual playtime adventure. The book will be published on October 11.
“I’m so excited to launch my first children’s book, and it’s even more special to work with Jimmy!” said Lopez in a statement to PEOPLE.
Fallon said he and the singer-actress “have always wanted to do something together.”
“One of the many things I love about her is how great a mother she is,” Fallon said. “Since we are both parents, we thought a children’s book would fit perfectly.”
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Meanwhile, Lopez spoke to PEOPLE last month about February’s Love Issue cover story Marry mehappiness and her love story with Affleck, 44.
“I feel so lucky and happy and proud to be with him,” she says, reflecting on their revived romance from the sunlit room in her house that has become Affleck’s office when he’s there.
“It’s a beautiful love story that we got another chance at.”
The event will be broadcast live from The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 22 at 20.00 ET on Fox. Fans can also listen on iHeartMedia radio stations and the iHeartRadio app.