Superstar Jennifer Lopez opened up about winning the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award at this year's MTV Video Music Awards, a career milestone she says she could've "never imagined" 20 years ago.
Lopez, 49, has been churning out the hits for nearly two decades, and recalled the first MTV Music Video Awards show she attended in an interview with ABC News' Amy Robach, saying back then she "didn't win anything."
"When I went to my first VMA's, I was nominated for Best New Artist at the time," she recalled. "I was nominated for four awards that night. I didn't win anything."
Flash forward nearly 20 years, she said "never imagined" what would've happened with her career.
"I'm happy to be doing what I love to do, and I just love to keep evolving and growing," she said. "I'm proud of the performer I've become."
As for winning the prestigious award this year, Lopez said "to be recognized in that way ... along with your idols, you know, is awesome."
Lopez also spoke about her recent, week-long, joint birthday celebration with her boyfriend Alex Rodriguez.
"We celebrated together. Alex's birthday's on the 27th, mine's on the 24th," she said. "We had like a Leo week, where we celebrate the fact that we're both Leos."
She said they went on a family vacation together, bringing both of their kids along as well as "a couple of his closest friends" and "a couple of my closest friends."
Lopez said is now back to work, though, already in rehearsal preparing for her performance at the VMA's later this month.
"I just want to give the best performance I can give that night," she said, one that "shows who I was and who I am today, I think."
She added that she hopes to showcase her career that spans "20 years," in "less than 10 minutes."
You can catch Lopez's performance at the MTV Video Music Awards which airs on Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. ET.
