Taylor Swift has as soon as once more dominated the MTV Video Music Awards, turning into probably the most embellished solo artist on the VMAs of all time after successful seven classes, together with the evening’s high award, video of the yr.
Swift, who was already probably the most nominated artist initially of the night, ended it by surpassing Beyoncé’s report set as a solo artist, successful her thirtieth VMA. Beyoncé has received 25 VMAs as a solo artist, two with Future’s Youngster and two with Jay-Z because the Carters.
Accepting the primary of seven wins on Wednesday – greatest collaboration with Put up Malone for his or her duet Fortnight – the 34-year-old singer opened the night by acknowledging the anniversary of 9/11.
“Waking up this morning in New York on September eleventh, I’ve simply been enthusiastic about what occurred 23 years in the past,” she mentioned. “Everybody who misplaced a beloved one and everybody that we misplaced and that’s the most essential factor at this time. And all the things that occurs tonight falls behind that.”
Megan Thee Stallion presided over the ceremony at Lengthy Island’s UBS Enviornment, which marked 40 years of VMAs (or “the Voluptuous Megan Award” as she put it). The host honoured previous VMAs moments – together with Britney Spears’ I’m a Slave 4 U stay snake outfit – and carried out songs Boa, Hiss and Mamushi with Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba.
Although Eminem opened the present with a military of Slim Shady doppelgängers, evoking his 2000 VMA efficiency, the 2024 awards belonged to the ladies, with a world solid of feminine artists dominating the airtime.
Ascendant star Sabrina Carpenter sang Please Please Please from a glittery swing, kissed an alien for Style, and teased a squad of astronauts as she carried out Espresso, which received tune of the yr.
“That is actually particular,” Carpenter mentioned whereas accepting her first ever VMA. “I simply really feel so grateful to have really the perfect followers on the planet … and thanks to that me espresso.”
Lisa, the resident rapper of Blackpink, received greatest Okay-pop for her solo tune Rockstar, whereas Brazilian artist Anitta received greatest Latin for Mil Veces.
South African artist Tyla received the male-dominated class of greatest Afrobeats along with her hit Water. “The worldwide affect that Water had on the world simply proves that African music will be pop music, too,” Tyla mentioned, although she famous the award was “bittersweet” as a result of “there’s a bent to group all African artists below Afrobeats … African music is so numerous. It’s extra than simply Afrobeats.”
For the seventh consecutive yr, a girl received the evening’s lifetime achievement prize, the Video Vanguard Award, which this yr went to Katy Perry. Her husband, actor Orlando Bloom, launched her onstage earlier than she carried out a medley of her greatest hits, together with Darkish Horse, ET, California Gurls, Teenage Dream, I Kissed a Woman and Firework.
Perry skated above the vital backlash to Lady’s World, saying: “There are such a lot of issues that must align to have an extended and profitable profession as an artist. There aren’t any decade-long accidents.”
Perry thanked her household, the LGBTQ neighborhood and “MySpace, Warped Tour and all of the bygone locations the place I discovered a voice, id and a neighborhood so early on.
“I’m excited once I go searching music at this time and I see all of the wonderful younger artists who’re working with confidence, company, vulnerability and authenticity,” she continued. “One of many greatest causes I’m standing right here proper now’s I discovered to dam out the noise that each single artist has to continually combat, particularly girls.”
Rising star Chappell Roan received greatest new artist, dedicating her win to “all of the drag artists who encourage me” and “queer and trans those who gas pop”.
Studying from her diary onstage, the Missouri native added: “And to all of the queer children within the midwest watching proper now, I see you and I perceive you, as a result of I’m one in all you. And don’t ever let anybody let you know you can’t be precisely who you wish to be, bitch!”
Roan’s fellow nominee Benson Boone, a 22-year-old singer-songwriter who blew up on TikTok, additionally made his awards present debut with Please Keep. The crescendoing – together with a number of onstage flips – and falsetto-heavy efficiency echoed Shawn Mendes, who returned from a public hiatus along with his new tune No one Is aware of.
Lenny Kravitz offered a masterclass in rock star charisma with a three-song medley, whereas fellow veterans LL Cool J and Public Enemy joined forces for a medley of old-school hits to honor the groundbreaking hip-hop label Def Jam.
However the evening, as ordinary, belonged to Swift, who capped off the night by turning into the one artist to ever win the evening’s high award – video of the yr – 5 occasions. She shouted out “my boyfriend, Travis” to deafening screams. “All the things this man touches turns to happiness and enjoyable and magic, so I wish to thank him for including that to our shoot.”
To the followers, “I’m all the time making an attempt to determine a method to say thanks to you for making my life what it’s,” she concluded, earlier than following up on her endorsement of Kamala Harris for US president: “In case you are over 18, please register to vote for one thing else that’s essential.”