In this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, Lady Gaga dominated the awards ceremony, while The Weeknd walked away with the top honor. Both artists used their platform to deliver crucial messages to fans: “Don’t forget to wear a mask” and “Demand justice for Jacob Blake and Breonna Taylor.”
Gaga received five awards on Sunday, mostly for her chart-topping collaboration with Ariana Grande, “Rain on Me,” which they performed live for the first time. During her acceptance speeches, Gaga emphasized the importance of wearing masks as a sign of respect. Dressed in an electronic mask, Gaga sang a medley of her hits like “Stupid Love,” “Chromatica II,” and “911,” joined by backup dancers all wearing masks. The Weeknd, opening the show, used his wins for “Blinding Lights” to call for justice for victims of police brutality, mentioning Jacob Blake and Breonna Taylor. The VMAs began with a tribute to late actor Chadwick Boseman by host Keke Palmer, highlighting Boseman’s impact as a hero both on and off-screen. The show was dedicated to his memory, honoring his lasting legacy.
The Black Eyed Peas closed the two-hour-plus show with Nicky Jam and Tyga, concluding their set with a powerful statement of “Black Lives Matter.” R&B sensation H.E.R. claimed the video for good award with her impactful protest anthem addressing police brutality and systemic racism, titled “I Can’t Breathe.” Expressing her pride in those who speak out against social injustice, H.E.R. noted, “I’m super proud of everybody speaking out on social injustice.” While the majority of the show featured entertaining performances, both pre-taped and filmed in various New York City locations, K-pop icons BTS stole the show with four awards, including best pop and best group. Their pre-taped performance showcased their trademark choreography, as the seven members danced and sang in sleek suits against the backdrop of Times Square.
The VMAs were originally scheduled to take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Maluma, the winner of the Best Latin award, performed from Brooklyn, while The Weeknd performed from Manhattan. DaBaby, accompanied by the dance crew Jabbawockeez, showcased several of his popular hits, such as “Rock Star.” During his performance, he energetically rapped while jumping on a police car, set against the backdrop of a city in flames. Doja Cat, the recipient of the Push Best New Artist award, delivered a futuristic performance of her songs “Say So” and “Like That.” Other artists who performed included the Latin boy band CNCO and Miley Cyrus, who concluded her performance of “Midnight Sky” by sitting atop a giant disco ball, reminiscent of her iconic “Wrecking Ball” video from 2013.
Grande and BTS both took home four wins each, tying for top honors at the awards show. Grande’s collaboration with Justin Bieber on “Stuck with U” won the award for best music video from home, one of two new categories introduced by MTV due to the pandemic. CNCO was also recognized for their best quarantine performance with “MTV Unplugged at Home.” Megan Thee Stallion received the award for best hip-hop with her song “Savage,” while Taylor Swift won best direction for her music video “The Man.” In her acceptance speech, Swift expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to direct her very first video and thanked her team for believing in her and working on the project with her.
