Taylor Swift won the biggest award at the MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday, September 11: The trophy for video of the year for “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone. In her speech Wednesday night, she talked about her “boyfriend, Travis,” thanking for him for being on set of the music video and cheering her on. Fans rewarded the mention of NFL star Travis Kelce with loud screams.
“Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic,” she said, before shifting gears to the 2024 Presidential election and instructing her fans who are over 18 to register to vote. Swift did, however, avoid discussing Kamala Harris’ presidential bid on stage. On Tuesday night, Swift endorsed the vice president , moments after Harris’ debate with former president Donald Trump ended.
Swift took home seven awards, bringing her to a career total of 30. That means she has tied Beyoncé’s record and both hold the title of most-awarded musician in VMA history. Swift and Malone also took home the first televised award of the VMAs for best collaboration, handed to them by Flavor Flav and Olympian Jordan Chiles.
Swift started that speech by giving remembrance to everyone who lost their lives and loved ones during 9/11, 23 years ago , before discussing Malone. “There is a reason Post Malone is everyone in music’s favorite person to collaborate with,” she shifted her attention to him. “It has taken forever for me to get him to stop calling me ma’am.”
Chappell Roan won the MTV Video Music Award for best new artist. “I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me,” she said in her speech, while wearing chain mail, reading from a written speech in her diary. “And I dedicate this to queer and trans people who run pop. … Thank you for listening.”
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Women dominate
Women dominated the award show, no example greater than an imaginative, medieval set from Roan. Drag queen Sasha Colby introduced her with “your favorite drag queen’s favorite artist,” a reference to Roan’s now famous Coachella performance, which in turn was inspired by Colby. Real fans no doubt got a kick out of the hyper-referential tidbit.
Roan appeared in armor, shooting a lit crossbow at castle gates that stood behind her, burning them in the process. Her dancers were knights, battling each other in incredible choreography as she sang her queer pop hit, “Good Luck, Babe.”
The other voice of 2024 pop, Sabrina Carpenter, won the trophy for song of the year for “Espresso.” “This is really special,” she said in her speech, dedicated to her fans. “And thank you to that me-espresso.”
Tyla won the best Afrobeats award. Katy Perry received the Video Vanguard Award , performing an eight-song medley spanning her career: “Roar,” “E.T.,” “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” “I Kissed a Girl,” “Firework,” and “Lifetimes.”
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“I did that all on the first day of my period, can you believe it?” she joked after accepting the honor from her partner, Orlando Bloom. “There are so many things that have to align to have a long and successful career as an artist. There are no decade long accidents.” She also teased a new song, “I’m His, He’s Mine,” featuring Doechii, which samples the Crystal Waters classic, “Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee La Da Da).”
An army of Slim Shady-lookalikes followed Eminem as he kicked off the VMAs , launching into a medley of his hits “Houdini” and “Somebody Save Me,” featuring a broadcast feed of Jelly Roll. (The song references Jelly Roll’s massive country radio hit, “Save Me.”)
Megan Thee Stallion welcomed the crowd as a first-time host Wednesday night, who joked that the VMAs now stands for the “voluptuous Megan awards.” She later performed. The 40th VMAs were held at the UBS Arena on New York’s Long Island.
