When Taylor Swift made a not-so-surprise look on the purple carpet on the MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday night time at Prudential Heart, one factor was clear: She would personal the night time.
And after already setting the report for essentially the most Video of the Yr wins along with her third Moon Individual within the high class final 12 months, T-Swizzle leveled up once more to choose up the last word prize for a fourth time.
However with no Beyoncé, no Harry Types and no Miley Cyrus, Swift — who’s on break from her epic Eras Tour earlier than it hits South America in November — knew precisely whose celebration this was when she confirmed up as the highest nominee with eight nods.
And you must give her credit score for bringing all of the vitality to a present that wanted it, whether or not she was sipping and shimmying within the viewers, fan-girling over *NSYNC when she gained Greatest Pop Video, or BFF-ing up with “Karma” collaborator Ice Spice after that entire mess with Swift’s ex Matt Healy mocking the younger rapper.
If Swift exhibits as much as an awards present — as she has performed extra constantly than any of her famous person contemporaries — she’s going to be all of us as if we by some means snagged seats alongside all of our pop idols.
The “Shake It Off” singer may barely comprise her giddy glee when she obtained her first Moon Individual of the night time — Greatest Pop Video for her No. 1 smash “Anti-Hero” — from a reunited *NSYNC. Sure, together with Justin Timberlake.
WORST: The *NSYNC reunion
It had been 10 years because the boy band had shared the stage collectively at Brooklyn’s Barclays Heart, when Timberlake was the Video Vanguard recipient — and, properly all of them appeared a lot, a lot youthful.
However time doesn’t cease — even for former teen-pop heartthrobs — they usually regarded extra just like the dads that they’re than the pinups of the previous. Though props to the blue-haired Lance Bass for at the least making an effort to faux to be hip!
And it was in the end a disappointment that their reunion, introduced simply hours earlier than the ceremony, didn’t embrace a efficiency.
BEST: Diddy bops to the International Icon Award
In contrast to *NSYNC, the entire dads didn’t disappoint: Diddy obtained the International Icon Award from his 17-year-old daughter Likelihood after a career-spanning efficiency — from his smash “I’ll Be Lacking You” to the Keshia-assisted “Final Night time” — that reminded the children simply the way it’s performed, shifting and grooving identical to he did again when he was referred to as Puff Daddy.
And being the “hustler” that he’s, he even labored in a shameless plug for his new LP, “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” out Friday.
Now that’s how one can make mo cash.
WORST: Lil Wayne opens the present
Lil Wayne has been round longer sufficient to now have elder-statesman standing at 40. And in honor of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, it’s becoming {that a} rapper would open this 12 months’s VMAs.
However “Uproar” — a comparatively minor hit from 2018’s “Tha Carter V” — and the brand new single “Kat Meals” didn’t precisely take us again to the traditional Weezy vibeology of “A Milli” (which he did return to carry out within the hip-hop finale) and “Lollipop.”
Fortunately, Olivia Rodrigo — who, 20 years youthful than Wayne, would have made extra sense because the opener in 2023 — swooped in to assist save the opener ultimately with “Vampire” and “Get Again.”
BEST: Doja Cat brings the feline hearth
Two years in the past, Doja Cat hosted and carried out on the VMAs again when she appeared a bit inexperienced to be pulling double obligation. However a gig is a gig — and she or he stepped up when the pandemic was nonetheless making it problematic.
However in 2023, the VMAs merely wanted an artist along with her star energy and stage presence. And she or he delivered with a medley of “Consideration,” “Demons” and her new No. 1 single “Paint the City Crimson” that introduced some much-needed relevance to the VMAs.
Take into account her promotion duties properly performed earlier than her subsequent album, “Scarlet,” drops Sept. 22.
BEST: Shakira makes a Video Vanguard assertion
The unique Colombian sensation has seen a lot of her gente observe in her hip-shaking wake — from J Balvin to Maluma to Karol G. Actually, the latter was simply one of many Latin artists — from Brazil’s Anitta to Mexico’s Peso Pluma — who rocked the Prudential Heart stage.
And identical to Diddy, a 46-year-old Shakira confirmed the youthful technology that they nonetheless had work to do, bringing her famous person presence and efficiency abilities after being launched by her “Hips Don’t Lie” accomplice Wyclef Jean.
When she was performed, she had left no crumbs as the primary South American recipient of the Video Vanguard Award.
WORST: Fall Out Boy doing Billy Joel
Let’s make this completely clear: When and if “We Didn’t Begin the Hearth” ought to ever be carried out, it ought to solely be performed by Billy Joel.
However to have Fall Out Boy — sure, Fall Out Boy — cowl the Piano Man’s 1989 hit 34 years later on the VMAs was a real WTF second.