THE 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) had social media buzzing. The awards ceremony took place at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. Nicki Minaj emceed (for a second time in a row) and performed in the nearly four-hour show that delivered a constant barrage of pop stars doing one or more of the two things they’re good at: the hits and/or making glitter-cringe spectacles out of themselves on live TV.
There were many firsts: Peso Pluma, Metro Boomin and Kelsea Ballerini were among the performers who took the VMAs stage for the first time; Shakira became the first South American artist to take home the video vanguard award and took the stage for the first time since 2006; and K-pop group Stray Kids got their first ever Moon Person for their hit “S-Class”.
Brazilian pop star Anitta delivered one of the event’s most solid one-liners – “I want to thank myself because I worked so hard,” she said in an acceptance speech – which she also proved onstage, performing both a solo medley and a collaboration with K-pop group Tomorrow X Together.
Below are memorable performances and off-the-cuff celebrity moments from the VMAs.
Taylor Swift’s big win
After setting the record for the most video of the year wins with her third Moon Person in the top category last year, Taylor Swift levelled up again to pick up the ultimate prize for a fourth time.
But with no Beyonce, no Harry Styles and no Miley Cyrus, Swift – who is on break from her epic “Eras” tour before it hits South America in November – knew exactly whose party this was when she showed up as the top nominee with 11 nods. (She won nine of them, overtaking Madonna for second-most VMA wins of all time with 23, six behind Beyonce.)
The 33-year-old singer won the first Moon Person of the night for best pop for “Anti-Hero”. She went on to win song of the year, best direction and video of the year for the same video. (Swift also had a millennial fan girl moment, receiving the first award and a friendship bracelet from a reunited NSYNC.)
“This is unbelievable. The fact that this is a fan-voted award means so much to me,” Swift said in her acceptance speech. “It’s really felt like the adventure of a lifetime this past year. I cannot believe that it was a year ago at the VMAs that I announced the ‘Midnights’ album. All I have to say tonight is thank you.”
NSYNC reunion
It had been 10 years since the boy band (consisting of Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick and JC Chasez) shared the stage together at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, when Timberlake was the video vanguard recipient – and, well, they all seemed much, much younger.
But time doesn’t stop – even for former teen pop heartthrobs – and they looked more like the dads that they are than the pinups of the past. Although props to purple-haired Bass for at least making an effort to pretend to be hip.
And it was ultimately a disappointment that their reunion, announced just hours before the ceremony, didn’t include a performance.
NSYNC took to the stage to present the best pop award to Swift, a fan herself who was visibly excited as she accepted the award. “I had your dolls,” she told the former boy band members. “What’s going to happen now? They’re doing something and I need to know what it is. You’re pop personified.”
After several years of chart-topping hits, the band’s fourth and last album, “Celebrity”, launched in 2001. They went on hiatus the following year, which is also when Timberlake’s Grammy-winning debut solo album, “Justified,” was put out.
The group will launch their new song in over 20 years called “Take You to a Better Place”, for the upcoming “Trolls Band Together” movie. A Dreamworks website now features a clip of the song and confirmed that it’ll be released on Sept. 29. You can also hear a snippet of the new track on TikTok.
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s performance
Also back: the “WAP” collaborators, who treated fans to the first live performance of their latest sultry duet, “Bongos”. Cardi B kicked off the moment by descending from the ceiling on a disco ball, with Megan joining her later amidst a bevy of colorfully dressed backup dancers. The two previously teamed up on the provocative “WAP”, which they performed at the 2021 Grammy Awards, racking up over 1,000 Federal Communications Commission complaints, some of which alleged “pornographic content.”
Intriguing offstage drama
Megan Thee Stallion exited the stage after performing with Cardi B and backstage cameras caught a glimpse of an interaction between the rap superstar and Justin Timberlake. The clip shows Megan exchanging words with Timberlake as they crossed paths. It’s unclear what was said, but fans surmised that the “Traumazine” rapper seemed upset. According to Variety, an unnamed source who was backstage said that there was “zero fight.” The source told the publication, “He said, ‘It’s so nice to meet you,’ and she said, ‘No, no this don’t count, this don’t count. We gotta meet proper.’” Nevertheless, the internet ran with it.
Demi Lovato’s return
Attending the show for the first time in six years, Lovato captivated the crowd with the new rock versions of her past singles, which make up her album “Revamped”. The singer made her way through an electrifying series of tracks, from “Heart Attack” and “Sorry Not Sorry” to “Cool for the Summer”, getting the crowd on its feet.
Olivia Rodrigo’s performance malfunction
She dropped jaws at the awards ceremony when the stage appeared to malfunction during her performance of “Vampire”. As Rodrigo sang the powerful lyrics, the pyrotechnics sparked as if exploding. She looked around frantically before a red curtain fell from the ceiling and a stage worker quickly ushered her offstage.
Stars in the crowd expressed concern for the singer; however, the issues actually appeared to be planned as part of the show, replicating her “Vampire” music video released in June. Not such a bad idea, right?
The 20-year-old went on to perform her new hit “Get him back!” which featured tons of her lookalikes.
Doja Cat’s bloody doppelgangers
It seemed likely that she’d sport a gory costume inspired by her delightfully demonic recent music videos. Instead, Doja opted for a sexy secretary fit while her backup dancers stole the show smeared in head-to-toe fake blood. Tearing off her glasses and letting down her hair, it felt like Doja was relishing in a provocatively raging spectacle.
As Doja paced through a medley of “Attention”, “Paint the Town Red” and “Demons”, her dancers mimed her movements and mouthed her lyrics. These barefoot shadow Dojas wore little more than shredded tank tops caked in marbled red liquid, but their blinding white smiles and angular dance moves made for an especially sinister vibe. As they gesticulated wildly, a flurry of newspapers swirled around the stage, briefly obscuring a camera lens. The crowd looked a little confused, but you get the sense that’s just what Doja wanted.
Shakira receives vanguard award
Before being honored, the Grammy-winning singer returned to the MTV VMAs stage for the first time in 17 years. Shakira hit the stage with an electric 10-minute bilingual medley of her decades of hits – “She Wolf”, her collaboration with Rauw Alejandro “Te Felicito”, the viral, record-breaking “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” with Bizarrap among them – in a set introduced by her “Hips Don’t Lie” collaborator Wyclef Jean.
While accepting her award, Shakira thanked the “amazing women” who helped her push industry boundaries while “wearing so many hats.” She also thanked her two sons Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7, for believing she could do it all.
Karol G’s VMAs debut
In her first-ever VMAs performance, the Colombian sensation brought the bright to the stage, giving a sexy performance of her 2023 tracks “Oki Doki” and “Tá Ok (remix).” Later in the night, she won her first VMA for her “TQG” collaboration with Shakira.
Ice Spice’s first win
Presenting … the best new artist! Ice Spice won the coveted award marking her very first VMA. “This is so cool,” she said, before thanking her team and her devoted fanbase, a.k.a. her “Munchkins”.
Anitta’s surprising win
She took home the Moon Person for Best Latin for her song “Funk Rave”, going up against some of the most popular artists in the genre including the biggest artist in the world: Bad Bunny. She beat out the likes of Rosalía, Mexican rising star Peso Pluma and Karol G. The Brazilian superstar delivered a stellar performance of her singles “Used to Be”, “Funk Rave” and “Grip”.
Interesting collab
K-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together and Anitta debuted their collaboration, “Back for More”, beautifully blending their sound with that of Brazilian funk. The artists delivered a lively performance with killer dance moves on both their parts.
Nicki Minaj’s new music
Minaj performed her new single, “Last Time I Saw You”. Once the ballad was finished, she disrobed to reveal a lacy catsuit and strobe lights flooded the stage as she debuted a new unnamed, rap-oriented song. The performance comes in the run-up to her forthcoming album “Pink Friday 2”, her first album in five years, due in November.
Diddy bops to the Global Icon Award
Unlike NSYNC, all of the dads didn’t disappoint. Sean “Diddy” Combs received the global icon award from Mary J. Blige and his 17-year-old daughter Chance after a career-spanning performance – from his smash “I’ll Be Missing You” to the Keyshia Cole-assisted “Last Night” – that reminded the kids just how it’s done, moving and grooving just like he did back when he was known as Puff Daddy.
His performance was also a family affair as his twins Jessie and D’Lila joined their father onstage as backup dancers and son Christian “King” performed alongside him.
The 53-year-old Grammy-winning hip hop mogul finished his speech with gratitude for how his life and career have panned out. “I thank God for this choice that he made for me to be able to touch you with my music, give you a good time, make you dance, make you feel good. That’s the only intention.”
Lip-syncing allegations
The night was filled with performers who executed serious dance moves while singing vocally strenuous songs. As the artists took the stage, there was chatter among social media users that some of the musicians were lip-syncing. It’s perhaps a losing battle – sing live and risk a pitchy note that listeners criticize; lip sync and get flak of a different variety.
Intergenerational all-star team
The 50th anniversary of hip hop has spawned a sprawling series of concerts and performances, including a thrilling medley at the 2023 Grammys. But MTV’s celebration of rap’s anniversary had some highlights, too. After Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh gave the crowd a lesson on the genre’s beginnings, Minaj emerged with “Itty Bitty Piggy”, one of her beloved early mixtape tracks, then reunited with her mentor Lil Wayne for “A Milli”. LL Cool J commanded the stage for two of his own songs, then went toe to toe with Run-D.M.C.’s Darryl McDaniels on “Walk This Way”.
For a moment – for a whole night – it was a reminder that MTV and music can make a beautiful couple.
At the VMAs, you never know what you’re gonna get. The Britney Spears/Madonna/Christina Aguilera kiss that raised the bar
for pop culture history? Truly anything could happen. But one thing is certain – there will be plenty of great music to vibe along
to while we wait to see what happens next.
