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Rauw Alejandro made a memorable debut at the 40th MTV VMAs on Wednesday (Sept. 11), dazzling with a performance rich in cultural homage and electric energy, channeling the vintage Broadway glitz and grit of West Side Story.

Dressed in an outfit reminiscent of late ’60s New York with a hint of pachuco style, the Puerto Rican superstar commenced his act with “Touching the Sky,” amplified with a dash of dubstep. His smooth execution kept all eyes glued to the stage.

The performance then transitioned to highlight a troupe of Caribbean drummers and dancers dressed in traditional white garb, their chants filling the air as Rauw introduced a more stripped down rendition “Diluvio” from his 2023 album, Playa Saturno. Infused with plenty of folk flair, that part of the medley culminated in an exhilarating dance-off. “Puerto Rico en la casa,” he proclaimed.

Switching scenes once more under neon red lights emblazoned with the words “Cosa Nuestra” — the title of his upcoming album — Rauw walked across the stage, ever so slyly rocking a white tank top that showcased his tattoos, and began to croon the words to “Déjame Entrar,” his latest Afrobeats-tinged single. The West Side Story atmosphere truly came alive as performers danced atop oversized props mimicking New York’s iconic buildings, turning his segment into an exhilarating spectacle.

“Mi gente Latina, esta es cosa nuestra,” he declared. (“My Latin people, this is our thing.”)

Earlier on the red carpet, Rauw shared insights into his upcoming album, sharing, “Cosa Nuestra [features] roots from the island, a Caribbean mix with New York inspo. It’s Puerto Rican culture from back in the days.” The album nods to the genre-defining 1969 Fania All Stars salsa album by Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe.

“Touching the Sky” was nominated for three VMAs: best latin, best cinematography and best choreography. 

Benson Boone has lit up the charts — and the fashion blogs — all year with his breakthrough hit, “Beautiful Things,” and his unique sartorial taste. Which is why it was no surprise that the mustachioed crooner from Washington whose penchant for sleeveless denim vests and gauzy shirts have inspired robust “What to Wear to Benson Boone” TikTok and Pinterest pages brought the looks to the 2024 MTV VMAs on Wednesday (Sept. 11).

Seated at a black grand piano for a moving performance of his breakthrough No. 2 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Beautiful Things,” Boone crooned the ballad from his debut studio album, Fireworks & Rollerblades, with a passion — and fashion — reminiscent of peak 1970s Elton John. When he stood up to walk across the stage, Boone revealed that he was wearing a full-on glittery belted blue onesie cut down to the navel, cementing his simultaneously low-key and flashy style.

Rocking matching Adidas shoes featuring blue glitter, Boone — who was nominated for four awards at this year’s VMAs — climbed onto a riser as his band rocked the song up a notch, and he executed a perfect forward flip without missing a beat to screams of delight from the fans whose outstretched hands he slapped as he worked the stage.

Reaching into a rafter-rocking crescendo that had Sabrina Carpenter crooning along from her seat, Boone leaped onto his piano and tapped into his falsetto range on the stirring “Please stay/ I want you, I need you, oh God/ Don’t take/ These beautiful things that I’ve got” chorus as sparks rained down all around him. Not content with all that glitter and gold, Boone executed yet another perfect gymnastic flip off the piano and hit another sky-high note while ad-libbing the perfect lyrical sign-off, “I need … the VMAs!!!

And for her next trick, the Great Impersonator — aka Halsey — somehow made the MTV Video Music Awards stage into a cozy driveway as the pop star belted out new single “Ego” from the inside of a suburban garage.

The star began their performance by riding across the UBS Arena stage on a bicycle, sporting a red pixie cut, sleeveless white collared shirt and black tie. Halsey then opened the garage door of a life-size house to reveal her band waiting inside — think Bowling for Soup’s “1985” music video — and joined in on guitar.

“I think that I should try to kill my ego/ ‘Cause if I don’t, my ego might kill me,” she sang as the lights flashed inside the house. “I’m all grown up but somehow lately/ I’m acting like a f–king baby/ I’m really not as happy as I seem.”

“Ego” is the latest of several singles Halsey has released ahead of their fast-approaching new album, The Great Impersonator, which drops Oct. 25. The “Closer” singer has also shared “The End,” “Lonely Is the Muse” and the Britney Spears-interpolating “Lucky” ahead of the record, and she recently sent fans on a scavenger hunt across the world to reveal the LP’s main artwork and cover variants.

The 2024 VMAs kicked off at 8 p.m. Wednesday at New York’s UBS Arena, with Megan Thee Stallion helming the program as host, show opener Eminem, Vanguard honoree Katy Perry and several more artists tapped to perform. Taylor Swift led the nominations with a total of 12 nods, while her “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone followed right behind with 11.

Megan Thee Stallion is working overtime at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. In addition to playing host for the night, the Houston Hottie also performed an energetic medley of fiery tracks from her Megan album on Wednesday (Sept. 11).

Hot Girl Meg hit the stage in a pair of strappy boots that made it look like she could either be performing on the mic or ready to jump off the top rope of a wrestling ring. (Perhaps a WWE diva cameo could be in her future?)

She set the tone with her serpentine-themed “Boa” before heading into the crowd and an alternate stage to fire up “B.A.S” and her bristling Billboard Hot 100 solo hit “Hiss.”

The 29-year-old finished off the medley with “Mamushi” and a special surprise up her sleeve, bringing out Yuki Chiba for the Japanese rapper’s VMAs debut. Yuki Chiba didn’t hold back with for his first time on the VMAs stage, rocking a furry and loud red hat paired with a bedazzled denim jacket.

“Mamushi” has been scorching on TikTok, and Meg even hit the signature dance moves that have helped the track remain at No. 52 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 in its 10th week on the chart.

Meg and GloRilla’s “Wanna Be” lost out to Taylor Swift and Post Malone’s “Fortnight” for best collaboration honors, but “Boa” was also nominated for best hip-hop, best direction, best visual effects and best art direction.

Watch Megan Thee Stallion’s medley performance below.

Anitta brought a sizzling blend of glamour and rhythm to the 2024 MTV VMAs Wednesday (Sept. 11), transforming the stage into a party. The Brazilian superstar dazzled in a white and metallic bodysuit paired with baggy pants, opening her performance with the premiere of “Paradise.”

The energy surged as Fat Joe, dressed in flannel and leather baggy pants, delivered dynamic flows that matched the intensity of the staging. DJ Khaled, dressed in black, masterfully hyped the crowd throughout the set.

The performance shifted gears as Tiago PZK joined Anitta. Dressed in a sparkly dark outfit, he seamlessly laid down verses for “Alegría,” a track that originally features Emilia. Anitta showcased her linguistic prowess by effortlessly switching among English, Spanish and Portuguese. The stage came alive with four dancers perched atop large blocks, enhancing the visual spectacle.

The rhythm further intensified with “Savage Funk,” which unleashed the raw, powerful sounds of baile funk, filling the arena with the pulsating beats of the favelas. Anitta, in sync with a growing ensemble of dancers, displayed her signature perreo moves, descending rhythmically to the ground in a flurry of motion. The stage erupted into a massive celebration of Brazilian culture, with every beat and step.

Just moments before her performance, Fat Joe captured the spirit of the new song “Paradise.” “Nobody knows how to celebrate like Latinos,” Fat Joe told Billboard Español earlier in the day. “It’s about time we teamed up with Anitta and DJ Khaled on ‘Paradise’ to create a Latino national anthem.”

Watch the full performance below: