Awards

12 Sep 2023

Måneskin Brings Blistering ‘Honey (Are U Comin)’ to 2023 MTV VMAs

Italian rockers Måneskin took the Prudential Center stage in New Jersey for Tuesday night’s (Sept. 12) VMAs, performing their recently released rave-up “Honey (Are U Coming?)”

Introduced by Chloe x Halle as “provocative performers and unapologetically themselves” who are “the embodiment of global rock stars,” the band started their performance with lead singer Damiano David walking through the crowd shirtless, while holding a video camera that beamed his perspective on screen. Once on stage, David put down the camera, and the band ripped through a tight performance of the new single, with David huddling with guitarist Thomas Raggi and bassist Victoria de Angelis at center stage for proper rock pose-striking.

Måneskin are two-time nominees at this year’s VMAs, winning best rock for their 2022 single “The Loneliest” and also nominated for best group. It’s their second year in a row both winning and performing at the VMAs, having taken best alternative in 2022 for their “I Wanna Be Your Slave,” and also playing “Supermodel” at that same year’s ceremonies — a performance that infamously included a wardrobe malfunction that required MTV to cut away from much of the performance.

“Honey (Are U Coming?)” debuts at No. 37 on Billboard‘s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart this week (dated Sept. 16) — their seventh career hit on the chart, with their Four Seasons cover “Beggin’” hitting No. 2 on the listing in 2021. The band is about to kick off a world tour in support of their 2023 album Rush!, kicking off Sept. 21 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

12 Sep 2023

Taylor Swift Calls Nicki Minaj Her ‘Favorite Sagittarius’ During 2023 MTV VMAs Acceptance Speech

Astrology fans, get your star charts out, because Taylor Swift just read the cosmos and realized that Nicki Minaj is the perfect distillation of her sign at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday (Sept. 12).

Joining Minaj on stage after winning her third Moon Person for best direction, Swift immediately hugged Minaj and mouthed “I love you” to her. As she stepped to the microphone, the pop star gestured back to the rapper and told the crowd, “That’s my favorite Sagittarius over there,” much to the Minaj’s delight.

Swift then went on to accept her award for self-directing her “Anti-Hero” music video, by first acknowledging her team of fellow directors on the project; editor Chancler Haynes and her director of photography Rina Yang. “If there is one thing I’ve learned about direction, it’s that it is absolutely a team sport,” she said. “We’ve worked together so many times, and every time it is so much fun.”

The “Cruel Summer” singer also made sure to give a special thank you to Mike Birbiglia, John Early and Mary Elizabeth Ellis, who portrayed “my nightmare, horrendous future children” in the song’s iconic funeral scene. “You absolutely played the parts perfectly,” she said.

Swift — who is also a Sagittarius — was nominated for a whopping 11 awards at Tuesday evening’s ceremony, leading all other artists in nominations. Those nods included video, artist and song of the year, the latter of which she won early in the ceremony for “Anti-Hero.” Minaj, meanwhile, served as the evening’s host, while also earning six nominations of her own.

12 Sep 2023

Metro Boomin Is ‘Calling’ for a ‘Superhero’ With Guest-Filled Performance at the 2023 MTV VMAs

Metro Boomin took over the Prudential Center at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday night (Sept. 12), bringing together a slew of his hip-hop heavyweight friends for a medley of “Superhero” and “Calling.”

While Metro and his turntable levitated over the stage, Future, Swae Lee, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and NAV traded verses down below, surrounded by a foggy laboratory landscape filled with rocks and elevators. The performance was a showcase of today’s biggest hip-hop talent, which is fitting given that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the genre.

“Future is an anomaly,” Metro previously told Billboard of his frequent collaborator. “You don’t get to see too many people of any industry perform and deliver at the rate and level that he does for this amount of time. I met him and started working with him when I was 18 to [my current age of] 29, and he was on before that. It’s a true testament to his grind and his will.” 

“Superhero” peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “Calling” peaked at No. 41. Over on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs, “Superhero” bowed at No. 2, while “Calling” climbed to No. 13. “Superhero” appears on Metro Boomin’s 2022 album Heroes & Villains, which topped the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart in December.

Metro Boomin was nominated for four awards at this year’s ceremony, including album of the year for Heroes & Villains; best hip-hop for his Future collab “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)”; and best collaboration and best R&B for his The Weeknd, 21 Savage and Diddy team-up “Creepin’ (Remix).”

12 Sep 2023

Peso Pluma Makes His MTV VMAs Debut With ‘Lady Gaga’ Performance

“¡Arriba México, Viejo!” Peso Pluma enthusiastically said at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday (Sept. 12). Arguably the fastest rising star to hit the American pop mainstream this year, the Guadalajara native made his VMAs debut at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., to perform “Lady Gaga” off his 2023 album Génesis — and Peso Pluma fever was on full display.

Backed by his band — which was made up of of brass players, a tololoche (a sort of stand-up bass), a requinto (12-string guitar) and guitars — attendees gave the performer a warm welcome. With his performance, the Mexican hitmaker — became the first regional Mexican musical act to perform corridos at the annual awards show.

Wearing a huge black puffer jacket and durag, Peso Pluma appeared more like a drill artist than a traditional corridos singer, completing his look with a baggy T-shirt and pants. But that’s the appeal: He resonates with an urbano crowd that leans toward a street-style aesthetic and a bélico lifestyle.

Peso Pluma is nominated for a several VMA awards, including song of the summer for the Mexican reggaetón hit “La Bebe (Remix)” with Yng Lvcas, as well as the best new artist award, which Bronx rapper Ice Spice and North Carolina singer Reneé Rapp are also competing for. Previous winners in that category include Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, the Creator and Lady Gaga. 

“My life has changed a lot,” Peso told Billboard in the July cover issue, recalling that his first shows in Mexico just last year were attended by 500 people. He’s currently in the midst of his first U.S. tour.

12 Sep 2023

Karol G Brings Bichota Season to the 2023 MTV VMAs With ‘Oki Doki’ & ‘Ta OK’

Colombian powerhouse Karol G kicked off Bichota Season at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday (Sept. 12) at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., with a sweltering performance of “Oki Doki” from her latest album, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season).

Wearing a fishnet leotard that showed off her pink bikini top, matching sleeves and hair to boot, Karol brought her signature electrifying smooth reggaetón vibes to the MTV stage. The singer soon transitioned to belt out “Tá OK (Remix),” a collaboration that usually features fellow Colombian artist Maluma, Brazilian sensation DENNIS and MC Kevin o Chris.

Karol G was nominated for four awards, including artist of the year, and best collaboration for “TQG” with Shakira.

Karol G is currently on an international tour with Mañana Será Bonito. With several sold-out stadium concerts and an electric stage presence, the Colombian sensation proved during the VMAs that she is a cultural Latin icon who continues to reshape and elevate the Latin music scene on a global scale.

Her 2023 album, Mañana Será Bonito, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200; follow-up Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), scored a No. 1 placement on the Top Latin Albums chart.  She also broke the record for most Hot Latin Songs entries among women as the aforementioned album debuted. 

Four of the artists featured in this year’s main show hail from Latin America, illustrating the global influence of Latin pop in recent years. Shakira and Karol G hail from Colombia, trilingual force Anitta represents Brazil and Peso Pluma is from Mexico, showcasing the storied tradition of músia mexicana. 

12 Sep 2023

Stray Kids Rule With ‘S-Class’ at 2023 MTV VMAs

After earning the MTV Video Music Award for Best K-Pop with the music video for “S-Class,” Stray Kids took a well-deserved victory lap with a high-octane performance of the single at the 2023 VMAs, held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Tuesday night (Sept. 12).

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Following an introduction by Saweetie, Stray Kids took the stage and immediately began the lockstep choreography, dynamic visuals and multi-layered vocals that have helped them pack arenas around the globe. “Luxurious like I’m an S-Class / Best of the best, on first class,” Bang Chan rapped while showing off pinpoint moves.

As the performance shifted to capture the different movements of the single and Stray Kids were joined by a slew of dancers, the eight members remained in command of the Prudential Center, which had bellowed in delight as the group took the stage. The crowd reaction following the performance was just as breathless, as Stray Kids were met with rapturous applause.

Earlier on Tuesday night, Stray Kids took the VMAs stage when “S-Class” earned the Best K-Pop trophy, winning over visuals from aespa, BLACKPINK, FIFTY FIFTY, SEVENTEEN and TOMORROW X TOGETHER. “We’ve been making our music ever since the start of our career, but to receive this award just really means a lot to us,” Bang Chan said from the stage.

Felix added, “We just want to thank our label, JYP division 1, and we want to thank Republic Records. And also we want to thank our fans, our STAYs, for being so supportive. Please. We have so much to show you guys so please look forward to the future.”

“S-Class” is featured on 5-STAR, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in June. The chart-topping bow marked Stray Kids’ third No. 1 project on the Billboard 200, following MAXIDENT and ODDINARY last year.

12 Sep 2023

Shakira Ignites the 2023 MTV VMAs With a Medley of Her Biggest Hits

Musical shapeshifter Shakira dazzled the audience at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday (Sept. 12) at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Kicking off her potent hits medley with “She Wolf,” the Colombian superstar appeared inside what looked like a human-sized cube, moving in trance-like yoga poses, transitioning from a robotic-like motion to a fluid one. 

Wearing a flesh-toned shimmery outfit, the superstar then transitioned to electro-pop number “Te Felicito,” her 2022 hit with Rauw Alejandro, during which she was joined by four male backup dancers. She gleefully cut to “TQG,” her kiss-off hit alongside Karol G, amid pyrotechnics.

In what was perhaps one of the most memorable segments of this medley, she recreated her famous 2006 VMAs performance with the extended version of “Objection (Tango).” Surrounded by tribal-styled percussionists forming a drum circle, Shakira demonstrated her magnetic star power, and proceeded to grab an electric guitar, showing off some power cords. 

She had the crowd on its feet by the time she got to “Hips Don’t Lie” — even Taylor Swift showed off some Latin-style dance moves from her seat. Shakira closed with her hit “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53.” The crowd roared the lyrics in Spanish, “Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan!” (“Women no longer cry, women cash in!”)

During her set, Shakira even crowd surfed, and received a traditional Colombian sombrero from someone in the audience. This performance marked her first time rocking the VMAs stage since 2006. 

The Colombian singer-songwriter made history at the VMAs, becoming the first South American artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award. She is the second Latin artist to receive the award; Jennifer Lopez, the first performer of Latin descent, received the honor in 2018.

After thanking MTV for having been part of her career since she was 18 years old, the 46-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter mentioned key figures in the creation of her music videos, such as Jaume de Laiguana and Maite Marcos, whom she called friends and collaborators. “Really, I wouldn’t know what to do without you,” she said in Spanish.

She also thanked her record label Sony Music and its collaborators, her parents, and her sons Milan and Sasha, who were present at the ceremony, “for making me happy and making me feel that mom can do anything. Finally, she dedicated the award to her fans, “who have always supported of me through thick and thin”.

“Thank you so much for being my army and helping me fight all my battles,” she said, before adding in Spanish, “This is for you my people… Thank you for inspiring me and for injecting me with so much strength and so much desire to keep going.”

12 Sep 2023

Diddy Plays the Bad Boy Classics With Son King Combs, Accepts Global Icon Award at 2023 MTV VMAs

Hip-hop mogul and longtime hitmaker Diddy took the stage at the Prudential Center in New Jersey on Sunday night (Sept. 12), to perform a career-spanning medley of hits and accept this year’s MTV Global Icon award.

Introduced by an emotional Mary J. Blige as “someone who guided me throughout my career, gave me the courage, gave me the wisdom” and “a brother and a friend,” Diddy began his performance with a still-unreleased song he first teased in 2022. He then transitioned to a couple classics from his 1997 No Way Out blockbuster: the Notorious B.I.G.-tributing Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “I’ll Be Missing You” and the rap radio perennial “It’s All About the Benjamins.”

Diddy’s son King Combs then joined him on stage as his hits moved into the 2000s: First the Saga Continues 2001 smash “Bad Boy for Life,” and then 2002’s oft-resurrected “I Need a Girl (Part Two).” Yung Miami then took the stage for her verse on 2022’s “Gotta Move On” remix, followed by Keyshia Cole emerging to perform her powerhouse vocals from 2007’s “Last Night.”

After that, Combs and son enjoyed a dance break to the hook of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Mo Money, Mo Problems,” with King then performing Ma$e’s famous opening bars to the 1997 Hot 100-topper, and Diddy following with his own verse. Once the performance was over, Blige then invited Diddy’s daughter Chance to help present him with the Global Icon award.

Accepting the moonperson, an overwhelmed and extremely sweaty Diddy thanked the crowd for giving him his flowers, and called the award “a dream come true for me — I grew up watching MTV like, ‘Man, I wish one day I could be up there…’” He started the crowd on a “Baaaad Boyyyyy” chant, paid homage to the late Chucky Thompson and called it “truly a gift from God… to get to do what you love for 30 years consistently.” He ended his speech “in true Diddy fashion” by promoting his upcoming The Love Album: Off the Grid, out this Friday (Sept. 15).

Diddy is a six-time nominee and two-time winner at the VMAs, taking home best R&B video for “I’ll Be Missing You” at the 1997 awards and the viewer’s choice award for the “Benjamins” rock remix in 1998.

12 Sep 2023

Nicki Minaj Drops a ‘Pink Friday 2 Exclusive’ During 2023 MTV VMAs Performance

As the host of the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, Nicki Minaj knew it was her job to maintain the audience’s attention on Tuesday (Sept. 12) — and during her performance, she made sure to do just that.

Taking to a sparse stage after an introduction from a very enthusiastic Billy Porter, Minaj kicked things off with an emotional, stripped-down performance of her ballad “Last Time I Saw You.” Dressed in a massive black cloak and standing on a triangular platform in the center of the stage, Minaj let her gorgeous vocals shine through. “I wish I’da hugged you tighter the last time that I saw you,” she belted out on the song’s chorus. “I wish l didn’t waste precious time the night when I called you.”

As the number began to wind down, Minaj suddenly dropped her cloak to reveal a black sheer bodysuit underneath, eyeing the audience. “MTV,” she growled as the lights slowly changed from soft pink to dark red. “It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t give y’all a Pink Friday 2 exclusive.”

With a beat kicking in, Minaj launched into a brand new, unnamed single off of her hotly anticipated new album. Spitting bars about how “you b—hes look up to me,” Minaj made sure to flex her skills as the Queen of Rap before resuming her hosting duties for the evening. “It’s a big difference between me and you,” she rapped. “I ain’t nothing like you, you, you or you.”

Minaj was just one of a star-studded set of performers at the ceremony, which included Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj and many more. The rapper was also nominated for six trophies, including both video and artist of the year.

12 Sep 2023

Doja Cat Holds a Lesson for Her Demons in 2023 MTV VMAs Performance

Doja Cat took the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards stage on Tuesday (Sept. 12) ready to “Paint the Town Red” — and that she did.

The star took the stage at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., in a teacher-inspired outfit surrounded by red-toned, devilish dancers as she performed a medley of tracks including her Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers “Red” and “Attention,” as well as new single “Demons.” The songs are set to be featured on her fourth studio album, Scarlet, which will arrive on Sept. 22.

“Paint the Town Red” rose from No. 3 to No. 1 in its fifth week on the Hot 100 this week. It becomes the rapper-singer’s second career leader, following “Say So” featuring Nicki Minaj in 2020. The achievement marks the first rap Hot 100 No. 1 in over a year, ending the longest break for the genre atop the chart since 2001.

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Doja Cat is nominated for six awards at this year’s show, including song of the summer for “Paint the Town Red”; best direction, best art direction and video of the year for “Attention”; artist of the year and best collaboration for “I Like You (A Happier Song)” with Post Malone.

Among this year’s other performers are Anitta, Cardi B, Demi Lovato, Diddy, Doja Cat, Fall Out Boy, Karol G, Kelsea Ballerini, Maneskin, Megan Thee Stallion, Metro Boomin (featuring Future, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Swae Lee and NAV), Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Shakira, Stray Kids and TOMORROW X TOGETHER.