Lady Gaga
The 2020 MTV Video Music Awards were handed out on Sunday night, socially distanced. Performances aired from different locations and venues throughout New York (with the exception of BTS, who were home in South Korea), in lieu of having the VMAs all in one room, due to the pandemic.
The annual awards show was taken over by The Weeknd and Lady Gaga, who each won multiple awards throughout the evening. The Weeknd earned the coveted Video of the Year award, along with Best R&B Video, for “Blinding Lights.” He also performed his hit from the observation deck at Hudson Yards. The Weekend’s acceptance speech was brief and solemn, simply saying, “It’s hard for me to celebrate right now and enjoy this moment. So I’m just going to say justice for Jacob Blake and justice for Breonna Taylor. Thank you.”
Lady Gaga won for Artist of the Year, while her duet with Ariana Grande, “Rain On Me,” was named Song of the Year as well as Best Collaboration and earned the Best Cinematography award too. Gaga was also honored with the new Tricon Award, which may be a replacement for the Video Vanguard Award, formerly the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Gaga promoted wearing masks as protection from the coronavirus by wearing a series of unique ones throughout the evening. Gaga and Grande also teamed up for a performance of “Rain on Me” as part of a medley of tunes off Chromatica.
K-Pop superstars BTS won four awards: Best Pop Video, Best K-Pop Video and best Choreography for “On,” as well as Best Group. Best Direction went to Taylor Swift‘s “The Man,” which was directed by Swift herself. Doja Cat was named Best New Artist. “Mother’s Daughter” by Miley Cyrus won for Best Art Direction and Best Editing.
Cyrus also sang her new single “Midnight Sky,” and in a homage to her famous “Wrecking Ball” single, swung in on a giant mirrorball instead. DaBaby performed a medley of his tunes as well as part of the roster of remote performers as well.
