Lady Gaga dominated an unusual year for the MTV Video Music awards, winning five awards in a strange and disconcerting evening.
The singer, who led the evening with nine nominations and wore a variety of masks through the night, accepted awards for artist of the year, song of the year, best cinematography and best collaboration for Rain on Me and the inaugural Tricon award, which recognizes an artist who is highly accomplished across three or more disciplines.
“Just because we’re separated right now, and culture may feels less alive in some ways, I know a Renaissance is coming,” she said during her final acceptance speech. “Stay safe, speak your mind, and I might sound like a broken record, but wear a mask — it’s a sign of respect.”
The VMAs was the first major awards broadcast to air since the coronavirus pandemic shuttered production in America. The hybrid program mixed video acceptances, audience-less performances, and an unearthly, unidentifiable studio base in New York City and leaned heavily on video effects and star enthusiasm.
An ebullient Keke Palmer hosted from an outdoor set somewhere near the Empire State Building (“They’ve got me on top of every building,” she joked) before an “audience” whose reality was difficult to discern (“crowd noise” tracks were almost certainly used). The multi-hyphenate host kicked off the ceremony with a pre-recorded video honoring Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who died at age 43 on Friday after a previously undisclosed, four-year fight with colon cancer. Boseman was “a true hero”, said Palmer, “not just on screen, but in every thing he did.”
Other winners included The Weeknd for best video for Blinding Lights, Taylor Swift for best direction for The Man, Maluma’s Qué Pena for best Latin, Megan Thee Stallion’s Savage for best hip-hop, On by BTS for best pop, and Doja Cat for best new artist.