From Madonna voguing in Versailles to Beyoncé’s child bump reveal, the MTV Video Music Awards have by no means skimped on excessive drama.
The fireworks continued at Sunday’s present in Newark, New Jersey. Regardless of a much less star-studded lineup than previous years, the telecast nonetheless supplied memorable performances from A-list musicians together with Lizzo, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Pink Scorching Chili Peppers, J Balvin and Dangerous Bunny. In the meantime, five-time VMA winner Nicki Minaj celebrated her Video Vanguard Award with a career-spanning medley of her best hits.
As artists took the Prudential Heart stage all through the night time, here is our stay rating of one of the best and worst performances:
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13. Eminem and Snoop Dogg, ‘From the D 2 the LBC’
Two rap icons, taking the VMAs stage collectively for the primary time in 20 years. It ought to’ve been an on the spot spotlight of this yr’s present – however as an alternative, Eminem and Snoop Dogg’s efficiency of “From the D 2 the LBC” acquired misplaced within the metaverse. The hip-hop stars have been utilizing Bored Ape Yacht Membership NFTs for his or her new collaboration’s cowl artwork and music video, and took the sidelines for the majority of Sunday’s “efficiency” as their monkey avatars rapped inside an outsized pinball machine and spider net, amongst different computer-generated locales. It was solely towards the top of the track that it lastly got here alive, as Eminem and Snoop “awakened” on a sofa onstage and completed the monitor in particular person. Props for making an attempt one thing completely different, however possibly preserve your NFT away from our MTV subsequent time.
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12. Kane Brown, ‘Grand’
On Sunday, Kane Brown turned the primary male nation singer ever to carry out on the VMAs. Bathed in inexperienced and blue neon lights on an outside stage, the 28-year-old crossover artist made each second rely as he sang a sprightly rendition of “Grand,” his pop-leaning anthem about appreciating the massive and small issues in life.
11. Marshmello and Khalid, ‘Numb’
Khalid’s silky vocals had been characteristically flawless, as he and digital artist Marshmello took the stage to carry out upbeat team-up “Numb,” their second collaboration after 2017’s “Silence.” If solely we might’ve really seen what was occurring: Due to a psychedelic digital camera filter, a lot of the efficiency was extraordinarily blurred and out of focus, with multiple viewers complaining on Twitter that it made them dizzy.
10. Blackpink, ‘Pink Venom’
The Ok-pop quartet made their VMAs debut in sensational fashion, showing from a cloud of pink smoke to carry out their newest single “Pink Venom.” Wearing all black and flanked by backup dancers, the woman group deftly executed tight choreography that was as punchy and sultry because the track’s lyrics.
9. J Balvin and Ryan Castro, ‘Nivel de Perreo’
The Colombian superstars took over the telecast early within the night time for a raunchy rendition of their collaboration “Nivel de Perreo,” backed by a line of faceless, latex-clad backup dancers straight out of “American Horror Story.” However the actual scene-stealer was a projection of a large, silvery girl in a bikini, bringing some “Jack and the Beanstalk” realness to the VMAs as she twerked and towered over the gang for the track’s total three minutes.
8. Dangerous Bunny, ‘Tití Me Preguntó’
Dangerous Bunny, who performed a pair of headlining exhibits at New York’s Yankee Stadium this weekend, delivered a dynamic distant efficiency of “Tití Me Preguntó,” from his chart-dominating fifth album “Un Verano Sin Ti.” The sunglass-clad reggaeton celebrity had no bother fascinating the big stadium viewers, making the VMAs really feel like his personal private live performance.
7. Lizzo, ‘2 Be Beloved (Am I Prepared)’
After singing a couple of bars of her infectious No. 1 hit “About Rattling Time,” Lizzo channeled Tom Hanks circa 1988’s “Large”: taking part in a light-up ground piano together with her toes as she launched into her high-energy new single “2 Be Beloved (Am I Prepared).” Performing upstage and away from the viewers, she typically acquired engulfed by the large wall of projections behind her. Nonetheless, it was exhausting to not get swept up within the genre-smashing artist’s enthusiasm, significantly as she danced in a bubblegum pink ensemble in opposition to a backdrop of dozens of miniature Lizzos.
6. Panic! On the Disco, ‘Don’t Let the Gentle Go Out’
Brendon Urie’s unmistakable voice was on show in “Don’t Let the Gentle Go Out,” because the frontman crooned on to the digital camera earlier than jamming together with his band on the hood of a automobile. Pyrotechnics lit up the backdrop because the efficiency went from black and white to paint, delivering a genuinely thrilling climax to this yr’s VMAs.
5. Måneskin, ‘Supermodel’
Wait, what occurred right here? Glam rock up-and-comers Måneskin had been halfway by a fiery efficiency of “Supermodel” when the digital camera minimize away from the band for almost half the track, solely returning to focus proper on the very finish. Did a digital camera operator make a serious gaffe? Or was there a wardrobe malfunction for lead singer Damiano David, who flashed his naked bum to the viewers whereas rocking leather-based chaps? No matter what went down, Måneskin definitely has our consideration.
4. Anitta, ‘Envolver’
Anitta, who gained one of the best Latin award for viral hit “Envolver,” is shortly proving why she’s one of many fastest-rising stars within the U.S. proper now. Descending a white set of stairs in a lacy crimson bodysuit, the Brazilian singer oozed character as she led her dancers in some genuinely steamy, after which joyous, choreography.
3. Pink Scorching Chili Peppers, ‘Black Summer season’ and ‘Can’t Cease’
Generally, all you want are devices and a stage. Pink Scorching Chili Peppers forewent any bells and whistles for his or her VMAs efficiency, placing their peerless musicianship heart stage as they blazed their means by new track “Black Summer season” and set-list staple “Can’t Cease.” The veteran rockers, who took house the World Icon Award, had been the epitome of cool in crimson fishnet shirts and excessive yellow socks, with pink-haired bassist Flea incomes screams as he cheekily gyrated in the course of the electrifying intro of “Can’t Cease.”
2. Nicki Minaj, Video Vanguard Award medley
And that’s why she’s nonetheless the present queen of rap. As this yr’s recipient of the Video Vanguard Award, which honors an artist’s affect on music movies and popular culture, Nicki Minaj blew by almost a dozen of her most recognizable songs in a bedazzled pink and purple getup, full with a large bow. After a too-rushed starting that didn’t give her career-making “Monster” verse its correct due, the rapper settled right into a groove with crowd favorites “Second 4 Life” and “Tremendous Bass” as she twerked and strutted throughout the Barbie Dreamhouse-inspired stage. She ended the medley with a frisky and enjoyable tackle her Rick James-sampling No. 1 single “Tremendous Freaky Woman,” a deserved track of summer time if we’ve ever heard one.
1. Jack Harlow and Fergie, ‘First Class’ and ‘Glamorous’
Recent off his breakout success final summer time with Lil Nas X’s “Trade Child,” Jack Harlow delivered an on the spot traditional VMAs efficiency. Dressed as a flight attendant, the suave rapper walked down the aisle of an airplane as he carried out his chart-topper “First Class,” playfully interacting with “passengers” together with Avril Lavigne alongside the way in which. He then made his technique to the Prudential Heart stage, revealing shock visitor Fergie, whose 2007 hit “Glamorous” is closely sampled within the monitor. The screaming crowd – which included a number of cutaways to Taylor Swift – was gleefully driving the nostalgia excessive, with Fergie and Harlow their effortlessly charismatic captains.
