If there’s anything we know about the VMA’s, it’s that they have gone down in history as the most controversial and memorable awards. They have created some of the most talked about and iconic pop culture moments in history – from the popular Madonna and Britney spears kiss, which happened in 2003, to Kanye West taking Taylor Swift’s spotlight in 2009.
The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards took place on Sunday, August 28th in the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. And there are definitely some moments that are worth discussing. Like how they brought out some of the music industry’s best and most iconic artists on stage this year, from Eminem and Snoop Dogg to LL Cool J and Fergie. Let’s have a look at some of the best, and iconic moments from this year’s VMA’s.
JACK HARLOW – FIRST CLASS OPENING
By now, we all have either used Jack Harlow’s First Class in an Instagram reel or heard it playing somewhere, and surely you can agree that it’s a masterpiece. It just had to be the Show opener. The 24-year-old opened the show by performing the song inside an airplane set. He was dressed as a flight attendant and surrounded by celebrities such as Lil Nas X, Avril Lavigne, Chloe Bailey, Jimmy Fallon, Saucy Santana, and Becky G. Harlow then shook the crowd when he brought out the ever-so iconic Fergie. The former Black Eyed Peas vocalist sang part of her 2006 smash hit Glamorous, which is the original sample of Harlow’s First Class hit. Fergie wore a metallic silver skirt and top with “first class” printed in red.
NICKI MINAJ’S HOT MEDLEY PERFORMANCE
The 2022 recipient of the most prestigious award – The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award – Nicki Minaj set the stage on fire. With a Barbie Dream doll backdrop featuring several rooms and a slide, her medley performance was hands down one of the best of the night. The Head Barb in Charge did a show-stopping medley of her biggest hits. She performed snippets from tracks including “Monster,” “Beez in the Trap,” “Moment 4 Life” and “Super Bass” all against a Barbie Dreamhouse backdrop. Nicki then performed her Hot 100 song “Super Freaky Girl”, complete with a pole and male dancers wearing leather outfits.
LGBTQI SHOUTOUT BY DOVE CAMERON
“I want to dedicate this to all of the queer kids out there who don’t feel that they can take up space and inhabit the fullness of who they are,”
— Dove Cameron
Former Disney star, Dove Cameron has worked hard to step out of the shadows, and with her musical theatre traces in productions like Hairspray, and the off-Broadway production Clueless, she’s making a mark in the industry. The star was up against tough competition in the Best New Artist Category such as Måneskin, Baby Keem, Latto, Gayle, and SEVENTEEN and she came out top! During her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award to all queer kids.
Earlier this month, Cameron released her latest single, “Breakfast” alongside a music video created in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed the right to abortion in every state.
LIZZO’S 2 B LOVED PERFOMANCE
As expected, Lizzo delivered a stellar performance of her newly released hit song “2 B Loved (Am I Ready) right after hitting a few bars from her No.1 hit song and fan favorite “About Damn Time”. Lizzo channeled Tom Hanks’s 1988 movie “Big” as she played the light-up floor piano with her feet. The multiple MVA winner had fans bopping their heads and singing along to the catchy lyrics of her new single. She wore a cute bubblegum pink ensemble against a backdrop of dozens of minor Lizzos.
BAD BUNNY’S HOMAGE TO BRITNEY AND MADONA
Reggaeton star Bad Bunny invited the MTV VMAs to his show which was happening simultaneously at the Yankee Stadium in New York City, where he performed “Titi Me Preguntó.” During the song, he kissed one of his male backup dancers, and yes, you guessed right, that moment was immediately compared to the iconic Madonna and Britney Spears kiss.
TAYLOR SWIFT’S “MIDNIGHT” COMEBACK
Taylor Swift obviously still has her fans in a chokehold. While accepting her award for Best Video, Swift mentioned that she was releasing a new album on October 21, 2022, and she would reveal more details at midnight. She announced the release of “Midnights,” which she describes as a “collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams.” Twitter erupted into chaos, and the phrase “meet me at midnight” began trending.
The MTV MVA’s continue to be a platform that celebrates artistry and creativity in the Music and Video creation industry. The escapades however are never really related to what the awards are about, and perhaps that’s what makes the moments so iconic – the controversy of it all.
What were some of your best moments from the night? Let us know through our social media channels.
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