Taylor Swift dominated the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night (28.08.22) with three wins.
The pop star took home three trophies from the glitzy ceremony in Newark, New Jersey including the coveted Video of the Year for ‘All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)’ – making her the first artist to win the prize three times and the first to win for a video they directed themselves.
She also took home accolades for Best Longform Video and Best Direction for the short film which starred ‘Stranger Things’ actress Sadie Sink.
Picking up the Best Direction prize, she told the audience at the Prudential Center: “I’m so honored to have been recognized alongside such amazing artists and directors in this category, and I just want to say I am so heartened by the fact that, for the first time in VMA history, four of the directors nominated in this video of the year category are women.
Taylor added: “You guys, I’m just so proud of what we made, and I now that every second of this moment that we wouldn’t have been able to make this short film if it weren’t for you, the fans. Because I wouldn’t be able to rerecord my album if it weren’t for you. You emboldened me to do that.”
Taylor also used her platform on the night to announce plans to release a new album called ‘Midnights’ in October.
She said of the new project : “I had sort of made up my mind that if you were going to be this generous and give us this, I thought it might be a fun moment to tell you that my brand-new album comes out October 21st. And I will tell you more at midnight.”
It was also a big night for Lizzo who won the Video for Good prize for ‘About Damn Time’ and former One Direction star who took home the Album of the Year honor for ‘Harry’s House’ as well as Cinematography and Best Pop for ‘As It Was’.
Best New Artist went to Dove Cameron, Puerto-Rican Reggaeton star Bad Bunny took home Artist of the Year and 2021 Eurovision Song Contest champions.
Bad Bunny, wearing a satin pink suit and white sunglasses, accepted the award via video and also delivered a seismic performance of his smash “Titi Me Pregunto” from the baseball stadium in New York, where the song has soundtracked the streets for months.
“Thank you so much, New York,” the 28-year-old said in Spanish to resounding applause.
Maneskin won Best Alternative for ‘I Wanna Be Your Slave’ while Song of the Year went to Billie Eilish for ‘Happier Than Ever’.
Hip hop superstar Nicki Minaj reigned over the evening as the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Video Vanguard Award.
Wearing her signature pink wig, the hip-hop icon from Queens delivered a medley of her hits including “Super Bass” and her most recent single “Super Freaky Girl.”
Brazil’s Anitta also turned heads with a booty-popping performance before winning the award for best Latin video for “Envolver.”
“I was born and raised in the ghetto of Brazil, and for whoever was born there, we would never think this was possible,” she said when accepting the trophy.
BTS saw off competition from fellow K-pop act Blackpink to win Best Group while Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow also won a clutch of awards for their collaboration ‘Industry Baby’ including Best Collaboration, Art Direction and Best Visual Effects.
