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Taylor Swift the BԪַAnti-HeroBԪַ of surprise-flavoured BԪַ Music Awards

Swift took home 9 of the 11 awards she was up for, including artist of the year
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The red carpet is pictured prior to the MTV BԪַ Music Awards on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Taylor Swift took home the top prize at the for her BԪַAnti-HeroBԪַ music video on a night full of surprises.

BԪַThis is unbelievable. The fact that this is a fan-voted award means so much to me,BԪַ Swift said in her acceptance speech. BԪַI canBԪַt believe it was a year ago that I announced the BԪַMidnightsBԪַ album.BԪַ

The show, held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, was SwiftBԪַs from nearly the beginning. The nightBԪַs first presenters were none other than NSYNC, who reunited to hand the best pop video award to Swift.

In coordinating suits, Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick and JC Chasez shared the stage with Swift. Bass handed her a friendship bracelet, at the superstarBԪַs shows. BԪַYouBԪַre pop personified,BԪַ she told the group.

The nightBԪַs top nominee later returned to the stage to pick up the song of the year trophy for BԪַAnti-HeroBԪַ and also the best direction award.

Swift took home nine of the 11 awards she was up for, including artist of the year in a category made up entirely of women nominees for the first time in VMA history.

Her BԪַKarma (Remix)BԪַ collaborator, Ice Spice, won best new artist. BԪַOh my God, this is so cool,BԪַ she said. BԪַI just want to thank my munchkins.BԪַ

New music was abundant throughout the show. Host Nicki Minaj performed her latest single, the dreamy BԪַLast Time I Saw YouBԪַ before jumping into a brand-new tease of a fiery new trap cut from her highly-anticipated BԪַPink Friday 2BԪַ album.

BԪַI ainBԪַt nothing like you,BԪַ she raps, BԪַIBԪַm on a whole other level.BԪַ

As much as Swift dominated, the VMAs centered on musicBԪַs global power. K-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together and Brazilian superstar Anitta premiered their new collaboration, the glossy retro-pop of BԪַBack for More.BԪַ

Another K-pop group, Stray Kids, brought BԪַS-ClassBԪַ to the stage, regional Mexicana star Peso Pluma performed BԪַLady GagaBԪַ and reggaetonera Karol G delivered BԪַOki DokiBԪַ and BԪַTá OK (remix),BԪַ

Comedian Tiffany Haddish presented the award for BԪַBest AfrobeatsBԪַ in the categoryBԪַs inaugural year, given to Rema and Selena Gomez for their

BԪַAfrica in the house!BԪַ Rema started his acceptance speech. BԪַShout out to Fela (Kuti) who started Afrobeats in the first placeBԪַand I want to give a big shout out to the next generation of Afrobeats.BԪַ

Gomez stood a few feet from the microphone but jumped in when Rema asked her to, telling the crowd: BԪַI want to send all of my love to Nigeria, thank you.BԪַ

Colombian icon Shakira received the and performed an incredible bilingual medley of her decades of hits BԪַ BԪַShe Wolf,BԪַ her collaboration with Rauw Alejandro BԪַTe Felicito,BԪַ the viral, record-breaking BԪַShakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53BԪַ with Bizarrap among them BԪַ in a set introduced by her BԪַHips DonBԪַt LieBԪַ collaborator Wyclef Jean.

BԪַMTV, thank you for being such a big part of my career since I was only 18 years old,BԪַ Shakira said, also thanking her parents and her children, who she brought to the show.

BԪַThis is for you my people, my Latin American people, inside and outside this country,BԪַ she said, switching to Spanish. BԪַThank you for inspiring me and for injecting me with so much strength and so much desire to move forward, I love you so much.BԪַ

She also took home the award for best collaboration for BԪַTQG,BԪַ her song with Karol G. The duo gave their acceptance speech entirely in Spanish. BԪַIf collaborating with the legendary Shakira had been impressive, having an award with her is something from another planet,BԪַ Karol G exclaimed.

Diddy received the Global Icon Award from Mary J. Blige and his daughter Chance Combs. He is third recipient of the award, following the and the Foo Fighters in 2021.

The legendary rapper also performed at the VMAs for the first time since 2005. It was an incredible collection of some of his biggest hits like BԪַBad Boy for LifeBԪַ and BԪַMo Money Mo Problems,BԪַ joined by some of his greatest collaborators: Yung Miami, Keyshia Cole, and sweetest of all, his son, King Combs.

BԪַLove wins, yBԪַall, love wins,BԪַ he started his speech. BԪַI started out as a paper boy, I didnBԪַt know I was going to be here.BԪַ He then led the audience with a chant of BԪַbad boy.BԪַ

BԪַThis is for 30 years,BԪַ he continued. BԪַI pray to God that you get to do what you love for 30 years.BԪַ

Lil Wayne opened the show with a performance of his new single BԪַKat Food.BԪַ Immediately afterward, brought her BԪַVampireBԪַ music video set to the stage, before launching into her cheeky pop-punk single BԪַGet Him Back!BԪַ

Between the two tracks, snippets of her sold singles played aloud BԪַ at the same moment, she was rushed from the staged in a pre-planned BԪַmalfunction,BԪַ further mirroring the BԪַVampireBԪַ video and symbolizing a

The live sets were many: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion brought BԪַBongosBԪַ to life with big choreography; Demi Lovato played a rock BԪַnBԪַ roll medley of her biggest hits: BԪַHeart Attack,BԪַ into BԪַSorry Not Sorry,BԪַ BԪַCool for the SummerBԪַ before the best K-pop award was given to Stray Kids.

Later, Anitta would win the BԪַbest LatinBԪַ award for the second year in a row, delivering one of the more endearing acceptance speeches of the night BԪַ BԪַI wanna thank myself,BԪַ she laughed. BԪַBecause I work so hard!BԪַ

French Montana used his position as best R&B presenter alongside Ashanti to draw attention to , spotlighting a relief fund that he said he would personally donate to. Montana .

Near the end of the show, the MTV BԪַ Music Awards celebrated with a star-studded finale performance. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five started with BԪַThe Message,BԪַ which led to Doug E. Fresh and Slick RickBԪַs BԪַThe Show.BԪַ Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, LL Cool J and DMC of Run-DMC closed it out BԪַ an energetic celebration of a multigenerational culture.

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