Taylor Swift Celebrates Major Victories at the MTV Video Music Awards

Taylor Swift had a stellar night at the MTV Video Music Awards, taking home the night’s biggest honor: Video of the Year for her hit “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone. During her acceptance speech, Swift expressed gratitude to her “boyfriend, Travis,” referring to NFL star Travis Kelce, who was on set for the music video. She praised Kelce for his positive influence, then pivoted to encourage her fans over 18 to register to vote for the 2024 presidential election, although she did not address Kamala Harris’ presidential bid directly from the stage.

Swift’s impressive haul at the awards pushes her career total to 30 VMAs, tying her with Beyoncé for the most wins in VMA history. Eminem, meanwhile, has now achieved the record for the most VMAs won by a male artist, with 14.

In addition to her major win, Swift and Post Malone received the first televised award of the evening for Best Collaboration for “Fortnight,” presented by Flavor Flav and Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles. Swift began her speech with a tribute to the victims of 9/11, reflecting on the significance of the day before discussing Malone, whom she described as a beloved collaborator in the music industry.

Chappell Roan was honored with the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, dedicating her win to drag and queer artists, and delivering an impressive medieval-themed performance of her hit “Good Luck, Babe.”

Sabrina Carpenter won Song of the Year for “Espresso” and delivered a heartfelt speech to her fans. Katy Perry was awarded the Video Vanguard Award and performed a medley of her greatest hits. She also teased a new song, “I’m His, He’s Mine,” featuring Doechii.

Other highlights of the evening included performances from Karol G, Rauw Alejandro, LL COOL J, and Halsey. Blackpink’s LISA won Best K-Pop and made her solo debut at the VMAs, while Anitta won Best Latin.

The 40th MTV Video Music Awards, held at UBS Arena on Long Island, New York, was a star-studded event that celebrated significant moments from the history of the VMAs and featured a wide array of performances across genres. The awards were broadcast on MTV and simulcast on several other networks, including BET, CMT, and Univision.