NEW YORK -- Taylor Swift and Post Malone took home the first award of the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards for best collaboration, handed to them by Flavor Flav and Olympian Jordan Chiles.
Swift started her speech by giving remembrance to everyone who lost their lives and loved ones during 9/11, 23 years ago, before discussing Malone.
"There is a reason Post Malone is everyone in music's favourite person to collaborate with," she shifted her attention to him. "It has taken forever for me to get him to stop calling me ma'am."
Women dominated the award show, no example greater than an imaginative, medieval set from Chappell Roan.
Drag queen Sasha Colby introduced her with "your favourite drag queen's favourite artist," a reference to Roan's now famous Coachella performance, which in turn was inspired by Colby. Real fans no doubt got a kick out of the hyper-referential tidbit.
Roan appeared in armour, shooting a lit crossbow to castle gates that stood behind her, burning them in the process. Her dancers were knights, battling each other in incredible choreography as she sang her queer pop hit, "Good Luck, Babe."
Tyla won the best Afrobeats award.
Katy Perry received the Video Vanguard Award, performing a eight-song medley spanning her career: "Roar," "E.T.," "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "I Kissed a Girl," "Firework," "Lifetimes."
"I did that all on the first day of my period, can you believe it?" she joked in her acceptance speech. "There are so many things that have to align to have a long and successful career as an artist. There are no decade long accidents."
She also teased a new song, "I'm His, He's Mine," featuring Doechii, which samples the Crystal Waters classic, "Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee La Da Da)."
Previous recipients of the Video Vanguard Award include Shakira, Beyonce, Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and Missy Elliott.
Few artists are having a bigger year than Sabrina Carpenter, who brought her summery-pop to the award show. She powered through her hit singles "Please Please Please," "Taste" and "Espresso" while dancing with a moon man and an alien.
An army of Slim Shady-lookalikes followed Eminem as he kicked off the VMAs , launching into a medley of his hits "Houdini" and "Somebody Save Me," featuring a broadcast feed of Jelly Roll. (The song references Jelly Roll's massive country radio hit, "Save Me.")
Megan Thee Stallion welcomed the crowd as a first-time host Wednesday night, who joked that the VMAs now stands for the "voluptuous Megan awards."
Then Karol G took over, for a fiery performance of her hit, "Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido."
Blackpink's LISA made her way to the VMA stage for the first time as a soloist, powering through two of her brand-new singles, "New Woman" and "Rockstar." Shawn Mendes made along-awaited return, debuting a new John Mayer-esq. acoustic number, "Nobody Knows."
Anitta performed "Paradise," "Alegria," and "Savage Funk," joined by DJ Khaled, Fat Joe and Tiago PZK.
The 40th VMAs are being held at the UBS Arena on New York's Long Island.
The night is stacked celebrities and promises a lot more Swift, who arrived at the award show wearing a green tartan corset with a matching train and long black leather gloves.
The pop star leads the nominations with 12 -- eight for her "Fortnight" music video, two social categories and nods in the best pop and artist of the year categories. She's followed by her "Fortnight" collaborator Post Malone, who has 11. He is nominated along with Swift 10 times and earned his 11th nom for his country hit "I Had Some Help," featuring Morgan Wallen.
Winning would give Swift a prominent stage to voice support for Kamala Harris' presidential bid. Swift endorsed the vice president Tuesday night, moments after Harris' debate with former president Donald Trump ended.
Shaboozey reacted to her endorsement on the VMAs red carpet, telling The Associated Press, "I think you just do you, you know? Do what you're feel in your heart. Just be honest with yourself," he said. "Just walking your truth, you know."
If prior years are any indication, Swift may make multiple speeches.
She took home nine VMAs last year, bringing her total to an impressive 23. That places her just behind Beyonce, who has 30 and just ahead of Madonna, who has 20 awards. Lady Gaga, has 19.
Seven Swift wins would tie Beyonce's record, and if she wins eight, she could become the most awarded musician in VMA history.
That is, if Beyonce doesn't take home any of her own trophies. She's up for song of the year ("Texas Hold 'Em") and two social categories.
Throughout the night, MTV flashed back to history-making across the VMAs' 40-year-run, including Britney Spears' albino python and Madonna's performance of "Like A Virgin."
Other scheduled performers include Benson Boone, Megan Thee Stallion, GloRilla, Halsey, Lenny Kravitz, Rauw Alejandro, LL COOL J and Camila Cabello.
The VMAs are airing on MTV and simulcast on BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Nick at Nite, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1, and in Spanish on Univision.
