TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP
Taylor Swift cleaned up at Tuesday's MTV Video Music Awards and won the evening's top trophy, as Shakira accepted the night's prestigious Video Vanguard honour with a hip-shaking, career-spanning performance.
Swift continued her global reign by scooping awards including Best Song, Best Pop and Best Direction, as well as the top competitive award for Video of the Year, which she won for her hit "Anti-Hero."
BRB making this pic of @PostMalone and @taylorswift13 at the #VMAs my lock screen ???? pic.twitter.com/e6elH2xNQC
— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 12, 2024
A camera operator was reportedly tasked with filming Swift for the show's entire duration.
The nearly four-hour show which included some 20 performances ended without handing out awards in several categories, however, including for Artist of the Year, which for the first time was an all-women slate including Swift, Shakira and Beyonce.
Lil Wayne opened the show in a nod to this year's 50th anniversary of hip hop, and Sean Combs, known by his stage names Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy and Diddy, delivered a career-spanning performance as he accepted the night's Global Icon lifetime achievement award.
Rapper Nicki Minaj hosted the event for the second consecutive year, also debuting live her newest single, "Last Time I Saw You," which is slated for release on her album "Pink Friday 2" in November.
She won the night's award for Best Hip Hop, for "Super Freaky Girl."
South Africa's superstar, Tyla, who is featured on Elle Magazine's latest cover, also attended Wednesday's awards in New York.
ANGELA WEISS AFP
