The Music Television (MTV) Video Music Awards (VMAs) hit the stage on September 7. For many music lovers, this is one of the biggest events alongside the Grammys. The night was filled with colorful performances, extravagant outfits, and flashing lights. Many deserving artists won awards from a variety of categories, yet controversies have arisen among the winners.
Emerging artist Sombr won best alternative for his song “Back to Friends.” However, I feel that there were many more deserving artists for this award. The song encompasses more of a pop mood than an alternative one, contradicting the award. Songs like “Back to Me” by The Marías, or “Sailor Song” by Gigi Perez, were significantly more deserving. The only true reason Sombr was capable of winning this award was his extreme popularity on social media platforms. Alternative music usually has a deeper cut embedded in its lyrics, yet “Back to Friends” does not have much emotional meaning.
For best new artist, Alex Warren won against Ella Langley, Gigi Perez, Lola Young, Sombr, and The Marías. However, there were several other deserving artists that came through this year with beautiful music. For example, The Marías released songs like “Back to Me” and “Nobody New” this year. These tracks were some of the biggest hits for music lovers worldwide, and often appear in sad music mixes.
Although the VMAs had several controversial winners, the night also featured colorful performances filled with powerful ballads. Performers included Conan Gray, J Balvin, Sombr, Warren, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Post Malone and Jelly Roll, Sabrina Carpenter, Busta Rhymes, Tate McRae, Ricky Martin, and Doja Cat. Some of my favorites were Gray, Carpenter, and Doja Cat, who truly did something different with their performances.
Carpenter performed her newest hit, “Tears,” off her new album “Manchild.” At the end of her performance, she staged a rain scene reminiscent of Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time.” Additionally, Carpenter brought out drag queen backup dancers holding transgender rights signs. Given the country’s political state, the statement made a big impact on those currently being affected.
Gray closed the VMAs with his performance of “Vodka Cranberry.” Through the song, he told the story of painful moments before a breakup. His performance used the “Romeo and Juliet” trope, featuring Corey Fogelmanis, to capture the tragic love story. At the end, Gray delivered a soaring vocal note that shocked the audience. Out of all the VMA performances I have watched, Gray’s was one of the best.
The VMAs were filled with a variety of music, controversial awards, and memorable performances. With these controversial awards, there will always be a few that seem to go to the wrong artist. Along with this, most of the performances will go down in VMA history, and will not be forgotten. This year’s ceremony was filled with so many beautiful artists and moments that it will be remembered for years to come.
