Justin Bieber, the Korean band BTS and Olivia Rodrigo triumph on MTV in a gala with an audience

The MTV network celebrated this Sunday with a face-to-face gala the 37th edition of its Video Music Awards (VMA), in which Justin Bieber and Megan Thee Stallion started as favorites and bad bunny he was the artist with the most nominations among Latinos. The show featured the American rapper Doja Cat as master of ceremonies and took place at the Barclays Center stadium in Brooklyn, New York. The Korean band BTS has won the award for best K-Pop with butter. This is the third year in a row that he has won the award. With more than 25 million votes, the Koreans have also won the award for the best group of the year, thus tying No Doubt at three. The seven young people had prepared a video of thanks, which they posted to the second on Twitter to the delight of their millions of fans around the world. Justin Bieber won the award for best pop song for Peaches and Olivia Rodrigo won her first VMAs in the Song of the Year and Push Artist of the Year categories.

Unlike last year’s call, which due to the limitations of the pandemic interspersed recorded performances and others outdoors from different places in New York, the 2021 installment landed at the Brooklyn arena with an event full of stars and public in straight. As the diary recalled USAToday on the eve of the ceremony, it is a show that, on purpose or not, generates many viral moments, “halfway between inspiration and irritation”: Lady Gaga’s steak suit in the 2010 edition, Miley Cyrus’s hypersexualized performance in 2013 or the kiss of Britney Spears, Madonna and Christina Aguilera a year earlier. As usual, the red carpet has been a display of imagination.

The queen of pop, encased in a black leather corset and peaked cap, paid tribute to MTV, which turns 40, remembering her arrival in New York and how her career emerged alongside the music network, while on the iconic images of him were projected on stage. “They said we wouldn’t last, but we’re still here,” the artist said. Behind her, Justin Bieber, who had not attended the awards since 2015, performed electrifyingly Ghost.

Jennifer Lopez and Cindi Lauper presented two awards and the latter took advantage of the microphone to launch a plea in favor of the right to abortion -restricted almost 100% in the State of Texas-, affirming that women “want to have control over their bodies”.

Among the gala performances, the Foo Fighters, recognized as a Global Icon -a new category- for their 25 years in music, played today at the VMAs for the first time since 2007. The rock band shared the stage with Camila Cabello, Chlöe, Doja Cat, Kacey Musgraves, Shawn Mendes, Normani, Olivia Rodrigo, Ozuna, Tainy and Twenty One Pilots. Some of the special performances planned included Travis Barker and Machine Gun Kelly, in the presentation of their new single, papercuts. Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow performed Industry Baby live for the first time.

At the head of the nominees was Justin Bieber. A high-level cameo in the video pop star and its success Peaches placed the singer at the top of the list with seven nominations, including artist of the year. Megan Thee Stallion was close behind with six, including the same category. Most of the rapper’s nominations were for the song WAPa duet with Cardi B. With five options each appeared billie eilishBTS, Doja Cat, Drake, Giveon, Lil Nas X and Olivia Rodrigo.