MTV EMA 2022: A night of legends where Taylor Swift, Muse and Ora/Waititi made their own myth

The MTV Europe Music Awards 2022 (MTV EMA) dejron

For the second time in its history, the awards MTV Europe Music Awards (MTV EMA) were performed at DusseldorfGermany, on a night that had an unexpected and surprising protagonist: Taylor Swiftwho won four of the six categories in which he competed (Best Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Video and Best Long Video).

Rumors about the arrival of the American in Germany began to circulate early, and were confirmed when the composer behind the praised “Midnights”, released weeks ago, burst onto the red carpet to unleash a euphoria that none of the other artists could match. . Not even Damon Albarn and Gorillazwith whom he starred in a controversial bustle during the days of the pandemic.

But this was not the only novelty of the ceremony, which had as entertainers Rita prays and New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi (one of the most beloved couples in Great Britain), who after their applauded leadership at the EMA 2022 are already among the short and scarce list of figures capable of leading galas of this magnitude (in days when the animation of the Oscars is a problem every year, the Ora/Waititi duo already has several points in its favour).

Between award and award, the MTV EMAs did not ignore the city that received them and neither did their most illustrious children: kraftwerkfathers of electronic music whose myth has even become a tourist attraction for the German city.

With praise from Nile Rodgers himself and described as “drivers of audiovisual innovation in music”, the futuristic spirit of the quartet was a constant in the evening held at the PSD Bank Domewhich more than met the expectations of the show.

The start, however, was installed from the other end of electronics: with David Guetta from a platform squeezing knobs (or miming that) in a presentation where he shared credits with the always famous Baby Rexha who also dazzled on the red carpet.

Immediately after, without introductions, came one of the most polished shows of the evening: musewith a very heavy version of “Will Of The People” with fire and distortion to the rhythm of one of the most popular rock shows in the world. The British, later and justly, would lift the trophy for Best Rock Artist.

Gorillaz In collaboration with thundercatin a session recorded a day before at the MTV World Stage, was the second pearl of the EMA 2022, which had additional pepper in the stands with the memory of the Albarn/Swift lawsuit. On stage, they gave shape to “Cracker Island”, one of the advances of the new album of the animated band that will bear the same name.

Ava Maxwith a version of “Million Dollar Baby”, OneRepublic with “I Ain’t Worried”, the popular and solid lewis capaldi with “Forget Me” Live and the tribute to Ukraine by Kalush Orchestrawere other of the postcards of the MTV Europe Music Awards, which this year completely returned to face-to-face.

Gayle (the most acclaimed of the ceremony after the irruptions of Swift) with the world hit “abcdefu”, and Tate McRae with a medley of “She’s All I Wanna Be” and “Uh Oh”, were other highlights of the award ceremony, which said a big farewell to Germany before around 20,000 attendees.

Among the absent it was impossible not to remember Rosalia (perhaps this year’s big loser as she did not win any of the five categories in which she was nominated), the Brazilian Anitta (who won Best Latin Artist and sent a greeting of thanks), Harry Styles (undoubtedly the “European of the year” as far as pop is concerned) and Nicki Minajwho demonstrated in the stands how much his satirical songs weigh and empathize with old Europe.