The VMAs were an awesome kick off to the awards season, taking place on Sep. 7. From Mariah Carey’s long-overdue recognition to Tate McRae’s speedo-wearing dancers, the show was equally historic and entertaining.
My favorite moment of the night was Mariah Carey finally getting her flowers. It’s still hard to believe she had never won a VMA before, which she subtly expressed in her speech. Later in the show, watching her glide through her hits “Fantasy,” “Obsessed,” and “We Belong Together” just proved how much she deserved the Vanguard award and the Best R&B award.
Ariana Grande’s sweep was impressive but not surprising. “Brighter Days Ahead” ended up winning the Video of the Year, Pop Video and Long Form Video awards. Her acceptance speech dragged a little, especially with the mic issues, but I liked how earnest she was.
Alex Warren was granted the Best New Artists award; he also performed two hits from his album, “You will be alright kid”, including “Eternity” and the massive hit: “Ordinary.” He definitely contributed to the show’s upbeat and unique energy.
Deservingly, Tate McaRae won Song of Summer with “Just Keep Watching,” from the movie F1. She also won Best Edit for her music video. She performed two hits, from “So Close To What,” a snippet of “Revolving Door” and then transitioned to “Sports Car.” Her smooth set transitions and scandalously dressed dancers stole the show!
Sabrina Carpenter, though, might have had the biggest leap forward. Her wins made it official: she’s no longer the underdog. She’s firmly a pop star now. Not only did she receive Best Album for “Short n’ Sweet,” but also won Best Pop Artist, and Best Visual Effects for her new song, “Manchild.” She then performed her latest hit, “Tears,” from her album “Man’s Best Friend,” with muscular police officers and drag queens.
The VMAs have been full of highs and lows, silliness and madness. My favorite part of the show was that all of my favorite artists won awards. I was especially pleased to see Ariana Grande’s big comeback with music after focusing more on acting. My two favorite performances would have to be Sabrina Carpenter’s and Tate McRae’s. They were both very unique and stood out from all other VMA performances. Overall, the show was very fun and silly, which makes this show go in the history books!