Si è svolta ieri dal Barclays Center di Brooklyn, a New York, l’edizione 2021 dei Video Music Award di MTV, annuale premio che l’omonima emittente televisiva assegna alle star del mainstream che più hanno fatturato in termini di streaming e vendite. Anche quest’anno la lista dei premi assegnati è davvero lunga e, tra le categorie, non è mancato il Global Icon Award, celebrazione di una star (o band) il cui successo non conosce confini geografici, un prematuro premio alla carriera (che ai Brit Award di quest’anno è andato a Taylor Swift).
Il riconoscimento è andato ai Foo Fighters, formazione che quest’anno è tornata a calcare i palchi davanti a un pubblico vaccinato e non distanziato a supporto dell’album Medicine At Midnight, pubblicato all’inizio dell’anno.
A trionfare in quest’edizione sono stati però Justin Bieber e Olivia Rodrigo. Il primo si è portato a casa l’award più ambito (Artist of the year) e quello per il miglior act pop per il brano Peaches [ft. Daniel Caesar and Giveon], mentre Drivers License della seconda è la canzone dell’anno, così come sempre a lei è andato il premio come “miglior nuova artista”.
Anche alle popstar coreane BTS sono andati due importanti riconoscimenti (miglior gruppo e e miglior K-Pop con Butter). E un award se l’è preso anche la presentatrice, Doja Cat, che si è esibita sospesa in aria in uno dei live più originali della serata, e la cui Kiss Me More [ft. SZA] ha vinto nella sezione Best collaboration.
Dimenticavamo il premio per il quale i VMA sono nati, quello relativo al videoclip dell’anno. Se lo è aggiudicato Lil Nas X con Montero (Call Me by Your Name), un clip ultra digitale e virtualizzato che ha vinto anche nelle sezioni “miglior regia” e “migliori effetti speciali”.
Billie Eilish quasi a mani vuote. Assieme a Rosalía vince nella categoria “Latin” con Lo Vas a Olvidar, mentre, in proprio, la sola Your Power porta a casa il premio, ma in una categoria non certo primaria (Video for Good). L’edizione è stata introdotta a sorpresa da Madonna, che dalla passerella del Barclays ha stoccato tutti coloro che pensavano che quelli come lei non sarebbero durati.
Video of the Year
Cardi B: “WAP” [ft. Megan Thee Stallion]
DJ Khaled / Drake: “Popstar” (Starring Justin Bieber)
Doja Cat: “Kiss Me More” [ft. SZA]
Ed Sheeran: “Bad Habits”
Lil Nas X: “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”
The Weeknd: “Save Your Tears”
Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande
Doja Cat
Justin Bieber
Megan Thee Stallion
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
24kGoldn: “Mood” [ft. Iann Dior]
BTS: “Dynamite”
Cardi B: “WAP” [ft. Megan Thee Stallion]
Dua Lipa: “Levitating”
Olivia Rodrigo: “Drivers License”
Bruno Mars / Anderson .Paak / Silk Sonic: “Leave the Door Open”
Best New Artist, Presented by Facebook
24kGoldn
Giveon
The Kid Laroi
Olivia Rodrigo
Polo G
Saweetie
Group of the Year
Blackpink
BTS
CNCO
Foo Fighters
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
Bruno Mars / Anderson .Paak / Silk Sonic
Twenty One Pilots
Push Performance of the Year
September 2020: Wallows – “Are You Bored Yet?”
October 2020: Ashnikko – “Daisy”
November 2020: Saint Jhn – “Gorgeous”
December 2020: 24kGoldn – “Coco”
January 2021: JC Stewart – “Break My Heart”
February 2021: Latto – “Sex Lies”
March 2021: Madison Beer – “Selfish”
April 2021: The Kid Laroi – “Without You”
May 2021: Olivia Rodrigo – “Drivers License”
June 2021: Girl in Red – “Serotonin”
July 2021: Fousheé – “my slime”
August 2021: Jxdn – “Think About Me”
Best Collaboration
24kGoldn: “Mood” [ft. Iann dior]
Cardi B: “WAP” [ft. Megan Thee Stallion]
Doja Cat: “Kiss Me More” [ft. SZA]
Drake: “Laugh Now Cry Later” [ft. Lil Durk]
Justin Bieber: “Peaches” [ft. Daniel Caesar and Giveon]
Miley Cyrus: “Prisoner” [ft. Dua Lipa]
Best Pop
Ariana Grande: “Positions”
Billie Eilish: “Therefore I Am”
BTS: “Butter”
Harry Styles: “Treat People With Kindness”
Justin Bieber: “Peaches” [ft. Daniel Caesar and Giveon]
Olivia Rodrigo: “Good 4 U”
Shawn Mendes: “Wonder”
Taylor Swift: “Willow”
Best Hip-Hop
Cardi B: “WAP” [ft. Megan Thee Stallion]
Drake: “Laugh Now Cry Later” [ft. Lil Durk]
Lil Baby: “On Me (Remix)” [ft. Megan Thee Stallion]
Moneybagg Yo: “Said Sum”
Polo G: “Rapstar”
Travis Scott: “Franchise” [ft. Young Thug and M.I.A.]
Best Rock
Evanescence: “Use My Voice”
Foo Fighters: “Shame Shame”
John Mayer: “Last Train Home”
The Killers: “My Own Soul’s Warning”
Kings of Leon: “The Bandit”
Lenny Kravitz: “Raise Vibration”
Best Alternative
Bleachers: “Stop Making This Hurt”
Glass Animals: “Heat Waves”
Imagine Dragons: “Follow You”
Machine Gun Kelly: “My Ex’s Best Friend” [ft. Blackbear]
Twenty One Pilots: “Shy Away”
Willow: “Transparent Soul” [ft. Travis Barker]
Best Latin
Bad Bunny / Jhay Cortez: “Dákiti”
Billie Eilish / Rosalía: “Lo Vas a Olvidar”
Black Eyed Peas / Shakira: “Girl Like Me”
J Balvin / Dua Lipa / Bad Bunny / Tainy: “Un Dia (One Day)”
Karol G: “Bichota”
Maluma: “Hawái”
Best R&B
Beyoncé / Blue Ivy / Saint Jhn / WizKid: “Brown Skin Girl”
Chris Brown / Young Thug: “Go Crazy”
Giveon: “Heartbreak Anniversary”
H.E.R.: “Come Through” [ft. Chris Brown]
Bruno Mars / Anderson .Paak / Silk Sonic: “Leave the Door Open”
SZA: “Good Days”
Best K-Pop
(G)I-dle: “Dumdi Dumdi”
Blbackpink / Selena Gomez: “Ice Cream”
BTS: “Butter”
Monsta X: “Gambler”
Seventeen: “Ready to Love”
Twice: “Alcohol-Free”
Song of Summer
Billie Eilish: “Happier Than Ever”
BTS: “Butter”
Camila Cabello: “Don’t Go Yet”
DJ Khaled: “Every Chance I Get” [ft. Lil Baby and Lil Durk]
Doja Cat: “Need to Know”
Dua Lipa: “Levitating”
Ed Sheeran: “Bad Habits”
Giveon: “Heartbreak Anniversary”
Justin Bieber: “Peaches” [ft. Daniel Caesar and Giveon]
The Kid Laroi / Justin Bieber: “Stay”
Lil Nas X / Jack Harlow: “Industry Baby”
Lizzo: “Rumors” [ft. Cardi B]
Megan Thee Stallion: “Thot Shit”
Normani: “Wild Side” [ft. Cardi B]
Olivia Rodrigo: “Good 4 U”
Shawn Mendes / Tainy: “Summer of Love”
Video for Good
Billie Eilish: “Your Power”
Demi Lovato: “Dancing With the Devil”
H.E.R.: “Fight for You”
Kane Brown: “Worldwide Beautiful”
Lil Nas X: “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”
Pharrell Williams: “Entrepreneur” [ft. Jay-Z]
Best Direction
Billie Eilish: “Your Power” (dir. Billie Eilish)
DJ Khaled ft. Drake: “Popstar” (dir. Director X)
Lil Nas X: “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” (dir. Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino)
Taylor Swift: “Willow” (dir. Taylor Swift)
Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A: “Franchise” (dir. Travis Scott)
Tyler, the Creator: “Lumberjack” (dir. Wolf Haley)
Best Cinematography
Beyoncé / Blue Ivy / Saint Jhn / WizKid: “Brown
Skin Girl” (cinematography: Benoit Soler, Malik H. Sayeed, MOHAMMAED ATTA AHMED, Santiago Gonzalez, Ryan Helfant)
Billie Eilish: “Therefore I Am” (cinematography: Rob Witt)
Foo Fighters: “Shame Shame” (cinematography: Santiago Gonzalez)
Justin Bieber ft. Chance the Rapper: “Holy” (cinematography: Elias Talbot)
Lady Gaga: “911” (cinematography: Jeff Cronenweth)
Lorde: “Solar Power” (cinematography: Andrew Stroud)
Best Art Direction
Beyoncé / Shatta Wale / Major Lazer: “Already” (art direction: Susan Linns, Gerard Santos)
Ed Sheeran: “Bad Habits” (art direction: Alison Dominitz)
Lady Gaga: “911” (art direction: Tom Foden, Peter Andrus)
Lil Nas X: “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” (art direction: John Richoux)
Saweetie ft. Doja Cat: “Best Friend” (art direction: Art Haynes)
Taylor Swift: “Willow” (art direction: Ethan Tobman, Regina Fernandez)
Best Visual Effects
Bella Poarch: “Build a Bitch” (visual effects: Andrew Donoho, Denhov Visuals, Denis Strahhov, Rein Jakobson, Vahur Kuusk, Tatjana Pavlik, Yekaterina Vetrova)
Coldplay: “Higher Power” (visual effects: Mathematic)
Doja Cat / The Weeknd: “You Right” (visual effects: La Pac, Anthony Lestremau, Julien Missaire, Petr Shkolniy, Alexi Bailla, Micha Sher, Antoine Hache, Mikros MPC, Nicolas Huget, Guillaume Ho Tsong Fang, Benjamin Lenfant, Stephane Pivron, MPC Bangalore, Chanakya Chander, Raju Ganesh, David Rouxel)
Glass Animals: “Tangerine” (visual effects: Ronan Fourreau)
Lil Nas X: “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” (visual effects: Mathematic)
P!nk: “All I Know So Far” (visual effects: Dave Meyers, Freenjoy Inc)
Best Choreography
Ariana Grande: “34+35” (choreography: Brian Nicholson & Scott Nicholson)
BTS: “Butter” (choreography: SON SUNG DEUK With BHM PERFORMANCE DIRECTING TEAM)
Ed Sheeran: “Bad Habits” (choreography: Natricia Bernard)
Foo Fighters: “Shame Shame” (choreography: Nina McNeely)
Harry Styles: “Treat People With Kindness” (choreography: Paul Roberts)
Marshmello / Halsey: “Be Kind” (choreography: Dani Vitale)
Best Editing
BTS: “Butter” (editing: Yong Seok Choi from Lumpens)
Drake: “What’s Next” (editing: Noah Kendal)
Harry Styles: “Treat People With Kindness” (editing: Claudia Wass)
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon: “Peaches” (editing: Mark Mayr, Vinnie Hobbs)
Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa: “Prisoner” (editing: William Town at Modern Post)
Bruno Mars / Anderson .Paak / Silk Sonic: “Leave the Door Open” (editing: Troy Charbonnet)
U.S. Global Icon Award
Foo Fighters
Best Breakthrough Song
Masked Wolf: “Astronaut in the Ocean”
Claire Rosinkranz: “Backyard Boy”
Bella Poarch: “Build a B*tch”
Yung Baby Tate: “I Am” [ft. Flo Milli]
Whoheem: “Let’s Link”
Best Comeback Song
Aly & AJ: “Potential Breakup Song”
Destiny’s Child: “Bills, Bills, Bills”
Fleetwood Mac: “Dreams”
Simple Plan: “I’m Just a Kid”
Boney M.: “Rasputin”
Missy Elliott: “Work It”
Best Artist x Creator Collab
Mustard Watermelon by @Lizzo x @yayayayummy
“Blackbird” Duet by @joejonas x @itsbenhorsburgh
Fan Duet by @charlieputh x @jvke
Soup Song by @johnmayer x @itsjamiebiotch
Mom It Was Never a Phase by @alltimelow x @yungricepatty
“Unwritten” Dance by @natashabedingfield x @rony_boyy
Best Audio Mashup
“Shaxicula” (“Toxic” x “Love Shack” x “Dragula”) by Britney Spears / The B-52’s / Rob Zombie x @djcummerbund
“Baby One More Time x Levitating” by Britney Spears / Dua Lipa x @adamusic_
“Castaways x Dilemma” by The Backyardigans / Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland x @djbabyq
“Good 4 U x Misery Business” by Olivia Rodrigo / Paramore x @nikjaay
“Watermelon Sugar x Seaside” by Harry Styles / SEB x @SEBS_LOVESONGS
Best Viral Dance
“Twerkulator” by City Girls x @layzchipz
“Adderall (Corvette Corvette)” by Popp Hunna x @yvnggprince
“Gimme More” by Britney Spears x @jaedengomezz & @karaleighcannella
“Ooowwweee” by Peewee Longway & Money Man x @thats.so.bre
“Savage” by Megan Thee Stallion x @keke.janajah
“Up” by Cardi B x @theemyanicole and @cchrvs