Taylor Swift wins at the MTV Video Music Awards and Chappell gets a medieval Roan

NEW YORK –

Taylor Swift and Post Malone won the first award of the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards for best collaboration, which was presented to them by Flavor Flav and Olympian Jordan Chiles.

Swift began her speech by remembering all those who lost their lives and loved ones during 9/11, 23 years ago, before Malone spoke.

“There’s a reason Post Malone is everyone’s favorite person in music to collaborate with,” she turned to him. “It took me forever to ask him to stop calling me.”

The awards show was dominated by women, with no greater example than an imaginative medieval set from Chappell Roan.

Drag queen Sasha Colby introduced her as “your favorite artist of your favorite drag queens,” a reference to Roan’s now famous Coachella performance, which later inspired Colby. True fans definitely got a kick out of the hyperlink tidbit.

Roan appeared in armor, shooting a flaming crossbow at the castle gates that stood behind her, burning her in the process. Her dancers were knights, battling each other in incredible choreography as she sang her pop hit, “Good Luck, Babe.”

Tyla won the best Afrobeats award.

Katy Perry performs during the MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Katy Perry received the Video Vanguard Award, performing a medley of eight songs spanning her career: “Roar,” “ET,” “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” “I Kissed a Girl,” “Tinework, ” “Life “.

“I did all that on the first day of my period, can you believe it?” she joked in her acceptance speech. “There are so many things that have to align to have a long and successful career as an artist. There have been no accidents for ten years.”

She also debuted a new song, “I’m His, He’s Mine,” featuring Doechii, who covers the Crystal Waters classic, “Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee La Da Da).”

Previous recipients of the Video Vanguard Award include Shakira, Beyonce, Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and Missy Elliott.

Few artists have had a bigger year than Sabrina Carpenter, who brought her summer pop to the awards show. She drove through her hit singles “Le dohile Le dohile,” “Blas” and “Espresso” while dancing with a moon man and an alien.

An army of Slim Shady-lookalikes followed Eminem as he kicked off the VMAs , launching into a medley of his hits “Houdini” and “Somebody Save Me,” with a broadcast feed of Jelly Roll. (The song references Jelly Roll’s huge country radio hit, “Save Me.”)

Megan Thee Stallion welcomed the crowd as host for the first time on Wednesday night, who joked that the VMAs are now standing for the “voluptuous Megan awards”.

Then Karol G took the lead, for a fiery performance of her hit, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido.”

Blackpink’s LISA made her way to the VMA stage for the first time as a solo artist, powering through two of her brand new singles, “New Woman” and “Rockstar.” Shawn Mendes made his long-awaited return, debuting a new John Mayer-esq. acoustic number, “No one knows.”

Anitta performed “Paradise,” “Alegria,” and “Savage Funk,” along with DJ Khaled, Fat Joe and Tiago PZK.

The 40th VMAs are being held at the UBS Arena on New York’s Long Island.

The night is jam-packed with celebrities and Swift, who arrived at the awards show wearing a green tartan corset with a matching train and long black leather gloves, shines even more.

The pop star leads the nominations with 12 – eight for her “Coícís” music video, two social categories and nods in the pop and artist of the year categories. Next is her “Two Weeks” collaborator Post Malone, who is 11. He has been nominated along with Swift 10 times and earned his 11th nom for his country hit “I Had Some Help,” with Morgan Wallen.

Post Malone, left, and Taylor Swift accept the award for best collaboration for “Two Weeks” during the MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. (Charles Sykes/Invision /AP)

The win would give Swift a significant step in supporting Kamala Harris’ presidential bid. Swift endorsed the vice president on Tuesday night, moments after Harris’ debate with former president Donald Trump ended.

Shaboozey responded to her endorsement on the VMAs red carpet, telling the Associated Press, “I think you’re straight, you know? Do what you feel in your heart. Just be honest with yourself,” said he. “Just walking your truth, you know.”

If previous years are any indication, Swift may make multiple speeches.

She took home nine VMAs last year, bringing her total to 23 VMAs. That puts her just behind Beyonce, who has 30 and just ahead of Madonna, who has 20 awards. Lady Gaga is 19 years old.

Swift’s seven wins would tie Beyonce’s record, and if she wins eight, she could become the most awarded musician in VMA history.

That is, unless Beyonce takes home any of her own trophies. She’s up for song of the year (“Texas Hold ‘Em”) and two social categories.

Throughout the night, MTV revisited the history-making 40th anniversary of the VMAs, including Britney Spears’ albino python and Madonna’s performance of “Like A Virgin.”

Other scheduled performers include Benson Boone, Megan Thee Stallion, GloRilla, Halsey, Lenny Kravitz, Rauw Alejandro, LL COOL J and Camila Cabello.

The VMAs are being broadcast on MTV and simulcast on BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Nick at Nite, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1, and in Spanish on Univision.