Over the years, MTV’s Video Music Awards has provided us with some of pop culture’s most iconic moments. Miley’s foam finger. Taylor Swift winning Best Music Video. Kanye deciding she shouldn’t have. Britney parading around with a python to “I’m A Slave 4 U”. #ICONIC. Britney and Madonna’s on-stage snog. And, lest we forget, Justin Timberlake’s reaction to it. The event has been responsible for unmeasurable pools of happy tears, awkwardness and outrage – and this year didn’t disappoint.
Wonderland.
7 WONDERS: THE VMAS 2018
A round-up of our fave Queens, moments and memes.
Madonna Pt.2.
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” is an iconic track. And while for most of us, the extent of our love for the song will involve just belting it out in the shower, Madonna’s was immortalised in an audition that helped kickstart her career.
The Queen of Pop revealed all in a speech honouring Aretha Franklin. Despite the fact that it focused largely on herself (is anyone really surprised), she eventually summed up the Aretha effect and thanked her for empowering so many women: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Long live the queen.”
A Cabello glo-up.
“You’re not gonna believe this but: in 2018 Madonna is going to give you an award for video of the year and your acne will clear.”
Above is Wonderbabe Camila Cabello’s tweet to her younger herself, after she did indeed take home the award for “Havana.”
Upon receiving it, she bowed to Madonna and praised the other women nominated, including Nicki Minaj, Arianna Grande and Cardi B. We stan – this was a year for the women.
The Queen reigns on.
No, not the actual queen. The Royal Variety Show keeps it a little more PG. Our Queen in question is, of course, Nicki Minaj.
Our fave rapper slayed a medley of cuts from her new album at The Oculus, a suitably regal New York location. Kicking off with “Majesty”, she served a whole lot of shade with “Barbie Dreams” and finished up with “FEFE”, a track she added to the Queen tracklist last week.
Nicki also took home the Best Hip-Hop Video award for “Chun-Li.” Bow Down for Mrs. Majesty.
Amen, Ariana Grande.
Ariana’s dreamy performance of “God is a Woman” was a highlight of the night and yes, she keeps on flourishing.
A bejeweled Ariana writhed with dozens of dancers in under an ethereal milky way, before being joined by her mum Joan, and “Nonna” Marjorie. It was ceremonial and beautiful and empowering. We’re not crying, it’s still hay fever season.
Cardi B’s “baby”.
Who better to open this years show (“what’s poppin’ everybody, welcome to New York…”) than Cardi B.
It’s been an undeniably huge year for the rapper, who picked up the award for Best New Artist. Attending the show the day after her video for “Ring” dropped, it’s been four months since the release of her platinum debut album “Invasion of Privacy” and just six weeks since the birth of her daughter Kulture Kiari.
Speaking of, the internet went wild for a hot minute when she carried on what looked like her newborn for the opening speech. It was, in fact, a Moon Man statue – of course.
Plus, Cardi was papped snapping up a McDonald’s on her way home with her husband, Migos’ Offset. We couldn’t love her more, okurrrrr.
Backstreet’s not back, alright.
There’s some things that belong firmly in 1999. Excruciatingly thin, alarmingly far-apart eyebrows, for instance. Also, the Backstreet Boys, who made a questionable comeback at this year’s pre-show.
After imitating the nominees for song of the year, the boyband of our pre-teen discos experienced a savage takedown on Twitter. The performance of their new single “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” broke the internet too, and not in the way they wanted.
Featured image
MTV
Words
Rosie Byers