This combination of photos shows all female nominees for artist of the year for the MTV Video Music Awards, top row from left, Beyonce, Doja Cat, Karol G, bottom row from left, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift and Shakira. The VMAs, which takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Tuesday, will be emceed by Minaj (AP Photo)
LOS ANGELES – Lil Wayne emerged to open the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards for a performance of his new single “Kat Food.” Immediately afterward, Olivia Rodrigo brought her “Vampire” music video set to the stage, before launching into her cheeky pop-punk single “Get Him Back!”
Between the two tracks, snippets of her sold singles played aloud ““ symbolizing a move from her first record to her second.
The show offered plenty of surprises in its opening moments, with the boy band NSYNC reuniting on the stage to present the first award for best pop song, which was given to Taylor Swift.
The VMAS returned Tuesday night, and for the first time, only women are nominated in the show’s artist of the year category. Swift, Beyoncé, Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj, Karol G and Shakira are contenders for the night’s prize.
The show will be packed with stars, with Rodrigo, Cardi B, Offset, Megan Thee Stallion, Haddish and Karol G among the attendees. On the red carpet, the artist with the most nominations of the evening, Taylor Swift, made an appearance. Shakira arrived with her sons. Country singer Kelsea Ballerini and “Outer Banks” actor Chase Stokes matched in red outfits, making their relationship red carpet official.
The VMAs, which takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey – just outside of New York City – will be hosted by Minaj. Last year, she emceed alongside Lil Wayne and Jack Harlow; this year, she’s solo.
The show will also celebrate 50 years of hip-hop with a star-studded, multi-generational finale performance: DMC, Doug E. Fresh, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, LL Cool J and Minaj will join forces.
The VMAs kick off at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT on Tuesday and will air on MTV and simulcast on BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TVLand and VH1. The show will also air in Spanish on UniMás.
Swift has increased her number of nominations to 11 – including seven for seven for her “Anti-Hero” music video – after MTV announced four additional social categories earlier this month. She’s followed by SZA with eight. Swift currently has 14 VMAs to her name, placing her behind Beyoncé, who has 28 (including two with Destiny’s Child), Madonna, who has 20 awards, and Lady Gaga, who has 19.
This year features a record number of first-time nominees at 35: including Kim Petras, who has five noms, Metro Boomin’ with four and Rema with three. Aespa, Burna Boy, Davido, Eslabon Armado, FIFTY FIFTY, PinkPantheress, Saucy Santana, Stephen Sanchez and Toosii are also nominated for the first time.
Shakira will receive the Video Vanguard Award and is also expected to perform. Previous recipients include Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, and Missy Elliott.
Diddy will receive the Global Icon Award and perform at the VMAs for the first time since 2005. He will become the third recipient of the award, following the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2022 and the Foo Fighters in 2021.
Other scheduled performers include Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion (performing their new collaboration, “Bongos”), Anitta, Demi Lovato, Fall Out Boy, Peso Pluma, Doja Cat, Karol G, Kelsea Ballerini, MÃ¥neskin, Olivia Rodrigo, Stray Kids, Tomorrow X Together and more.
