The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Lil Nas X, Justin Bieber top starpacked MTV VMAS
NEW YORK » Lil Nas X won video of the year at Sundays MTV VMAS on a night that Justin Bieber triumphantly returned to the stage as a performer and as winner of the artist of the year.
“I do not take this for granted,” Lil Nas X said while accepting the night’s final award for the music video for his song, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).”
Much of the early show belonged to Bieber, who for his first VMAS performance in six years rappelled from the ceiling of the Barclays Center at the start of the show for an energetic performance of “Stay” with Kid LAROI and then his single “Ghost.”
The VMAS celebrated MTV’S 40th anniversary, mixing moments between early network stars like Cyndi Lauper and show opener Madonna with highoctane performances by newer stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Camila Cabello and Chloe.
Bieber was the leading nominee going into the ceremony. He took home the best pop honor for “Peaches,” a song that featured Daniel Caesar and Giveon - who accompanied him onstage.
Sporting baggy clothes and a hoodie, Bieber showed his appreciation for the awards being in-person and thanked his wife, Hailey, for supporting him.
“As we know, there’s so much going on in the world as we speak,” Bieber said during his acceptance speech after winning artist of the year. “I know you guys have probably heard it a lot. We are in unprecedented times with this COVID thing that’s happening right now. It’s a big deal. Music is such an amazing outlet to be able to reach people and bring us all together. That’s why we are here right now. We’re all here together.”
Opening the show, Madonna told the screaming crowd: “They said we wouldn’t last. But we’re still here.”
Moments after Olivia Rodrigo performed her hit “good 4 u,” she collected the night’s first award for her massive hit song “Drivers License.” She later won best new artist.
“I feel so grateful that I get to write music, make stuff that I love and call it my job,” said Rodrigo, the first-time nominee. Earlier in the awards, the singer called this the “most magical year of my life.”