Bieber to return to MTV VMAs

LOS ANGELES, Sept 12, (AP): The 2021 MTV Video Music Awards will get a dose of “Bieber fever” for the first time in six years.

Justin Bieber is set to return to the VMAs stage for an all-star caliber event that will air Sunday night at 8 p.m. EDT. The awards show will be held in-person at the Barclays Center in New York after holding a mostly virtual show last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bieber leads this year’s show with seven nominations, including video of the year for “POPSTAR” and artist of the year. He last took the VMAs stage in 2015 when he performed “What Do You Mean?”

Other scheduled performances include Lil Nas X, Camila Cabello, Chloe, Kacey Musgraves, Shawn Mendes, Olivia Rodrigo, Machine Gun Kelly and Doja Cat — who will also serve as the show’s host.

Presenters include Billy Porter, Conor McGregor, 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Megan Fox, Ashanti, Rita Ora, Simone Biles and Travis Barker.

Megan Thee Stallion enters the show as the second-leading nominee with six nominations. BTS, Doja Cat, Drake, Giveon, Lil Nas X and Olivia Rodrigo, a first time nominee, each have five nods.

Bieber and Megan Thee Stallion will compete with Ariana Grande, Doja Cat, Rodrigo and Taylor Swift for artist of the year.

The Foo Fighters will perform and receive the Global Icon Award, an honor handed out for the first time at the VMAs. The award recognizes an artist or band “whose unparalleled career and continued impact and influence has maintained a unique level of global success in music and beyond.”

The prestigious award was previously presented at the annual MTV Europe Music Awards. Past recipients include Queen, Eminem and Whitney Houston.

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LONDON: Soulful British singersongwriter Arlo Parks has won the prestigious Mercury Prize for her debut album “Collapsed in Sunbeams.”

The 21-year-old Londoner beat acts including singer Celeste, rapper Ghetts and bands Wolf Alice and Mogwai to the 25,000-pound ($30,000) prize, which recognizes the outstanding British or Irish album of the year.

Parks, who won the best new artist award at this year’s Brit Awards, cites an eclectic array of musical inspirations, including Harry Styles, Frank Ocean, Solange and Massive Attack.

Penelope Cruz kisses the Coppa Volpi Best Actress award for ‘Parallel Mothers’ onstage at the closing ceremony during the 78th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Saturday, Sept. 11. (AP)

Maggie Gyllenhaal holds the Best Screenplay award for ‘The Lost Daughter.’ (AP)

Jane Campion holds the Silver Lion Best Director award for ‘The Power Of The Dog.’ (AP)

In this Jan. 27, 2020 file photo, Justin Bieber arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘Justin Bieber: Seasons.’ Bieber is set to return to the VMAs stage for an all-star caliber event that will air Sunday night at 8 p.m. EDT. He leads the show with seven nominations. (AP)

Michelangelo Frammartino holds the Special Jury Prize award for ‘Il Buco.’ (AP)

Paolo Sorrentino holds the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize for ‘The Hand Of ...’ (AP)