Madonna and Taylor Swift were the big winners at last night’s MTV Video Awards, winning seven and three prizes respectively, and there was also an on-stage reunion for the surviving members of Nirvana as they accepted the VMA Video Vanguard Award.
It was Madonna who opened the show with performances of Confessions II single Bring Your Love, with Sabrina Carpenter, and Danceteria Afterhours, her recent collaboration with Charli XCX.
Swift didn’t perform, but did premiere the self-directed video for Patient Zero, her new single, which stars Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell. She also won the first ever Artist Director award, which celebrates – wouldn’t you know it – artists who direct their own music videos.
One of Swift’s other wins came in the prestigious Video of the Year category, for The Fate of Ophelia, but it was Madonna who was named Artist of the Year, and she also won the collaboration statue for Bring Your Love. British singer-songwriter Sienna Spiro was named Best new Artist, and sang the appropriately-named Great Expectation at the ceremony.
Accepting her Video of the Year award, Swift took a moment to remember Dolly Parton, who she called “the ultimate showgirl”.
“Listening to her songs, it’s like watching the best music video you have ever seen in your life, every single time you hear what she has written,” she said. “She handled this thing with such grace and joy and love and gratitude for the fact that she got to do this, and everything that happened in her life or her career, she channelled back into love and gratitude and appreciation for her fans.”
Nirvana’s award was accepted by Krist Novoselic, who appeared on stage alongside Dave Grohl and the band’s sometime touring guitarist Pat Smear. Novoselic was quick to acknowledge Kurt Cobain in his speech, calling him “one of the greatest artists of all time” and praising his vision for Nirvana’s videos.
“Kurt was one of one. None of us could have imagined that our band, our sound or our aesthetic would mean so much to so many people, but ultimately, the music had a life of its own. It charted its own course. Nirvana continues to resonate so deeply because people are still hungry for authenticity, for something real, something uncompromising. Something that tells you it’s just OK to… come as you are. Kurt would have loved that legacy.”
Other performers on the night included Bruno Mars, Lisa and Raye, and there were also a couple of notable musical tributes. Kacey Musgraves honoured Dolly Parton with a touching rendition of I Will Always Love You, beginning her performance by harmonising with footage of Parton singing it herself, while Sombr, Raye, Teddy Swims, Adam Lambert, MNEK, Saint Harison and MEEK marked the upcoming 10th anniversary of George Michael’s death by singing a medley of his hits.
