For the first time the MTV Video Music Awards was held at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The red carpet had already given us some barely-there looks but that hardly prepared us for what was to come…
By Chloe Schneider
Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus Risque Performances
This year’s ceremony featured an impressive array of huge stars performing in very little clothing.
Lady Gaga set the tone for a series of performances from big stars wearing little clothing with an opening performance of her new track ‘Applause’ for which the video was released just last week. The star started out in a cartoon-yellow wig and black leotard, which she soon stripped off to reveal a shell bra and a g-string so tiny we had basically resigned ourselves to the fact that a major wardrobe malfunction was in our future. Gaga got lucky and managed to keep that scrap of fabric on somehow but given many reports are saying it was a shaky performance from the usually strong star, perhaps she was as nervous as we were.
Soon after, Miley Cyrus took the stage for a performance that would quickly set the internet alight… for all the wrong reasons. The 20-year-old star emerged from a giant teddy bear (creepy) in a teeny-tiny bedazzled one-piece. As she continuously stuck her tongue out, twerked, and gyrated through her latest single ‘We Can’t Stop’ we thought things couldn’t get much trashier but we were in for a rude awakening.
When Robin Thicke emerged to perform a duet of his controversial single Blurred Lines, Miley removed her already barely-there outfit to reveal yellow PVC underwear and reached for an oversized foam hand which acted as one very racy prop. Will Smith’s family’s reaction pretty much sums it up…
NSYNC Reunite and Katy Perry Closes the Show
When Justin Timberlake took the stage to perform a medley of some of his greatest hits, the audience waited with bated breath to find out whether or not the rumours of an NSYNC reunion would come true. Soon enough the wait proved worth it as JT’s former bandmates JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick joined him on stage to perform two of NSYNC’s incredible 90s hit – ‘Bye Bye Bye’ and ‘Girlfriend’. The performance was the highlight of the show.
Katy Perry closed it all from a separate stage which was set up underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. She performed her newest single ‘Roar’ in a boxing ring complete with a gold-plated spit bucket. Quite a spectacular end to a whirlwind of performances!
The Awards
With all the usual suspects nominated for awards at the show, it was anyone’s guess who would take the big ones out but with so many huge performances, the actual award-giving seemed a minimal part of the night but luckily Taylor Swift was on-hand for some memorable moments.
The gorgeous pop star managed to have two awkward-ex moments in the won night. Firstly, One Direction took the stage and immediately the camera panned to gauge Harry Styles ex-girlfriend Swift’s reaction. And it was a good thing they did because otherwise we would be without this remarkable gif…
Did Swift mutter ‘shut the f— up’? Certainly seems it!
Later in the night, the star took to the mic to accept the Best Female Video award for ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ and thanked, ‘who I wrote this song about cause you know who you are and now I have this award’. In another genius camera-pan, we them got a look at a smirking, gum-chewing Harry Styles.
And it was another edge-of-our-seats moment as Swift presented the award for Best Male Video for which none other than Kanye West was nominated. After the infamous ‘Imma let you finish…’ moment of the 2009 VMAs, we were anticipating another Taylor vs Kanye moment but luckily (or unluckily depending on how you see it) Bruno Mars took out the award for his ‘Locked Out of Heaven’ clip.
Justin Timberlake was the man of the moment, taking out Video of the Year, Best Direction, Best Editing, and, of course, the coveted Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
MTV VMA 2013 Full Winners List
Video of the Year: Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors”
Best Hip-Hop Video: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us”
Best Male Video: Bruno Mars, “Locked Out of Heaven”
Best Female Video: Taylor Swift, “I Knew You Were Trouble”
Best Pop Video: Selena Gomez, “Come & Get It”
Artist to Watch: Austin Mahone, “What About Love”
Best Collaboration: P!nk feat. Nate Ruess, “Just Give Me a Reason”
Best Video with a Social Message: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Mary Lewis, “Same Love”
Best Rock Video: Thirty Seconds to Mars, “Up in the Air”
Best Art Direction: Janelle Monae feat. Erykah Badu, “Q.U.E.E.N”
Best Choreography: Bruno Mars, “Treasure”
Best Cinematography: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us”
Best Direction: Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z, “Suit & Tie”
Best Editing: Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors”
Best Visual Effects: Capital Cities, “Safe and Sound”
Song of the Summer: One Direction, “Best Song Ever”