This year’s MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) were very highly anticipated. With a mix of the outrageous Miley Cyrus hosting, the Twitter feud between Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift brewing, and Justin Bieber’s comeback, no one knew what to expect when the cameras went live (with a cursing delay) on Sunday night in Los Angeles.
First Nicki Minaj opened the show singing “Dem Trini Girls” in a Caribbean inspired themed performance, which was beautiful and twerkiful all at the same time. Nicki’s backup dancers also stole the show, with their fake, painted on abs and dance moves that like Nicki would say were “on fleek.”
Then she performed her hit song “The Night is Still Young” and then “BANG!” Taylor Swift came out to show that they mended their Twitter beef and it was so fake and preplanned it was actually fun to watch. The two then finished up by singing a little of T-Swift’s “Bad Blood” to show that now they only have “mad love.”
The next performance was a surprise, in that Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis are coming back and they did an old school performance in Dowtown L.A.. It was not really the sound of a Macklemore and Ryan Lewis song, but I was just thanking my lucky stars they have some new music, because I was tired of hearing “Thrift Shop” on repeat.
Other performances in Downtown L.A. included Demi Lovato, Iggy Azelea and Pharrell Williams.
Now before we get to more performance reviews, lets talk about Miley hosting this shindig. Miley was not only fun, but she cursed a lot, wore crazy costumes and came out on a trippy slide in a glitter dress with extensions that made me want to vomit. But, she was just being Miley.
Miley's jokes were funny and relatable and it was refreshing that she made fun of herself. She also brought some special guests while doing her hosting duties like Andy Samberg, Tyga, Mike Will Made It and Snoop Dogg to name a few.
I also want to highlight my favorite camera shot of the night. This came when the camera panned to the audience, and I discovered that the girl I saw on the red carpet was actually Justin Bieber. Who knew?
After that amazing discovery came the performance I was looking forward to the most, which was The Weeknd singing his hit (and my personal anthem) “I Can’t Feel My Face.” The Weeknd single handedly managed to be a star on stage and sing so good live that everyone watching could not feel their faces due to sheer joy.
Then, Rebel Wilson stripped. Nicki Minaj called out Miley Cyrus for calling her disrespectful in a recent magazine interview while on stage accepting her award for Best Hip-Hop Video.
In one of the most highly anticipated performances of the night, Justin Bieber returned for the first time in five years to the VMA stage singing his collaboration with Major Lazer, “Where Are You Now.” During his performance, he tried to dance and it just ended up looking like he wasn't trying and honestly it was the worst I have ever seen him (except when he got arrested) and I was bored the whole time.
Then he sang his newly released single “What Do You Mean” and it was equally as boring and dumb as the first song he sang, which was really disappointing granted this was supposed to be his comeback. Then, the room got dark and Bieber played a voice over of himself trying to be inspiring and then I just started laughing and the lights came back on and he was flying through the air. He also cried once the performance was done.
After that Bieber mess happened, new artist Tori Kelly came out on stage and wowed the crowd when she sang her new song “Should've Been Us.” Her vocals were so incredible I got goosebumps. She had her moment and she shined.
Now insert Kanye moment here. Taylor Swift presented the Video Vanguard Award to Kanye West and Kanye did what Kanye does, he confused us all. He went up on stage and rambled, yelled, confused and annoyed everyone for about 25 minutes before announcing he is running for President in 2020. Can we stop him? No.
The Kanye rant was also a mark of a downhill spiral that became the rest of the VMA’s. A$AP Rocky and 21 Pilots once again, confused me with their horrible rap/alternative rock performance that no one could understand and basically by this time into the show I was just heavily confused and don't know what was happening.
Then Miley Cyrus closed the show and sang about how she smokes pot and she isn't a hippie and it was so Miley I couldn't. The drag queens in the background had me up dancing and somehow Miley Cyrus managed to turn a sentimental moment into a crazy mess that I seemed to actually really enjoy.
All in all, this year’s show was actually one of the best I have seen in a couple years. By Miley hosting, giving Kanye West an award, letting Nicki Minaj yell on stage and Justin Bieber performing, it was the beautiful hot mess we (and MTV) wanted and hoped it would be.
A Complete List of 2015 VMA Winners:
• Video of the Year: Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar, "Bad Blood"
• Best Pop Video: Taylor Swift, "Blank Space"
• Best Male Video: Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, "Uptown Funk"
• Best Hip-Hop Video: Nicki Minaj, "Anaconda"
• Best Female Video: Taylor Swift, "Blank Space"
• Best Rock Video: Fall Out Boy, "Uma Thurman"
• Best Video With a Social Message: Big Sean featuring Kanye West & John Legend, "One Man Can Change the World"
• Song of the Summer: 5 Seconds of Summer, "She's Kinda Hot"
• Best Collaboration: Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar, "Bad Blood"
• Best Direction: Kendrick Lamar, "Alright" (Colin Tilley & the Little Homies)
• Best Choreography: OK Go, "I Won’t Let You Down" (OK Go, air:man and Mori Harano)
• Best Cinematography: Flying Lotus feat. Kendrick Lamar, "Never Catch Me" (Larkin Sieple)
• Best Art Direction: Snoop Dogg, "So Many Pros" (François Rousselet, Jason Fijal)
• Best Editing: Beyoncé, "7/11" (Beyoncé, Ed Burke, Jonathan Wing)
• Best Visual Effects: Skrillex and Diplo feat. Justin Bieber, "Where Are U Now" (Brewer, Gloria FX, and Max Chyzhevskyy)
• Artist to Watch: Fetty Wap
