8 Standout Moments from the 2024 MTV VMAS
Celebrating its 40th year, the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) returned with a bang, reaffirming its place as one of music’s biggest nights. From jaw-dropping performances and emotional acceptance speeches to a vibrant Latin music takeover, this year’s show delivered unforgettable moments that had everyone talking. Below EnVi recaps eight standout moments from the ceremony.
Megan Thee Stallion Rocks as Host and Performer
Ahead of her night as VMAs host, Megan started the night strong winning the Best Trending Video Award for her video “Mamushi.” Following the success of her album, she’s now taking over the year. Welcoming the night with an outfit inspired by Team USA, donned the awards the “Voluptuous Megan Awards.” Her personality continued to shine through the night, offering fresh and fun energy to the show.
However the highlight of the night was her performance. Trading her slick bob to a voluminous curly afro, she performed a medley of her songs “BOA,” “B.A.S,” “Hiss,” and “Mamushi.” Whether you were at UBS or watching through the screen, one thing is clear: Megan Thee Stallion is THAT girl. Bringing out Japanese Rapper Yuki Chiba, the two finished their set strong as they were met with a standing ovation from the crowd.
LISA Lights Up the Stage
Debuting as a soloist under YG Entertainment in 2021 with singles “LALISA” and the viral hit “MONEY,” Blackpink’s LISA has been going nonstop to make a name for herself in the world of pop music. Since the announcement of her label management company LLOUD in February, she has been making waves. LISA is also no stranger to the VMAs stage, after performing with BLACKPINK and winning “Best K-Pop” at the 2022 ceremony. This year, she’s back to bring the heat, entering a new era for herself. Wearing a red two piece, the singer started off her explosive yet sexy set with “New Woman.” Turning the stage into a runway, she strutted down the catwalk on a conveyor belt transitioning into her 2024 hit “ROCKSTAR” Which samples “We Will Rock You” by Queen. Every minute of her performance was filled with breakneck action leaving viewers no time to catch their breath. After all, the rock rendition of her song took it all away. Later in the night, LISA once again took home the award for “Best K-Pop” for “ROCKSTAR.” The future is definitely bright for one of Pop’s newest faces for the year.
Sabrina Carpenter Takes the VMAs to Outer Space
Descending from the sky in a decadent white and bedazzled one piece, Sabrina Carpenter lit up the night with a three song medley of her biggest hits. The summer has been quite the explosive one for Sabrina Carpenter who’s seen exponential success with the release of her track “Espresso” and sixth album “Short n’ Sweet.” She started her set with Billboard #1 single “Please Please Please” while floating down on a bejeweled swing. After giving this angelic song the moment it deserved, the iconic dialogue bridge of “Oops!… I Did It Again” from pop queen Britney Spears played while transitioning to her newest single “Taste.”
Joined by an alien and astronaut, Carpenter gave a sweet and sexy first performance. She even gave a nod to her music video for “Taste” as she pushed the astronaut off stage before sharing a kiss with the alien. Ripping off part of her outfit to reveal a sweetheart neckline bodysuit, she switched to her final song “Espresso.” Not only was this her most anticipated song of the night, but it was also recently named the No. 1 Global Song of the Summer for 2024 by Billboard. Continued surrounded by a large ensemble of astronauts, her performance finished with a fun dance number and a flirty glance at the camera. Later in the evening, she took home the award for Song of the Year with “Espresso,” thanking her manager, her fans, and of course, her “me espresso.”
LE SSERAFIM Makes Grand VMAs Debut
Source Entertainment’s five-piece K-pop girl group, LE SSERAFIM, set the tone for a celebratory night with their charismatic VMAs debut. After their FEARLESS debut in 2022, the quintet has gone on to grace global stages like BlizzCon and Coachella. Members KIM CHAEWON, SAKURA, HUH YUNJIN, KAZUHA, and HONG EUNCHAE continue to make strides with their latest EP, CRAZY. The members have been promoting the title track, “CRAZY,” alongside their b-side, “1-800-hot-n-fun,” bringing both tracks to the pre-show stage. LE SSERAFIM kicked off the VMAs pre-show with “1-800-hot-n-fun,” strutting down the carpet in sleek black and white looks. Viewers were also treated to a glimpse of LE SSERAFIM’s preparation process before the group’s final performance of the night. Between behind the scenes clips, LE SSERAFIM shared their excitement to be a part of the star-studded night. HUH YUNJIN guided the members in cheer, “Let’s crush the VMAs!” LE SSERAFIM did just that during their performance of “CRAZY” to close off the pre-show, rocking the stage in bedazzled, black outfits to the enthusiastic cheers of their fanbase, FEARNOT.
GloRilla Gets the Crowd Hyped
Memphis native Glorilla is having a remarkable year, including a sold out tour as the opening act for VMA host Megan Thee Stallion. Glorilla opened with her first of three hit singles this year, “Yeah Glo!” Rocking a menswear inspired pinstripe trench coat she soon transitioned into a matching custom two piece set with a standout buss down 613 blonde ponytail that she even called out in the lyrics. She then launched into her summer hit “TGIF” with the crowd singing for her as she danced along. Despite a potential wardrobe malfunction, Glorilla finished her performance strong, flashing her signature ear to ear smile.
Latin Music Takeover
This year is the VMA with the most Latin artist representation, with nominees across several awards. Rauw Alejandro and Anitta lead the nominees with three nominations each. But they represented their cultures best with their performances.
Colombian singer-songwriter Karol G brought the energy when she came out as the first Latin performer with her merengue hit “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” clad in a tan pair of bell-bottoms and bikini top. She appeared on stage in front of a banner decorated with various Latin American flags before she took to the crowd, having them dance with her and her dancers. The whole performance had a coastal vibe to it from the beachy backdrop to the main stage transforming into a beachside bar.
Anitta strutted out for her performance wearing a stunningly bedazzled white bodysuit and shimmering white track pants, ready for her third year of performing at the VMAs. She was first joined on stage by Fat Joe and DJ Khaled for an energetic performance of “Paradise.” She then crossed the stage revealing her second collab of the night, Tiago PZK sitting atop a red elevated stage set. The duo shared a sexy performance of their hit song “Alegria.” Finishing with her single “Savage Funk,” Anitta dropped to the floor for a dance break surrounded by backup dancers all in red. Later in the evening, Anitta took home her third VMA trophy for “Best Latin.” Recognizing her country pride and love in her speech, she truly is the “Queen of Brazil” as DJ Khaled shouted during their performance.
Rauw Alejandro took the stage for his VMA debut after a silly VCR featuring rapper Post Malone. He began his performance with “Touching the Sky” dressed in a trench coat and wide brimmed hat. The vibe changed completely when his dancers came out for a quick performance in folklorico dress to the Afro-Caribbean dance of Palo de Mayo. Eventually, he ripped off his disguise and was left in just a tank-top and classic gray slacks for “Dejame Entrar.” He sang to the crowd, cheering for his fellow Latin Americans at the end of the performance.
Tyla Highlights Diversity in African Music
Multi cultural South African artist Tyla took home the Best Afrobeats award for her viral hit “Water,” a major win as she stood among industry heavyweights like Tems, Ayra Starr, and Burna Boy. In her acceptance speech, Tyla highlighted the diversity of African music. Noting that while the category grouped many artists under Afrobeats, African music spans far beyond one genre, showcasing the richness and variety of the continent’s soundscapes.
Chappell Roan Makes VMA Debut
Chappell Roan has had quite the year in 2024. With the release of her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, she’s created a special lane for herself as a lesbian artist who pays homage to drag queens. Her music has become a safe space and a unifying force that has completely taken the world by storm. She’s even caught the attention of legends like Beyoncé. Coming off of a historic summer festival run, she is now showing everyone that she’s not quite finished yet. Making her debut at the 2024 VMA’s, the Missouri born singer is bringing the drama, theatrics, and production. Serving knight realness, she was dressed in a full suit of armor with backup dancers sporting swords. Behind her, the dancers were engaged in what appeared to be an epic battle.
The VMAs marks Chappell Roan’s award show debut. Despite her recent rise to fame, her journey as an artist has been a decade in the making. Chappell Roan performed her viral hit, “Good Luck, Babe!” The track deals with the complexities of compulsory heterosexuality, and is closely aligned with her lesbian identity. Telling this story on one of music’s biggest stages is a monumental moment for queer artists everywhere. There couldn’t be a more fitting end to the night than her taking home the win for Best New Artist. “I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me… who inspire me. And I dedicate this to queer and trans people that fuel pop.. to the gays who dedicate my songs to someone they love – or hate.”
Winners
VIDEO OF THE YEAR – Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone “Fortnight”
ARTIST OF THE YEAR – Taylor Swift
SONG OF THE YEAR – Sabrina Carpenter “Espresso”
BEST NEW ARTIST – Chappell Roan
MTV PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR – LE SSERAFIM “Easy”
BEST COLLABORATION – Taylor Swift ft Post Malone’s “Fortnight”
BEST POP – Taylor Swift
BEST HIP-HOP – Eminem “Houdini”
BEST R&B – SZA “Snooze”
BEST ALTERNATIVE – Benson Boone “Beautiful Things”
BEST ROCK – Lenny Kravitz “Human”
BEST LATIN – Annita
BEST AFROBEATS – Tyla “Water”
BEST K-POP – LISA “Rockstar”
VIDEO FOR GOOD – Billie Eilish “What Was I Made For (From the Motion Picture Barbie)”
BEST DIRECTION – Taylor Swift ft Post Malone’s “Fortnight”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – Ariana Grande “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”
BEST EDITING – Taylor Swift ft Post Malone’s “Fortnight”
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – Dua Lipa “Houdini”
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS – Eminem “Houdini”
BEST ART DIRECTION – Megan Thee Stallion “BOA”
BEST TRENDING VIDEO – Megan Thee Stallion ft. Yuki Chiba “Mamushi”
BEST GROUP – SEVENTEEN
SONG OF THE SUMMER – Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone “Fortnight”
VMAS MOST ICONIC PERFORMANCE – Katy Perry “Roar”
Want more 2024 VMAs? Check out the best looks from the show here and more about LISA’s solo performance here!
