Swift to Be in Spotlight at VMAs, Along with Kendrick, Katy Perry
Taylor Swift isn’t nominated for an award, but she could own the night at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The pop star who made headlines all week as she teased her new single will debut a music video at the show Sunday. She dropped the juicy song, “Look What You Made Me Do,” on Friday, causing a stir online as fans and others deciphered the lyrics, with many interpreting it a diss toward Kanye West.
Others felt Swift’s song took shots at Katy Perry, who is hosting the VMAs. It was not clear if Swift is attending the show, to be held at the Forum in Inglewood, California. It starts at 8 p.m. EST.
The song set a Spotify record on Saturday, with 8 million single-day streams, the most ever. Swift debuted a clip of the new video on “Good Morning America” and a lyric video for the song went viral Friday.
Others, too, will be in the spotlight at the VMAs. Kendrick Lamar, who appeared on Swift’s “Bad Blood,” is nominated for eight awards, including video of the year for his anthemic No. 1 hit, “Humble.” Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic,” DJ Khaled and Rihanna’s “Wild Thoughts,” the Weeknd’s “Reminder” and Alessia Cara’s “Scars to Your Beautiful” are also up for the top prize.
The surprise snub for video of the year was Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” the most viewed video on YouTube. MTV said Universal Music Latin Entertainment didn’t submit the video, while the record label said they weren’t asked to send in the clip.
The song — its remix version featuring Justin Bieber — did earn a nomination in the song of summer category, announced earlier this week. The song does not have an official video for the remix with Bieber.
Lamar will perform at the live show, as will Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus, Shawn Mendes, Lorde, Fifth Harmony with Gucci Mane, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Logic with Khalid, Post Malone and Julia Michaels. Pink, who will also perform, will receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
The Weeknd, who was previously announced to take the stage, will not perform Sunday.
Rod Stewart will sing a reworked version of his hit “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” remotely from Las Vegas with pop band DNCE; Demi Lovato will also perform remotely from Vegas. Performers during the pre-show include Bleachers, Khalid and Cardi B, who has a rap hit with “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves).”
GLAAD announced on Saturday that transgender members of the military would walk the red carpet. On Friday, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to extend a ban on transgender individuals joining the military.
MTV eliminated gender categories like best male and female video at this year’s VMAs, and they announced the artist of the year award. Nominees include Lamar, Sheeran, Ariana Grande, Lorde and the Weeknd.
Acts who scored nominations include the Chainsmokers, Migos, Harry Styles, Selena Gomez, Fifth Harmony and Big Sean.
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