The
2017 MTV VMAs at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., kicked off with a
lasers, fire and Kendrick Lamar. Break dancers performing amidst the
light beams and fog as the rapper performed "DNA." The song culminated
with a ninja breakdancing while engulfed in flames. Then the rapper
transitioned to "HUMBLE." and Lamar's backup performers, who were
wearing martial arts uniforms, clamored up and down a ladder that was
set ablaze.
Audience members sang along as Ed Sheeran took the stage to perform "Shape of You" against a prismatic set. Then, Lil Uzi hopped onstage to add a few rap lines and help Sheeran close out the song before the two launched into "XO TOUR Llif3."
The show cut to a skit featuring host Katy Perry hatching up a scheme to visit space, asking for advice from Buzz Aldrin, Peggy Whitson, Abbi Jacobson, Kathryn Hahn and Kevin Bacon, who reminded Perry, "I wasn't really on Apollo 13." Perry then detailed her fictional trip to space before she floated down to the stage in her holographic space suit.
When she got to the stage, Perry explained to the audience that she has been missing in action because of her trip to space.
She said: "The world is doing so well right? Everything is fine, great! Maybe not so much."
Perry explained she wanted to change clothes. As she started to disrobe, she went through a rack of clothes. At one point, she took a "Handmaid's Tale" uniform out and asked what it was. She said, "You guys have really been going through it, haven't you? How the f**k are you coping right now?" before she was handed a fidget spinner as an explanation.
Paris Jackson presented best pop video award, but not before giving an impassioned statement against white supremacists.
"Let's leave here tonight remembering we must show these Nazi, white supremacist jerks in Charlottesville and all over the country that as a nation with liberty as our slogan, we have zero tolerance for their violence, their hatred and their discrimination," said Jackson. "We must resist."
Fifth Harmony won best pop video for "Down" and they got teary as they thanked their families and Gucci Mane, who was on the stage with them.
Hailee Steinfeld announced Julia Michaels' performance of "Issues."
The VMAs premiered Perry's frenemy Taylor Swift's video for her new single "Look What You Made Me Do." The video opened with a zombie-like Swift emerging from a grave, moving to scenes of her singing from a bathtub filled with jewelry (which could be a reference to Kim Kardashian West's Paris robbery, when she was locked in a bathroom while burglars took her jewelry), a throne, a swing in a cage and more. Swift also crashed a car and as the door opened, the singer looked startlingly like Perry with bleach blond, side-swept bangs.
Later, Swift stood at a podium in bondage-style clothing inside of a neon room in front of crowds of similarly dressed women. Then, she channeled Beyonce's "Formation" by appearing in a similar outfit to the pop star while standing in front of a row of male dancers dressed in crop tops and knee-high boots.
The video closed with a dozen versions of Swift -- including her early-career appearance with curly hair and a guitar and a 2009 VMAs version -- quibbling with each other. One asked the 2009 VMAs Swift, "What are you doing here? Getting receipts?" clearly referencing when Kardashian West leaked recordings of Swift's conversation with Kanye West. Just in case viewers were in doubt, the 2009 VMAs version of Swift said, "I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative," which is exactly what she said in July 2016 when the leak took place.
Yara Shahidi announced Shawn Mendes' performance of "There's Nothin' Holding Me Back." Mendes walked up to fans in the audience and grabbed their hands as he sang.
Perry returned to the stage with a message for people affected by Hurricane Harvey and said, "We are praying for your safety … because we're all in this together."
Later, the VMAs host asked the audience if she could play the voicemails she got while she was "in space." She had an increasingly distressed "voicemail" from a friend at the failed Fyre Festival who kept saying to Perry, "Let me know when you get here."
Alessandra Ambrosio and Jack Antonoff, who sported a prominent Star of David necklace, announced a performance by Lorde.
Lorde opened by turning on a boom box onstage and dancing to her song "Homemade Dynamite." Later, backup dancers joined her to lift her into the air so she could float over the stage. She ended the performance without singing a single word.
Pete Wentz and Teyana Taylor presented best dance, which went to "Stay" by Alessia Cara and Zedd.
The VMAs returned after a commercial break to a skit with Perry consulting with a ponytailed guru, played by Fred Armisen.
"What makes a hit," Perry asked.
Armisen played the riff from "Shape of You" on a xylophone for Perry and called it the secret to a hit. He then squeezed a squeaky toy for Perry and said, "Write it in C-sharp."
Perry returned to the stage with a "social media baby" named Bella, sponsored by Fit Tea. Perry boasted, "She has 1.7 million followers on Instagram."
"She knows all of the lyrics to 'Despacito,' unlike some other babies I know," she said, making fun of Justin Bieber.
DJ Khaled took the stage with his real baby, Asahd Tuck Khaled, who Perry said would obviously win the social media baby contest. He then announced a performance by Fifth Harmony. The girl group started with "Angel," before transitioning into "Down."
Ludacris and Olivia Munn presented best collaboration, which went to "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" by Zayn and Taylor Swift. Jack Antonoff and his "favorite new artist" Sam Dew accepted the award on the singers' behalf.
Jared Leto took the stage to pay tribute to late musicians Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell. He talked about seeing Bennington at Cornell's funeral and said, "Chester said of Chris, 'Your voice was joy and pain and anger and forgiveness, love and heartache all wrapped up into one.' Just weeks later, Chester himself was gone. Chester was my friend as he was to so many and witnessing his life taught me important things, especially about working relentlessly, pursuing dreams and being kind and caring while doing it."
He added, "If there's anyone out there who feels like there is no hope, hear me now. You are not alone. There is always a way forward. Reach out, share your thoughts. Do not give up and I promise you this: The absolute biggest breakthroughs in life lie just beyond the darkest days." Leto then urged audience members and viewers at home to stand up for a performance by Linkin Park.
Audience members sang along as Ed Sheeran took the stage to perform "Shape of You" against a prismatic set. Then, Lil Uzi hopped onstage to add a few rap lines and help Sheeran close out the song before the two launched into "XO TOUR Llif3."
The show cut to a skit featuring host Katy Perry hatching up a scheme to visit space, asking for advice from Buzz Aldrin, Peggy Whitson, Abbi Jacobson, Kathryn Hahn and Kevin Bacon, who reminded Perry, "I wasn't really on Apollo 13." Perry then detailed her fictional trip to space before she floated down to the stage in her holographic space suit.
When she got to the stage, Perry explained to the audience that she has been missing in action because of her trip to space.
She said: "The world is doing so well right? Everything is fine, great! Maybe not so much."
Perry explained she wanted to change clothes. As she started to disrobe, she went through a rack of clothes. At one point, she took a "Handmaid's Tale" uniform out and asked what it was. She said, "You guys have really been going through it, haven't you? How the f**k are you coping right now?" before she was handed a fidget spinner as an explanation.
Paris Jackson presented best pop video award, but not before giving an impassioned statement against white supremacists.
"Let's leave here tonight remembering we must show these Nazi, white supremacist jerks in Charlottesville and all over the country that as a nation with liberty as our slogan, we have zero tolerance for their violence, their hatred and their discrimination," said Jackson. "We must resist."
Fifth Harmony won best pop video for "Down" and they got teary as they thanked their families and Gucci Mane, who was on the stage with them.
Hailee Steinfeld announced Julia Michaels' performance of "Issues."
The VMAs premiered Perry's frenemy Taylor Swift's video for her new single "Look What You Made Me Do." The video opened with a zombie-like Swift emerging from a grave, moving to scenes of her singing from a bathtub filled with jewelry (which could be a reference to Kim Kardashian West's Paris robbery, when she was locked in a bathroom while burglars took her jewelry), a throne, a swing in a cage and more. Swift also crashed a car and as the door opened, the singer looked startlingly like Perry with bleach blond, side-swept bangs.
Later, Swift stood at a podium in bondage-style clothing inside of a neon room in front of crowds of similarly dressed women. Then, she channeled Beyonce's "Formation" by appearing in a similar outfit to the pop star while standing in front of a row of male dancers dressed in crop tops and knee-high boots.
The video closed with a dozen versions of Swift -- including her early-career appearance with curly hair and a guitar and a 2009 VMAs version -- quibbling with each other. One asked the 2009 VMAs Swift, "What are you doing here? Getting receipts?" clearly referencing when Kardashian West leaked recordings of Swift's conversation with Kanye West. Just in case viewers were in doubt, the 2009 VMAs version of Swift said, "I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative," which is exactly what she said in July 2016 when the leak took place.
Yara Shahidi announced Shawn Mendes' performance of "There's Nothin' Holding Me Back." Mendes walked up to fans in the audience and grabbed their hands as he sang.
Perry returned to the stage with a message for people affected by Hurricane Harvey and said, "We are praying for your safety … because we're all in this together."
Later, the VMAs host asked the audience if she could play the voicemails she got while she was "in space." She had an increasingly distressed "voicemail" from a friend at the failed Fyre Festival who kept saying to Perry, "Let me know when you get here."
Alessandra Ambrosio and Jack Antonoff, who sported a prominent Star of David necklace, announced a performance by Lorde.
Lorde opened by turning on a boom box onstage and dancing to her song "Homemade Dynamite." Later, backup dancers joined her to lift her into the air so she could float over the stage. She ended the performance without singing a single word.
Pete Wentz and Teyana Taylor presented best dance, which went to "Stay" by Alessia Cara and Zedd.
The VMAs returned after a commercial break to a skit with Perry consulting with a ponytailed guru, played by Fred Armisen.
"What makes a hit," Perry asked.
Armisen played the riff from "Shape of You" on a xylophone for Perry and called it the secret to a hit. He then squeezed a squeaky toy for Perry and said, "Write it in C-sharp."
Perry returned to the stage with a "social media baby" named Bella, sponsored by Fit Tea. Perry boasted, "She has 1.7 million followers on Instagram."
"She knows all of the lyrics to 'Despacito,' unlike some other babies I know," she said, making fun of Justin Bieber.
DJ Khaled took the stage with his real baby, Asahd Tuck Khaled, who Perry said would obviously win the social media baby contest. He then announced a performance by Fifth Harmony. The girl group started with "Angel," before transitioning into "Down."
Ludacris and Olivia Munn presented best collaboration, which went to "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" by Zayn and Taylor Swift. Jack Antonoff and his "favorite new artist" Sam Dew accepted the award on the singers' behalf.
Jared Leto took the stage to pay tribute to late musicians Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell. He talked about seeing Bennington at Cornell's funeral and said, "Chester said of Chris, 'Your voice was joy and pain and anger and forgiveness, love and heartache all wrapped up into one.' Just weeks later, Chester himself was gone. Chester was my friend as he was to so many and witnessing his life taught me important things, especially about working relentlessly, pursuing dreams and being kind and caring while doing it."
He added, "If there's anyone out there who feels like there is no hope, hear me now. You are not alone. There is always a way forward. Reach out, share your thoughts. Do not give up and I promise you this: The absolute biggest breakthroughs in life lie just beyond the darkest days." Leto then urged audience members and viewers at home to stand up for a performance by Linkin Park.
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