Live from the Forum in Inglewood, California the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards opened with Kendrick Lamar performing DNA. One of his dancers wore fire, literally and his rap was on fire. He went right in HUMBLE and this time the whole set was on fire. His performance was amazing.
Next came Ed Sheeran with the Shape of You. Followed by Lil Uzi Vert – XO TOUR Llif3 All My Friends Are Dead.
The first time we saw Katy Perry she was coming back from space and even Face-Timed with Kevin Bacon. When she arrived on stage she was in a Moon Man space suit and lowered down on wires.
“Wow, I am so glad to be back on planet earth.” “The world is doing so well, right?” She then took off her space suite as she picked something new that arrived on a wardrobe rack.
She said the headlines say, “The World is on Fire.” She was brought a Fidget Spinner and joked that this is what is helping us through the political climate. But then she said, “What really unites us is music, right?”
Paris Jackson was the first presenter. She made reference to Trump and said, “We must show these Nazi white supremacy jerks … we have zero tolerance …” Now the nominees for the Best Pop Video. The award went to Fifth Harmony for Down with Gucci Mane.
It was kind of a shocker. They looked pretty shocked too. Some real heavyweights were in that category.
“I’m a little bit in shock.” They all gave emotional acceptance speeches. Gucci Mane said he never won an award of wrote a speech. But ended with, “Thank you for supporting us.”
Julia Michael’s followed with a performance of Issues.
We didn’t’ get the rumored end to the feud between the Taylor and Katy. And Taylor’s song may not have received the same kind of hype if it didn’t have the reference to a Kanye dis.
Black-ish star Yara Shahidi introduced Shawn Mendes who performed There’s Nothing Holding Me Back.
Katy sent well wishes to Texas and the victims of the hurricane and made several political references including, “This is one place where the popular vote matters.”
Katy also did a skit where she went through her voice messages on stage and dropped an “f” bomb before the skit fell flat.
Lorde followed with a performance of Homemade Dynamite.
The Best Dance Video Award went to Zedd, Alessia Cara for Stay choreography by Matt Steffanina and Megan Batoon.
After a skit with Fred Armisen, Katy came to the stage wearing a fake baby. She called it a social media baby. Folks were unimpressed. DJ Khaled joined her with his son as they introduced Fifth Harmony who performed Down with Gucci Mane. They ended the performance covered in water raining down from the stage.
Best Collaboration was the next category and the award went to Taylor Swift and ZAYN for I Don’t Wanna Live Forever, but neither were there to accept the award.
Jared Leto stopped the show with kind words for Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell and he told people you are not alone and to reach out if you need help. He then introduced the performance by Linkin Park who sang One More Light.
Katy performed a quick skit with Bily Eichner the screaming television personality before she introduced Miley Cyrus’s performance of Younger Now. Miley’s new delivery has been called her “sanitized reinvention.” It was definitely a safer performance from Miley.
Tiffany Haddish star of Girls Trip went crazy (in a good and funny way) during her introduction of the nominees for Best Hip Hop Video. The award went to Kendrick Lamar for HUMBLE. Of course!
“What’s up, what’s up,” Kendrick said. He ended his speech by telling the fans he appreciated it.
Demi Lovato was next and she tore the stage up poolside with her performance of Sorry Not Sorry.
Pink was given a big block of time to perform a major medley of some of her biggest hits. She ended with fists in the air and so did the audience.
Ellen DeGeneres came out holding Pink’s Moon Man, but the audience wouldn’t stop cheering and allow her to speak. Ellen said, “It’s not about me. It’s about Pink.” She awarded Pink the Video Vanguard Award.
Pink told a story about her daughter telling her that she didn’t feel pretty enough because she looks like a boy. Pink told a wonderful story about what she told her daughter to lift her self esteem.
Pink ended her acceptance speech by pointing to her daughter in the audience and said, “You are beautiful.”
Katy then introduced Kyle who sang iSpy and then went straight into James Arthur who performed Say You Won’t Let Go.
Artist of the Year Award went to Ed Sheeran for Shape of You followed by a performance by Alessia Cara of Scars To Your Beautiful.
Keshia had a message of hope for anyone feeling alone and said, “Light will break through the darkness” before a performance of the suicide hotline song Logic, Khalid and Alessia Cara performed the very moving lyrics to 1-800-273-8255. The number was also reflected all across the stage. The performance had some of the audience fighting back tears as the performers hugged each other on stage at the end.
Best New Artist was the next category and the award went to Khalid for Location, and Thirty Seconds to Mars came next with Walk On Water.
The show got real political when Heather Heyer’s mother Susan Bro spoke. “I miss her, but I know she’s here tonight.” She has started a foundation in her daughter’s name.
Rod Stuart rocked out with Joe Jonas on Do Ya Think I’m Sexy.
Kendrick Lamar won Video of the Year for HUMBLE. It was his night. Kendrick gave a shout out to Dave Myers and called him a true genius.
“Take time. Give back to the youth. That’s the only thing that matters.”
Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj wrapped up the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards with a surprise performance of Swish Swish.
Another year down folks!
Tanya Hart