The 2015 MTV VMAs were such a mess. Like, seriously, they were utter chaos. I don’t know what MTV was thinking hiring Miley Cyrus as host, but at least they didn’t play coy about it, the show openly flaunted their time delay and bleeped the crap out of Miley and everyone else. Which allowed everyone to be “real,” i.e., cuss like sailors. I became sort of numb to Miley’s endless weed jokes and almost everything else. Note: Bedhead is doing a separate post for all things Miley. And there were some highlights, of course. Let’s get to them.
The Minaj-Swift Opening. We knew ahead of time that Nicki Minaj was going to be opening the show with a performance, but we weren’t prepared for Taylor Swift to come out and join Minaj halfway through the opening. I have to say… it wasn’t bad. There was “bad blood” between Minaj and Swift last month, but Swifty called Minaj and everything is now “cool” between them. Obviously. Minaj has been collected!
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. I wasn’t feeling this. Like, I know it’s not “cool” to admit it at this point. but I thought Mack’s last album was decent. This new single just isn’t that great, right?
The Weeknd’s performance. It was AMAZING. His live performances keep getting better and better. Everyone was into “Can’t Feel My Face,” even Kanye West doing some kind of cute dad-shuffle. Of course Taylor Swift danced throughout. But even Swifty couldn’t ruin what was a great performance. This was obviously one of my favorite moments.
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The Minaj-Miley Beef. I know Bedhead is going to discuss this stuff in greater detail, but I’d just like to say… I think MTV should have let it play out in real time. I’m pretty sure they cut Minaj’s mic when she still had sh-t to say to Miley and that’s not cool.
Kanye West thought about stage-rushing Taylor Swift. When Tay-Tay won the Best Pop Video award for “Blank Space,” MTV cut to Kanye West and it was obvious that his peeps were like “DO IT KANYE.” It was funny.
Demi Lovato & Iggy Azalea. I hate Demi’s song so hard. And the cameo by Iggy Azalea just confirmed the lack of relevance. I can’t find the video & I don’t want to look that hard.
Justin Bieber returns. Bieber’s comeback has been years in the making and while I think a lot of people were ready for his “comeback,” it did feel sort of forced. I like “Where Are U Now” but I don’t care for Bieber’s new single “What Do You Mean”. After Bieber was done, he cried. He wept salty tears because he was so overcome with the power of his own comeback.
Tori Kelly has a great voice. Like, I think she’s a good pop star with a good voice. That shouldn’t be so notable, but here we are.
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Kanye West receives the Vanguard Award. It was amazing. It was the best and the worst of Kanye and it was glorious. Kanye showed the world why he will always have apologists and he showed the world why he gets so much criticism. He was vulnerable, strident, crazy, emotional, honest and hypocritical. It was glorious. I’ll have a separate post for all things Kanye-related!
Pharrell performs “Freedom”. What does this song sound like? Nina Simone, right?
The neverending finale. The show seemed over when Kanye West accepted his award, but then it just kept going. Taylor Swift won Video of the Year for “Bad Blood”, Twenty-One Pilots performed (meh) and then Miley milked it at the very end with a spectacularly bad performance.
🇺🇸 AMERICA 🇺🇸 #VMAs pic.twitter.com/p13hUk5G9U
— MTV (@MTV) August 31, 2015
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Taylor is so desperate to collect everyone and its embarrassing to watch.
it is. she is emotionally stunted or something. she has the maturity of a 7th grader.
“After Bieber was done, he cried.”
And then his mother burped him and put him to bed.
Exactly
👆 you read my mind!
Demi and Iggy can’t sing/rap their way out of a paper bag.
Really enjoyed Pharrell and The Weeknd, the rest of the performances were meh.
I loved how Miley shut down Nicki, Nicki has no chill and was ready to tackle her down…seriously both of these b!tches need to take a seat.
I thought they were a lot of fun.
Everyone is talking about Kanye. I stopped listening to him after the first 30 seconds. He got me at the end, though.
Everything Taylor felt so forced, right? At some point I felt everyone was contractually obligated to demonstrate they like Taylor Swift and should express their love for her. Like, people were thanking her out of nothing. I like Taylor but this is getting a bit much.
Miley was just as we expected. She wore very little clothing and was loud and obnoxious and tiresome. Which I guess is good – the VMAs have been awful boring these past 4-5 years. I cant even remember who hosted last year.
And to close I just want to say Rebel Wilson sucks. Her sketch was so stupid and unfunny. Who green-lighted that?!
THE WEEKND!
wow, his voice and those moves — reminds me of Michael Jackson!
This! Had to comment and say how AMAZING the Weeknd is. he’s the modern Michael Jackson and I felt the energy of that performance through my iPhone lol no lie !!
Im actually that walking Meme with The weeknd “When Youre happy for abel’s Blow Up But salty That he wont be a secret anymore!” —> ME. LOL Im so excited for him But Not as hot for this cd as I was over Trilogy or Kissland That said I STILL plan to see him december with all these latecomers to the XO fam
All That To say I dont even care about The other performances LOL
I’m not feeling the new album either but I love the Weeknd.
Like …it has Its Moments but That Oriental Vibe in Kissland?? (professional? Adaptation?, Tears In The Rain, Pretty?) or The craziness That was Trilogy?!? And The Collaboration with Ed sheeran Left Me cold vs say… In Vein? Crew Love? The Zone? or That Song with Ricky Hil or the terrible yet delicious Or Nah? Remix…. What Im saying is This Last one was Both To Polished and not cohesive in sound, and I will confess stan or No That I Had To Turn That Angel song Off
The weeknd is good but trying too hard to replace MJ. Never going to happen, find your own spot bud.
TORI KELLY — beautifully done! what a voice — she is just radiant!
— and, her big blonde hair is sorta similar to Taylor Swift’s original hair ! ha.
I feel like Tori Kelly is a mix of Taylor Swift, Lorde and Kelly Clarkson looks-wise (and performance-wise, a little).
The Weeknd killed it, as I knew he would. But I’m SO PROUD of Tori Kelly!!! I have loved her since her youtube days and she absolutely delivered last night!!! She’s got great things coming her way, I’m telling you.
Tori Kelly.
The show was a tacky, tasteless mess, but Tori Kelly’s performance was great. And Justin Bieber, too, although he was giving me a lot of Chris Brown vibes with the song and the choreography. Miley’s performance was a mess but she was wearing the most clothes of the night.
MTV shouldn’t bother even airing this show for music fans anymore – it’s nothing to do with music and all about pot, raunch and “artists” patting each other’s backs and stroking their own egos, they don’t give an eff about fans or inspiring young fans. The show was total trash.
I think this whole “controversy” was fake and a way to build interest in the VMAs, Minaj, Swift and even Miley. It’s a bit like the WWE, with its fights and villains, etc.
I was thinking the same thing.
Miley and Nicki are actresses, lest we forget.
Well, I like Demi’s song. I didn’t watch her performance yet.
The Nikki and Taylor thing in the beginning: is Minaj always like that when she performs? Fixing her hair to make sure it frames her chest just right? Also, her face said EVERYTHING whenever she was standing next to Swift. Like she had everything sucked out of her and was forced to be there. I can’t not see it!!
Bieber: what’s with the super skinny pants?????? He looks like an ice cream cone. Might as well wear leggings.
Note to Tori…don’t join Swifty’s girl squad and don’t date John Mayer.
With this VMA launch, she should go places.
Tori Kelly was really good, and she looked like she was actually singing live. First time I have seen the Weekend and I was impressed. Biebs was pretty boring. Couldn’t even understand what he was singing. And the fake “look at me crying, I’m so sensitive” thing was lame
Regarding Pharrell, did no one notice the parallel of his set design and attire to that of Elvis Presley’s Jailhouse Rock?
His outfit. The two levels along with the poles. The dancers are wearing 50’s flavored attire. No doubt, it was inspired by Jailhouse Rock.
Geez, I like Minaj (albeit less after the Drake thing), but that was pretty half-assed performance.
Macklemore’s last album was actually pretty good, but this new song is crap. It’s just all over the place??
I guess I’m not on The Weeknd bandwagon yet. He’s talented, but so far I’ve only liked the 50 shades song.
I saw a gif of Bieber crying about his own performance and that was enough for me. Chris Brown already has dibs on the fake crying crap.
With Miley focused on her boobs and Taylor posing and gathering famous friends, it’s nice to actually hear someone who can actually sing… (Tori Kelly)