MTV EMAs 2022: Taylor Swift thanks her fans as she takes home four top awards
Taylor Swift has dominated this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards, taking home four of the six gongs she was up for – best artist, best video, best pop and best longform video.
There had been high hopes for some of the British stars up for awards – including Adele, Ed Sheeran and Harry Styles, who had led the nominations, however – Swift proved herself to be queen of the MTV EMAs.
The 32-year-old megastar – who recently re-recorded some of her earliest hits in order to regain control of her work – praised her legion of fans (known as Swifties) as she accepted each award, thanking them for their unwavering support.
Power couple Taika Waititi (L) and Rita Ora hosted the night
When presented with the best artist gong by Baywatch star David Hasselhoff, Swift told the auditorium of screaming fans: “You have no idea how much this even means to me to do this as a career…
“There’s not a single moment I take that for granted. I love you so much, I can’t believe I get to do this as a job, and it’s all because of you. Thank you so, so much.”
The annual international music awards, which took place in Dusseldorf, Germany, and was hosted by celebrity power-couple Rita Ora and Taika Waititi, also saw stars including Nicki Minaj, Muse and Gorillaz take home gongs from 20 gender-neutral categories.
Read more: See the full list of MTV EMA winners here
Performances on the night included Stormzy – who away from his normal style performed his ballad Fire Babe on TV for the first time – plus live music from Lewis Capaldi, Bebe Rexha, and Eurovision winners Kalush Orchestra.
British TikTok star and Eurovision runner-up Sam Ryder also bought a bit of Eurovision glam to the night, presenting the award for best collaboration to French DJ David Guetta and US star Bebe Rexha. Guetta also took best electronic act.
There was even a surprise recorded message from Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise, introducing OneRepublic’s Top Gun: Maverick hit song I Ain’t Worried.
As her night of wins continued, Swift accepted the best longform video award – which was one of two new categories this year – from singer/songwriter Julian Lennon, the son of the late John Lennon.
Swift, accepting yet another prize
As she took to the stage, Swift again praised her fans for their continued support, telling them: “You’re the reason that anything has ever happened to me.”
She explained: “I have been writing and directing my music videos for a long time but this was the first short film I have made and I felt like I learned so much about myself of how making film can be a natural extension of my storytelling just like song writing.”
Stranger Things star Sadie Sink and Teen Wolf actor Dylan O’Brien starred in the music video which went viral earlier this year after fans speculated the song was based on Swift’s break-up with actor Jake Gyllenhaal.
As well as the long-form prize, it also took best video, with Swift telling fans: “This almost never happened,” going on to explain that when she first released the song 10 years ago it wasn’t a single, and didn’t have a video.
She went on: “I can only explain this by saying that the fans willed this to happen. I will never stop thanking you for this.”
Eurovision winners Kalush Orchestra performed
The video also picked up the prestigious video of the year gong at the MTV Video Music Awards earlier this year.
When handed the best pop prize, Swift joked: “You gotta wear a lot of sequins and learn choreography and that is very hard.”
She has been dominating the charts across the world in recent weeks following the release of her new album Midnights – the year’s fastest selling album.
Nicki Minaj took the award for best song with Super Freaky Girl, along with best hip hop act.
Despite having the most nominations (seven), ex-One Direction star Harry Styles only took home one award on the night – best live performance. He wasn’t there in person to pick up his prize.
Muse took home best rock act, dedicating their album to ‘people of Ukraine and the women in Iran’
Best rock act went to Muse, who opened the ceremony with their new track Will Of The People.
Refusing to shy away from hard political truths amid the glamour of the showbiz night, lead singer Matt Bellamy told the MTV audience: “We’d love to dedicate this whole album to the people of Ukraine and the women in Iran who are fighting for their freedom as we celebrate tonight.”
Gorillaz – fronted by Blur star Damon Albarn – took best alternative band, while Sam Smith took video for good.
It was also a good night for K-pop, with South Korean boyband Seventeen taking best new act and best push, Blackpink taking best metaverse performance (the second new category of the night), and one of the band’s members, Lisa, taking best K-pop act, and BTS taking biggest fans.
Best Latin performer went to Anitta and best R&B to US star Chloe.
The MTV EMAs 2022 was broadcast live on MTV on Sunday 13 November. You can watch the full 2022 MTV EMA show from 14 November on Paramount+ UK
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
Read more from Sky News:
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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