VMAs Fall Flat, But A Few Performances Stick Out

As award show season picks up, fans once again have the opportunity to watch their favorite artists become recognized, deliver memorable performances or make fools of themselves.

The MTV Video Music Awards has produced many pop culture moments. However, this year’s ceremony was lackluster — Megan Thee Stallions’ obnoxious hosting style, the lack of artist attendance and the scarcity of any awards being announced throughout the show caused the event to fall flat.

The ceremony was held at the UBS Arena in New York City and seemed more like a school assembly than an award show. However, a few standout performances made the three-hour broadcast worthwhile.

EMINEM

The ceremony kicked off with a performance from legendary rapper Eminem, who opened with “Houdini,” a track off his latest album “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce).” The rapper replicated his 2000 VMAs performance by filling the arena with extras in blond wigs and white t-shirts — an outfit his persona ‘Slim Shady’ is known for. 

While the performance had some technical difficulties, Eminem managed to put on an emotional performance when he transitioned into rapping his newest song “Somebody Save Me.” 

The song details the rapper’s rocky relationship with his daughter Hailie. 

While performing the song, videos and pictures of Hailie were projected across the screen inside the UBS Arena. As Jelly Roll’s verse played, the rapper was crouched down with his hands over his face as if he was begging for his daughter’s forgiveness on live television.

The rehashed performance was an emotional start to the show. 

Sabrina Carpenter

Off the back of her latest release, “Short N’ Sweet,” Sabrina Carpenter gave a sultry sci-fi performance.

With hit single “Taste,” Carpenter sang about a partner lost to a love triangle — with fans speculating the members of the triangle were in attendance.

“I heard you’re back together and if that’s true / You’ll just have to taste me when he’s kissin’ you / If you want forever, and I bet you do / Just know you’ll taste me too,” Carpenter sings.

The performance included dancing astronauts representing the VMA moonmans and Carpenter kissing an alien. Carpenter performed a medley of hits including Song of the Year winner “Espresso.”

Carpenter looked and sounded like a Disney princess as she graced the VMA main stage for the first time. She roamed the stage wearing a short bedazzled white dress and her signature blonde hair.

She flawlessly transitioned between her chest and head voice throughout the performance.

Chappell Roan

After canceling tour shows for her VMA appearance, Chappell Roan gave a memorable performance that didn’t quite outshine its cost.

Roan rocked a knight costume — rumored to be an homage to Julie D’Aubigny — and aimed a flaming crossbow toward a fiery castle before singing her latest single “Good Luck, Babe!”

Her powerful stage presence made it seem as if she has been performing in front of large crowds for decades, despite this being her first awards show performance.

Roan has skyrocketed and has become a huge name in music this past year and has been navigating the difficulties of her newfound stardom, sharing her thoughts on issues with fan boundaries in a series of posts on her TikTok page.

“I don’t care that [harassment] comes along with the job, the career field I’ve chosen,” Roan said. “That does not make it OK. That doesn’t make it normal. That doesn’t mean that I want it. That doesn’t mean that I like it,” 

Following her performance Roan took home the Moonman for Best New Artist.

Camila Cabello

Cabello rocked an all-black, funeral-esque gown at the ceremony, explaining the look was inspired by her latest song “Godspeed.”

“The song is very much about letting go of the BS — negative situations and people that are bringing you down,” Cabello said in an interview with Vogue, “We decided to reframe the VMAs as a funeral for all of the things that don’t serve me anymore.” 

Cabello closed out the VMAs with a performance of “Godspeed” off the deluxe version of her album “C, XOXO.” The performance started with a clip of Cabello’s song “June Gloom” before cutting to her on stage, surrounded by women holding bats and crowbars.

The performance ended with the singer angrily smashing a laptop and standing tall while dancers huddled around her. Bringing the VMA’s to an end, Cabello stood defiantly in the face of the ex her lyrics lament.

While the VMAs weren’t as memorable as previous years, there were a few noteworthy moments. Perhaps if the show focused more on handing out awards instead of performances and getting artists who were nominated to attend there would be more to discuss.