Here’s why we can’t stop talking about the 2025 VMAs.
The 42nd annual MTV Video Music Awards were held on Sept. 7 and housed many iconic performances, historical wins, and pop culture phenomena. The internet has been buzzing about many aspects of the famed award ceremony, but here are some of my personal favorite moments of the night.
- Sabrina Carpenter’s performance of “Tears”
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Sabrina Carpenter celebrated the success of her sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet at the VMAs, basking in multiple wins, including Album of The Year for her record. Carpenter didn’t stop at Short n’ Sweet. As she performed her hit single, “Tears,” from her new album, Man’s Best Friend, for the first time. She dazzled viewers with Britney Spears-esque visuals and a nod to transgender rights.
Following the release of her seventh studio album on Aug. 29, she also released a music video for “Tears,” including a cast of drag queens from past seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race and a set full of Rocky Horror Picture Show-like charm. In Sabrina’s VMAs performance, we see the same cast of drag queens, this time holding signs in support of the transgender, drag, and queer community. The signs included sayings like “Dolls Dolls Dolls”, “Protect Trans Rights,” “If You Hate You’ll Never Get Laid,” and “Good Bi.” Most of these signs referenced songs off of Carpenter’s new album, like “Goodbye” and “Never Getting Laid,” but all of them left an important message about queer rights.
In an anti-transgender social and political climate, a message about queer belonging from someone so influential as Grammy award-winning Sabrina Carpenter leaves an everlasting impact. Carpenter’s performance not only brought back iconic visuals we haven’t seen since Britney Spears’ pop reign, but it also promoted queer belonging and showed transgender and queer individuals, old and young, that they should continue to fight for their rights and speak up. It was a much-needed reminder that mega pop-stars like Sabrina Carpenter have their back.
- Lady Gaga’s Double Shift
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Lady Gaga paused her sold-out Mayhem Ball tour for a few hours to receive four awards, including Artist of the Year. She didn’t fully stop her tour for her night out at the VMAs. Gaga was in the middle of two sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden, Sept. 6-7, and still managed to make her appearance.
Lady Gaga arrived at the VMAs with one task and one task only: To accept the award for Artist of the Year in a frilly black and purple Marc Jacobs gown, and then drive straight to Madison Square Garden. Fans were concerned about a schedule conflict when they learned Gaga’s second sold-out night at MSG was the same night as the VMAs, until she posted to her Instagram story that she would be onstage at 9:30 p.m. sharp. That she was. She was so serious about getting to the venue on time that she ended her Album of the Year acceptance speech by saying, “I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances, but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden. Love you. Thank you!”
If that isn’t dedication to her fans and her music, I don’t know what is. Whenever you don’t feel like going to work and/or school, remember the night Lady Gaga took a double shift in New York City.
- Ariana Grande’s Wins
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Between the success of Wicked, R.E.M Beauty, and brighter days ahead, Ariana Grande has been busy at work and hasn’t made an award show appearance since 2018. So, seeing Ariana in four different custom outfits styled by Law Roach was such a treat.
Grande’s also received three awards: Best Pop, Best Long Form Video, and Video of the Year. During her acceptance speech for Best Pop, Ariana thanked “[her] therapists and gay people” for their contributions and support for brighter days ahead. Fans also noted that Grande had an incredibly social night, mingling with stars and old friends like Sabrina Carpenter, Mariah Carey, Rosé, Tate McRae, and KATSEYE.
Grande has a history of being let down or snubbed by award shows, so it’s refreshing to see her have such a wonderful time, and fans cannot wait to see what the future eternal sunshine Tour and Wicked: For Good release will bring.
- Conan Gray’s Surprise Performance
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Conan Gray, popular for his song “Heather,” had some tricks up his sleeve when he arrived at the VMAs in a custom sailor-inspired Erik Charlotte gown. Not only did Gray bring a show-stopping look onto the red carpet, but he also brought his long-time friend and music video co-star Corey Fogelmanis.
Gray released his fourth studio album, Wishbone, on Aug. 15, along with music videos for “This Song,” “Vodka Cranberry,” and “Caramel,” which create a trilogy storyline about fictional characters Brando and Wilson, played by Corey Fogelmanis and Conan Gray, respectively. When fans saw the red carpet footage of them together, they were quick to speculate if a surprise performance was in the works, and they were right.
Conan Gray performed “Vodka Cranberry” for the VMA crowd and put on a Romeo and Juliet-inspired performance with Fogelmanis. For two minutes and forty seconds, Corey Fogelmanis lay on a bed asleep in the forest, just like Juliet did on her deathbed. In the meantime, Conan produced phenomenal high notes and downed a vodka cranberry potion to simulate the death of Romeo by Corey’s side. The audience was wowed at this surprise performance, with some being fans excited to see a secret performance from their favorite artist, and others new to Conan Gray, but stunned by his vocal capability and set visuals. A little surprise was just what the crowd needed at the end of the night, and they were more than happy to receive it.
The 2025 VMAs were a night to remember due to historic wins and iconic pop culture moments. This article merely touched the surface of what happened on that glorious night, but know that the rest of the night doesn’t go unnoticed. Megan Moroney made history as the first-ever recipient of the new Best Country award, and Tate McRae became a meme for her performance that looked like it was performed in a litter box, but that’s still not everything that happened.
The VMAs showed us that pop culture is so back, and the night was particularly full of wins for women. As a woman navigating college during difficult times in America, events full of pop girlies having a fun time and achieving success encourage me to romanticize the little things in life and strive for my own victories. Connectivity in all forms is so important in this age, and it’s great to see award shows swing back into action.