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All the highlights from the 2023 MTV VMAs ceremony

Shakira put on a medley of her greatest hits at the VMAs, but fans were raging over a glaring problem with her set.

Lexie CartwrightLexie Cartwright
@LexieCartwright
5 min read
September 13, 2023 - 2:53PM
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Shakira was the crowning queen of the night at the MTV VMAs, with the singer this year’s Video Vanguard Award recipient.

But the Colombian superstar’s win was slightly marred by backlash from viewers over her accompanying performance.

Shakira, 46, put on a high-energy medley of her greatest hits, including She Wolf, Whenever Wherever and Hips Don’t Lie.

Shakira put on a show as the Video Vanguard honoree. Picture: MTV
Shakira put on a show as the Video Vanguard honoree. Picture: MTV
The Colombian super star performed her best hits. Picture: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for MTV
The Colombian super star performed her best hits. Picture: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for MTV

However, fans accused Shakira of not only lip syncing, but lip syncing badly for the entirety of her set.

It’s become less common over the years for musicians to lip sync during live performances, though artists sometimes choose to do so when their routines involve intense dance numbers.

Nonetheless, Shakira was obviously a deserving winner of the statue, making her the first South American ever to win the award.

“Thank you, MTV, for being part of my career since I was 18 years old,” Shakira said.

Elsewhere among the coveted wins was Diddy, who was presented with the Global Icon Award.

The MTV VMAs took place from the Prudential Center in New Jersey.

NSYNC reunites for first time in a decade

We weren’t expecting this.

Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick and Lance Bass shocked A-list audience members when they emerged onstage to present the award for Best Pop to Taylor Swift.

NSYNC is in the building! Picture: Timothy A. CLARY / AFP
NSYNC is in the building! Picture: Timothy A. CLARY / AFP

But Swift seemed more excited about NSYNC’s surprise cameo than her own score.

“I’m not doing well pivoting from this [reunion] to this [award],” a surprised Swift said. “I had your dolls! Are you doing something? What’s gonna happen now? They’re going to do something and I need to know what it is!

“You’re pop personified, so to receive this from your golden pop hands is too much.”

NSYNC were last together in 2013 when Timberlake took home the Video Vanguard award at the VMAs.

Their appearance all but solidifies rumours they’re set to release new music for the first time since 2002.

It’s Taylor’s world

Swift followed up her early win with more gongs, earning the statues for Song of The Year and Best Direction for her track Anti-Hero, as well as Artist of the Year.

She also won the top award of the night, Video of the Year, for the second year in a row.

After announcing her 10th studio album Midnightsat last year’s awards, fans were hoping for yet another big Swift surprise, but it wasn’t to be.

“This is unbelievable,” Swift said. “The fact that this is a fan-voted award means so much to me.”

The pop star been busy touring North and South America with her blockbuster Eras tour, which she said had been the best time of her life.

“I’ve just been on a tour that has been the most joyful and exhilarating experience and we’re not even half way,” she said.

“It’s really felt like the adventure of a lifetime this past year.”

Taylor Swift was the big winner at the VMAs. Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTV
Taylor Swift was the big winner at the VMAs. Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTV

Selena Gomez sneers at controversial nod

Cameras cut to the former Disney Channel star scrunching her face in disgust when Chris Brown’s name was read out.

Gomez’s brief snub was caught on a live stream, in which she could be seen visibly reacting to the controversial singer’s nomination for Best R&B.

Brown, of course, doesn’t have a great reputation following his domestic assault guilty plea for an incident involving then-girlfriend, Rihanna, back in 2009.

Selena Gomez ain't a fan...
Selena Gomez ain't a fan...

Unlikely stars’ ‘heated exchange’ backstage

What happened here?

The most unlikeliest of potential rivals, Megan Thee Stallion and Justin Timberlake, were filmed in a seemingly tense exchange behind the scenes.

A frosty video did the rounds on social media, with many users saying it looked like a confrontation.

However, a source told Variety there was “zero fight”. You be the judge:

I’m talking WAP, take two

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion performed their new song Bongos with an expectedly bum-bearing showing.

We must say, it didn’t quite reach the highs of WAP-level risque, but it was certainly entertaining.

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion hit the stage with their new track, Bongos. Picture: Timothy A. CLARY / AFP
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion hit the stage with their new track, Bongos. Picture: Timothy A. CLARY / AFP

Swift led nominations for the fan-voted awards with eight, and was followed by SZA with six nods.

Doja Cat, Olivia Rodrigo, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus and Sam Smith each have five apiece.

Here are the 2023 VMAs winners:

Video of the Year

Doja Cat – Attention

Miley Cyrus – Flowers

Nicki Minaj – Super Freaky Girl

Olivia Rodrigo – vampire

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – Unholy

SZA – Kill Bill

WINNER: Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero

Artist of the Year

Beyoncé

Doja Cat

KAROL G

Nicki Minaj

Shakira

WINNER: Taylor Swift

Best New Artist

GloRilla

WINNER: Ice Spice

Kaliii

Peso Pluma

PinkPantheress

Reneé Rapp

Best Collaboration

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – I’m Good (Blue)

Post Malone, Doja Cat – I Like You (A Happier Song)

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – Gotta Move On

WINNER: KAROL G, Shakira – TQG

Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – Creepin’ (Remix)

Rema & Selena Gomez – Calm Down

Best Hip-Hop

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – Gotta Move On

DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – STAYING ALIVE

GloRilla & Cardi B – Tomorrow 2

Lil Uzi Vert – Just Wanna Rock

Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – Kant Nobody

Metro Boomin ft Future – Superhero (Heroes and Villains)

WINNER: Nicki Minaj – Super Freaky Girl

Best Latin

WINNER: Anitta – Funk Rave

Bad Bunny – WHERE SHE GOES

Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – Ella Baila Sola

Grupo Frontera & Bad Bunny – un x100to

KAROL G, Shakira – TQG

ROSALÍA – DESPECHÁ

Shakira – Acróstico

Best R&B

Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – Stay

Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – How Does It Feel

Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – Creepin’ (Remix)

WINNER: SZA – Shirt

Toosii – Favorite Song

Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj – Love In The Way

Song of the Year

Miley Cyrus – Flowers

Olivia Rodrigo – vampire

Rema & Selena Gomez – Calm Down

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – Unholy

Steve Lacy – Bad Habit

SZA – Kill Bill

WINNER: Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero

Best Pop

Demi Lovato – Swine

Dua Lipa – Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)

Ed Sheeran – Eyes Closed

Miley Cyrus – Flowers

Olivia Rodrigo – vampire

P!NK – Trustfall

WINNER: Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero

Best Afrobeats

Ayra Starr – Rush

Burna Boy – It’s Plenty

Davido ft. Musa Keys – UNAVAILABLE

Fireboy DML & Asake – Bandana

Libianca – People

WINNER: Rema & Selena Gomez – Calm Down

Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– 2 Sugar

Best K-Pop

aespa – Girls

BLACKPINK – Pink Venom

FIFTY FIFTY – Cupid

SEVENTEEN – Super

WINNER: Stray Kids – S-Class

TOMORROW X TOGETHER – Sugar Rush Ride

Video for Good

Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral)

Bad Bunny – El Apagón - Aquí Vive Gente

Demi Lovato – Swine

More Coverage

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Stephanie Giang-Paunon – Fox News

WINNER: Dove Cameron – Breakfast

Imagine Dragons – Crushed

Maluma – La Reina

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