VMAs 2024 LIVE updates: Taylor Swift seeks to make history as ...

Taylor Swift has a knack for stealing headlines from events such as these – it was at February’s Grammys that she announced The Tortured Poets Department (yes, that was this year) – and the LA Times has speculated that another announcement’s coming.

Considering she endorsed Kamala yesterday, it’s not that. According to the LA Times, we might be getting a date for Reputation (Taylor’s Version) sometime tonight, the 15th anniversary of her infamous “Imm let her finish” episode with Kanye, a moment that inspired her whole Reputation era. Judging by her outfit tonight, I’m convinced.

Don’t know if anyone had that on their bingo card? Pop princess Sabrina Carpenter has descended from the heavens to perform some of her biggest hits including Please Please Please and Espresso, grind with a Darth Vader-breathing astronaut and smooch a sexy alien a la Britney and Madonna in 2003. MTV is going very hard on the moon man theme to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Carpenter, whose album Short n Sweet recently debuted at number one in the US, was intro’d by ’80s icon Cyndi Lauper, hanging over a balcony and screaming like that one aunty who has one too many champers at Christmas and tells you inappropriate (but great) stories.

“I won my moon man award at the very first VMAs in 1984,” she said. “It was a great year for women and I’m happy to say that women have continued to dominate the landscape. This next performer definitely knows how to have some fun. Get ready to hear the entire place say motherf---er really loud!”

Note: the broadcast bleeped it both there, and in the song. No respect.

In a case of particularly unfortunate timing, this year’s recipient of the VMAs’ lifetime achievement award – also known by its totally not awkward official name, the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award – is Katy Perry.

I still can’t tell if this is a good or bad thing for Katy. Considering the cultural clowning she’s received for the catastrophic rollout of her upcoming comeback album 143 – including the despised lead single Woman’s World, her cringe Call Her Daddy episode, and criticism around her decision to continue working with producer Dr Luke – you’d half expect her to just stay home and bury her head in her pillow until the album’s out.

Kate Perry on the red carpet.Credit: WireImage

But maybe reminding the world – including a young generation who have no clue – that she was responsible for all-time jams like Teenage Dream, California Gurls, Last Friday Night, Part of Me (look, even the incredibly silly Peacock and that theme song from MasterChef) – might be a good move.

Just, for the love of god, don’t perform Woman’s World.

I’ll have a breakdown of all of today’s fashions coming soon, but before then, I’ll leave you with my three favourite looks, chosen for no other reason other than the fact I like them and I think they captured the spirit of the show.

Addison Rae, Chappell Roan and Tyla.Credit: Getty Images

And if you still want more, you can see all of the looks from today’s red carpet in our gallery.

Your next pop superstar Addison Rae introduced Colombian star Karol G to the stage to lead the VMAs in a Latin fiesta that seemed to include her abuela and primos in the performance. They even got Taylor Swift salsa-ing, which will be a meme on my family’s Whatsapp soon.

See, this is what the ARIAs are missing. We have the most multicultural society in the world, and not once have I heard someone sing in, like, Lebanese with their grandma at the ARIAs. Learn something, ARIAs!

Flava Flav took a break from his new job as Olympic Waterpolo Hype Guy to present the award for Best Direction. Temporary Bronze Medallist Jordan Chiles joined the rapper to give out the first VMA for Best Collaboration, unsurprisingly going to Taylor Swift and Post Malone for Fortnight.

I suspect this will not be the last time we see Swift and Malone on stage together, so I hope they have prepared several speeches. In accepting the award, Swift paid tribute to the lives lost on September 11, 2001. “Waking up this morning in New York, I’ve just been thinking about everyone that lost a loved one. That is the most important thing about today, and everything else that happens tonight falls behind that.”

Taylor Swift, center, and Post Malone embrace as they win the first award of the night.Credit: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Swift then pivoted to praising Post Malone, the man who really deserves this award given all he does is collaborate with people. “He’s so polite, it’s taken forever for him to stop calling me ma’am,” joked Swift.

We’re on! The awards ceremony has been kicked off with dozens of bleach-blond Eminems (including the real one) storming the stage for a performance of Houdini, the lead single from album The Death of Slim Shady. Taylor was vibing in her awful tartan dress. Post Malone was sculling his drink. The crowd went crazy.

He then took things down a notch with Somebody Save Me featuring discount Post Malone (Jelly Roll) performing on pre-record from inside the MTV moon.

Eminem opens the MTV Video Music Awards performing Houdini.Credit: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Eminem is nominated for eight awards today including artist of the year, best video, best hip hop and song of the summer. If he wins just one of those, he’ll officially become the most decorated male artist in VMAs history! Should he be getting the video vanguard award instead of Katy Perry? His fans definitely think so!

Miss Americana herself has arrived, and she’s gone for a strong look this year, Donald Trump and his AI-generated images be damned. Swift is walking the red carpet solo, in a yellow tartan bustier and sweeping train, black thigh high platform boots and elbow-length leather motorcycle gloves. Kind of like if Cher in Clueless became a biker chick. Is a new era for Swift on the way?

Taylor Swift.Credit: Getty Images