Last night, Beyoncé’s groundbreaking visual album “Lemonade” won eight Moonmen trophies, including “Video of the Year” for “Formation” at the 2016 “MTV Video Music Awards”, which took place at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden. The global megastar surprised the audience with a jaw-dropping “Lemonade” medley that recreated the stunning imagery of the visual album. Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award-winner Rihanna dazzled with a career-spanning four-act performance – including an electrifying opening dance medley and a trio of stirring ballads to close – before accepting the VMAs’ highest honour with a heartfelt tribute by Drake.
Britney Spears made a triumphant return to the VMA stage with a soaring performance of her G-Eazy collaboration “Make Me…”. Kanye West made a special appearance to deliver a meditation on fame before introducing the steamy and surreal video for “Fade”, starring actress and GOOD Music recording artist Teyana Taylor and her fiancée, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Iman Shumpert. Future tore through a blistering performance of his 2015 hit “F**k Up Some Commas”, after being introduced by legendary Olympian Michael Phelps, who revealed he’d been listening to Future in the meme-launching photo of him in Rio.
Tune in to the African TV premiere of The MTV Video Music Awards on MTV (DStv channel 130) on Monday 29 August at 21:00 CAT. Build up to the big night begins with the official Pre-Show including red carpet action on MTV from 20:00 CAT.
The following is a complete list of winners and performances:
WINNERS
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé – “Formation”
Director: Melina Matsoukas
MICHAEL JACKSON VIDEO VANGUARD AWARD
Rihanna
BEST FEMALE VIDEO
Beyoncé – “Hold Up”
Director: Jonas Åkerlund, Beyoncé Knowles Carter
BEST MALE VIDEO
Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna – “This Is What You Came For”
Director: Emil Nava
BEST COLLABORATION
Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Work From Home”
Director: Director X
BEST HIP HOP VIDEO
Drake – “Hotline Bling”
Director: Director X
BEST POP VIDEO
Beyoncé – “Formation”
Director: Melina Matsoukas
BEST ROCK VIDEO
twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
Director: Andrew Donoho
BEST ELECTRONIC VIDEO
Calvin Harris & Disciples – “How Deep Is Your Love”
Director: Emil Nava
BREAKTHROUGH LONG-FORM VIDEO
Beyoncé – Lemonade
BEST NEW ARTIST
Presented by Taco Bell®
DNCE
SONG OF SUMMER
Presented by Verizon
Fifth Harmony featuring Fetty Wap – “All In My Head (Flex)”
PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIES
Presented by Orbit® Gum
BEST ART DIRECTION
David Bowie – “Blackstar”
Production Designer: Jan Houllevigue
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Beyoncé – “Formation”
Choreographer: Chris Grant, JaQuel Knight, Dana Foglia
BEST DIRECTION
Beyoncé – “Formation”
Director: Melina Matsoukas
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Beyoncé – “Formation”
Cinematographer: Malik Sayeed
BEST EDITING
Beyoncé – “Formation”
Editor: Jeff Selis
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Coldplay – “Up&Up”
VFX Editor: Vania Heymann