Sinead Butler
Sep 13, 2021
After a socially distanced event last year, the MTV Video Music Awards were back in full swing this time around at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Sunday night to bring us some iconic performances from our favourite artists and to see who won a coveted moon man.
Some of the biggest winners this year were Olivia Rodrigo, winning song of the year and best new artist, while Justin Bieber took home Artist of the Year. Billie Eilish said “We need to protect our young women at all costs,” while accepting the Video for Good award for Your Power and Lil Nas X video of the year with ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’.
Like any award show, viewers love to react to the performances, speeches and outfits so here are some of the best memes and reactions from the night.
VMA’s and Met Gala in the same week
With the VMAs and Met Gala happening within a day of each other, fashion Twitter was getting prepared for the influx of red carpet looks within the next 48 hours (and channelling their inner Amanda Presley).
vmas tonight, met gala tomorrow… fashion twitter is ready and i would be scared if i was a celebrity https://t.co/voYBVtD7MI— 2000s (@2000s) 1631480756
vmas tonight met gala tomorrow the tl gonna be a mess https://t.co/zOkMuz4BbU— ً (@ً) 1631460824
vmas tomorrow and met gala on monday twt is going to be fun again— mia (@mia) 1631394477
me transitioning from the vmas to the met gala https://t.co/WQXCYeTJh8— ًlai (@ًlai) 1631513543
Britney Spears announces engagement at the same time
While the VMAs were happening, pop star Britney Spears had announced her engagement to long-term boyfriend Sam Asghari and people couldn’t help but joke about the timing of the news.
vmas: "we are the biggest night in pop culture" britney: hold my snake https://t.co/MARZhBkeET— britney's glory (@britney's glory) 1631485707
Lil Nas X wins Video of the Year
Lil Nas X stole the show with his amazing red carpet look, albeit without his pregnant bump to celebrate the release of his debut album this week (he’s also going to the Met Gala too - talk about a busy week!)
On top of that, the Industry Baby singer took home Video of the Year for Montero (Call Me By Your Name) where he thanked “the gay agenda – let’s go gay agenda!” and added, “I do not take this for granted.”
So tired of stars promoting unrealistic body types, losing the baby weight this fast isn’t healthy @LilNasX https://t.co/QFP9f9x0eK— Yell in a War (@Yell in a War) 1631489135
Lil Nas X knows his references #vmas https://t.co/CSxD0dK3gc— Best Vision TV (@Best Vision TV) 1631494827
A Spongebob reference was also used to describe Madonna’s VMA’s outfit
Madonna very much serving “and why aren’t you in uniform” #VMA #VMAs https://t.co/CCkuZrcm4s— m@k (@m@k) 1631491612
Justin Bieber takes home the Artist of the Year award
The Canadian singer also won Best Pop Video for “Peaches” – Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon, Def Jam.
People couldn’t help but notice his hooded attire reminded them of a certain Kermit the Frog meme.
Justin Bieber on #VMAs https://t.co/qW1gqNTh9h— giulia (@giulia) 1631491792
While people had mixed reactions to the Peaches singer winning artist of the year.
…. how tf did justin bieber beat… ARIANA GRANDE, TAYLOR SWIFT, OLIVIA RODRIGO, DOJA CAT AND MEG THEE STALLION FOR A… https://t.co/AwpAKGUGsw— jules & cassie’s defense attorney (@jules & cassie’s defense attorney) 1631496429
justin bieber… artist of the year… something ain’t adding up #VMAs https://t.co/leojfPPbeZ— seth (@seth) 1631496315
Justin Bieber artist of the year…when Doja Cat exists? #VMAs https://t.co/N2xOoM30FK— Samoa Joto (@Samoa Joto) 1631496293
Megan Fox calls boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly “daddy”
The actress made the comment during a red carpet interview and also called the same thing in an Instagram post, writing: “Daddy’s gonna win a VMA,” and let’s just say it’s gotten mixed opinions on Twitter.
Hell yeah🔥🔥 https://t.co/itNiXsBm8o— 𝕰𝖘 𝖚𝖓𝖆 𝕭𝖎𝖈𝖍𝖎𝖞𝖆𝖑 #MakeTASM3🕸️ (@𝕰𝖘 𝖚𝖓𝖆 𝕭𝖎𝖈𝖍𝖎𝖞𝖆𝖑 #MakeTASM3🕸️) 1631518144
dear god the cringe https://t.co/og3YyZMvfF— xvx (@xvx) 1631513320
Megan Fox (again) and Kourtney Kardashian introduce their boyfriends, Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker
During their introduction, Fox describes the musicians as her and Kourtney’s “future baby daddies” (we’re seeing a pattern here), and it prompted plenty of reactions.
megan fox: “give it up for our future baby daddies” kourtney kardashian: “machine gun kelly and travis barker”… https://t.co/so6rhnWFgn— kathleen (@kathleen) 1631502229
Megan and Kourtney introducing machine gun Kelly and Travis barker as their, ‘future baby daddies’ >>>>>>> #VMA https://t.co/TeK42HcOYI— Jazmyn Dorsett (@Jazmyn Dorsett) 1631502214
My face when #MeganFox said future baby daddies.. okayy siss #futurebabydaddies #VMA #mtvvma #MachineLearning… https://t.co/CsyE0FZxZJ— Juuiiccyyjay (@Juuiiccyyjay) 1631503216
Not future baby daddies #VMAs https://t.co/jkzc4Bn1Fz— BAKARI (@BAKARI) 1631502066
Did she just say “our future baby daddies” https://t.co/1x88TmnZNL— 11:11 ❗️ (@11:11 ❗️) 1631502091
Megan Fox: Our future baby daddies Kourtney K: **gurlllllll not for me** #VMAs https://t.co/9hCOjDU3FR— LetLeniLead2022 (@LetLeniLead2022) 1631518657
Doja Cat hosted the show and Twitter was loving it
It was a busy night for the Say So singer who also won Best Collaboration for her song “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA and performed “Been Like This” and “You Right” and viewers were impressed with the high-flying performance that saw her be suspended in the air.
Watching Doja Cat give us a professional modern dance routine #VMAs https://t.co/5TstoY6Atu— Joshua Chenault (@Joshua Chenault) 1631496203
doja cat - been like this live from the #vmas https://t.co/92rcYOmbjc— autumn ❀ (@autumn ❀) 1631496128
But that wasn’t the only talking point of the night, as one particular outfit of Doja’s caught the eye of viewers - even Doja said when accepting her “I never thought I’d be dressed as a worm accepting an award,” the singer said.
Doja Cat wasn’t lying when she said she looked like a worm #VMAs https://t.co/M0tZd7Keyx— JushForFans (@JushForFans) 1631498663
“i look like a worm”- doja cat at the 2021 vma’s— kyndall ❀♥︎ (@kyndall ❀♥︎) 1631498598
.@DojaCat said https://t.co/h3lpyVYfYl— siu (@siu) 1631500128
why doja giving alaskan bull worm tonight 😭 #vmas https://t.co/o6R5U9YvTU— g dawg (@g dawg) 1631498705
doja accepting her award be like https://t.co/JLs4KgnCGi— A (@A) 1631498574
Olivia Rodrigo performs “good 4 u” at the VMA’s
The 18-year-old singer also won two Moon men for best new artist and best song, “Drivers License” which became the most streamed song ever in January.
She also performed her hit song “good 4 u” and gave so much teenage angst that she even smashed the camera at the end of the song which people loved.
NOT OLIVIA RODRIGO BREAKING THE CAMERA DURING HER PERFORMANCE OF 'GOOD 4 U' 😭 #VMAs https://t.co/kGppT9ql95— squid || fan account 🐙 (@squid || fan account 🐙) 1631492002
I mean, Olivia Rodrigo be like performing and at the same time breaking the camera. This one is ICONIC! Congratulat… https://t.co/UIOPvvEIOt— fj | #LetLeniLead2022 (@fj | #LetLeniLead2022) 1631507917
Only @Olivia_Rodrigo can break the cameras like this #VMAs https://t.co/0OeyB1XPkv— ☽ (@☽) 1631492468
olivia rodrigo breaking the camera like she keeps breaking records https://t.co/VpZT0LgWgp— jojo 🚙 (@jojo 🚙) 1631492250
Normani channels Janet Jackson during her VMA performance with Teyana Taylor
Fans of the Motivation singer went wild over her debut live performance of her new single “Wild Side,” and the choreography definitely lived up to the song title as Normani gave Taylor a lapdance during the performance.
It is said to be a nod to Janet Jackson’s 2002 Live in Hawaii performance of “Would You Mind.”
UH NORMANI PAYING HOMAGE TO JANET JACKSON’S LIVE PERFORMANCES AND GIVING TEYANA TAYLOR A LAPDANCE. YES LORD. #VMAs https://t.co/D4Lus6nX1e— 𝕮𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖙 𝕶𝖎𝖒 💥 (@𝕮𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖙 𝕶𝖎𝖒 💥) 1631497534
the very SECOND I saw that contraption I knew a Janet Jackson homage was about to happen..then Normani…and Teyana..… https://t.co/3eUoJk7JRM— Semiyah (@Semiyah) 1631498640
Pop culture fanatics don’t have to wait too long for another red carpet, as the Met Gala is set to take place tonight.
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