Taylor Swift Racks Up Trophies at MTV Video Music Awards

US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift celebrates winning the Video of the Year award onstage during the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on September 12, 2023. (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY / AFP)
US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift celebrates winning the Video of the Year award onstage during the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on September 12, 2023. (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY / AFP)
TT

Taylor Swift Racks Up Trophies at MTV Video Music Awards

US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift celebrates winning the Video of the Year award onstage during the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on September 12, 2023. (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY / AFP)
US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift celebrates winning the Video of the Year award onstage during the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on September 12, 2023. (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY / AFP)

Pop superstar Taylor Swift dominated MTV's annual Video Music Awards on Tuesday, adding nine trophies to her collection as she claimed the top prize for her smash hit song "Anti-Hero.”

The first single from Swift's 2022 "Midnights" album, "Anti-Hero" depicts a litany of insecurities with a chorus declaring: "It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me."

"This is unbelievable," the singer, on a break from her record-setting Eras Tour, said on stage as she held the Moon Person statuette for video of the year. "The fact this is a fan-voted award means so much to me."

It was the second straight win for Swift in the video of the year category. Last year, she won the prize for her 10-minute version of breakup song "All Too Well,” Reuters reported.

Swift's nine awards on Tuesday tied the record for the biggest VMA haul in one night, MTV said. Her accolades included song, artist and album of the year, bringing her lifetime VMA total to 23, second only to Beyonce.

At the start of Tuesday night's show at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the 33-year-old Swift gushed as she received the pop video award from members of 1990s boy band NSYNC, the group that won the same honor 20 years ago.

"I had your dolls!" Swift said to band members including Lance Bass and Justin Timberlake. "You are pop personified. So to receive this from your golden pop hands, it's too much."

Among other winners, rapper Ice Spice was named best new artist. Stray Kids, a band put together through a reality show, won the best K-pop award, and SZA scored best R&B video for "Shirt.”

Rema and Selena Gomez won the first VMA for Afrobeats music for their collaboration "Calm Down.”

Performers at the ceremony included Demi Lovato, Lil Wayne, Olivia Rodrigo, host Nicki Minaj and rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs, who received the Global Icon award.

Minaj, who won the best hip hop video trophy, also joined Grandmaster Flash, LL Cool J and other rap luminaries for a multi-song celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop that concluded with Run DMC's "Walk This Way.”

Colombian pop singer Shakira was honored with the Video Vanguard Award for her 20-year career. After performing a bilingual medley of her hits including "Hips Don't Lie" and "Whenever, Wherever," the singer saluted her fans.

"Thank you so much for being my army and helping me fight all my battles," she said.

Later, she and fellow Colombian singer Karol G won best collaboration for "TQG.”



Disney's 'Moana 2' Premiere Honors Hawaiian Culture

Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024.  REUTERS/Marco Garcia
Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024. REUTERS/Marco Garcia
TT

Disney's 'Moana 2' Premiere Honors Hawaiian Culture

Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024.  REUTERS/Marco Garcia
Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024. REUTERS/Marco Garcia

The world premiere of Disney's "Moana 2" sailed into Oahu, Hawaii on Thursday along with a celebration of Pacific Islander heritage.
In the storyline, three years have passed since Moana's adventures in the first hit film. "At first, she was wondering if she could be a wayfinder,” Auliʻi Cravalho, who voices the title character, told Reuters.
"By the time we see her again she's a ... master navigator."
The film also takes Moana on a journey into the future, so she is traveling "even further beyond," the native Hawaiian actor added.
“Moana 2,” directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, arrives in theaters on Nov. 27.
In it Moana receives a sudden call from her ancestors to travel the seas and break the god Nalo’s curse, which prevents the people of various islands from reconnecting.
She must form her own crew and reunite with her friend, the demigod Maui, played by Dwayne Johnson.
“Maui’s journey in 'Moana 2' means to me a few things,” Johnson said.
“Number one, legacy, and number two, the character Maui was largely inspired by my grandfather who’s buried here (Hawaii), so it’s pretty meaningful to me,” he added.
The premiere opened with performances from Hawaiian dancers wearing leis and waving Hawaiian flags.
The film is highly anticipated after Disney’s other 2024 animated sequel "Inside Out 2" passed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office less than three weeks after its release - the fastest that any animated film has reached that level.
The first “Moana” topped the 2016 Thanksgiving box office rankings, earning a mighty $81.1 million over the five-day holiday period.