Taylor Swift Leads the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards Nominations, Followed by Post Malone

US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift arrives for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. (AFP)
US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift arrives for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. (AFP)
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Taylor Swift Leads the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards Nominations, Followed by Post Malone

US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift arrives for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. (AFP)
US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift arrives for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. (AFP)

It’s Taylor Swift’s world, and the MTV Video Music Award nominations are the latest proof.

“The Tortured Poets Department” singer once again tops the VMA noms with 10 — eight for her “Fortnight” music video and nods in the artist of the year and best pop categories. She’s followed by her “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone, who is nominated along with Swift eight times and earned his ninth nom for his country hit “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen.

Rounding out the artist of the year category nominees announced Tuesday are Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Eminem, Sabrina Carpenter and SZA.

Swift took home nine VMAs last year, bringing her total to an impressive 23. That places her just behind Beyoncé, who has 28 (two with Destiny’s Child) and just ahead of Madonna, who has 20 awards, and Lady Gaga, who has 19.

The 2024 MTV VMAs will air live on Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Grande, Carpenter and Eminem are tied with six nods; Megan Thee Stallion and SZA have five each. Blackpink's LISA, Olivia Rodrigo and Teddy Swims follow with four nominations.

This year marks 29 first-time nominees, which include Wallen, Carpenter and Swims as well as Benson Boone and Tyla — the latter boast three nominations each.

Also nominated for the first time in 2024 are Chappell Roan, Coco Jones, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Jessie Murph, LE SSERAFIM, Morgan Wallen, Rauw Alejandro, RAYE, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey, Tyla, Tyler Childers, Victoria Monet and more.

The VMAs will be held at the UBS Arena on New York's Long Island. Fan voting begins online Tuesday across 15 categories and ends Aug. 30.

Voting in the best new artist category will remain active throughout the show.



Zanzibar Says Hollywood Star Idris Elba to Open Film Studio

Britain's King Charles III (R) meets British actor Idris Elba and young people attend an event for The King's Trust to discuss youth opportunity, at St James's Palace in central London on July 12, 2024. (Photo by Yui Mok / POOL / AFP)
Britain's King Charles III (R) meets British actor Idris Elba and young people attend an event for The King's Trust to discuss youth opportunity, at St James's Palace in central London on July 12, 2024. (Photo by Yui Mok / POOL / AFP)
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Zanzibar Says Hollywood Star Idris Elba to Open Film Studio

Britain's King Charles III (R) meets British actor Idris Elba and young people attend an event for The King's Trust to discuss youth opportunity, at St James's Palace in central London on July 12, 2024. (Photo by Yui Mok / POOL / AFP)
Britain's King Charles III (R) meets British actor Idris Elba and young people attend an event for The King's Trust to discuss youth opportunity, at St James's Palace in central London on July 12, 2024. (Photo by Yui Mok / POOL / AFP)

Hollywood star Idris Elba has been allocated land in Zanzibar to set up a film studio in the Indian Ocean archipelago, a local minister said.

The British actor and rapper, who has Sierra Leonean and Ghanaian roots, has previously spoken about his desire to develop the film industry in Africa.

"Idris Elba will be building a modern studio similar to Hollywood, Nollywood or Bollywood," Zanzibar's minister for investment Shariff Ali Shariff said on Thursday.

He said the government of Zanzibar has granted Elba 80 hectares (almost 200 acres) of land in Fumba, on the island of Unguja, for the studio.

"I'm not sure how we will call it in Zanzibar, whether Zallywood or Zawood, I don't know," Shariff said jokingly as he addressed industry players at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.

Local media said the studio could boost Tanzania's budding efforts to become a hub for international film production.

The studio plan follows discussions last year between Elba and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.