Taylor Swift Wins Big at MTV Video Music Awards, Ties Beyoncé’s Record

US singer Taylor Swift accepts the Video of the Year award for "Fortnight" on stage during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
US singer Taylor Swift accepts the Video of the Year award for "Fortnight" on stage during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
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Taylor Swift Wins Big at MTV Video Music Awards, Ties Beyoncé’s Record

US singer Taylor Swift accepts the Video of the Year award for "Fortnight" on stage during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
US singer Taylor Swift accepts the Video of the Year award for "Fortnight" on stage during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

Taylor Swift 's dominance continued at the MTV Video Music Awards, where she took home seven awards — including the night's biggest, the trophy for video of the year.
In her speech Wednesday night, Swift thanked her “boyfriend, Travis” for being on set of the “Fortnight” music video and cheering her on. Fans rewarded the mention of NFL star Travis Kelce with loud screams.
"Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic,” she said, before shifting gears to the 2024 presidential election and instructing her fans who are over 18 to register to vote.
Swift did, however, avoid discussing Kamala Harris’ presidential bid on stage. On Tuesday night, Swift endorsed the vice president, moments after Harris’ debate with former president Donald Trump ended.
Swift's awards haul brings her to a career total of 30, tying her and Beyoncé for the title of most-awarded musician in VMA history, The Associated Press reported. Eminem is now the male artist with the most VMAs, at 14.
Swift and Post Malone also took home the first televised award of the VMAs for best collaboration, for “Fortnight,” handed to them by Flavor Flav and Olympian Jordan Chiles.
Swift started that speech by giving remembrance to everyone who lost their lives and loved ones during 9/11, 23 years ago.
“I’ve just been thinking about what happened 23 years ago, everyone who lost a loved one and everyone that we lost and that is the most important thing about today," she said. “And everything that happens tonight falls behind that.”
The other voice of 2024 pop, Sabrina Carpenter, won the trophy for song of the year for “Espresso.”
Katy Perry received the Video Vanguard Award, performing an eight-song medley spanning her career: “Roar,” “E.T.,” “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” “I Kissed a Girl,” “Firework,” and "Lifetimes."
Previous recipients of the Video Vanguard Award include Shakira, Beyoncé, Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and Missy Elliott.



Oscars Push Back Nominations Announcement amid California Wildfires

Finished mounted Oscar Statuettes are seen at the Polich Tallix foundry in Walden, New York, US, January 25, 2018. Picture taken January 25, 2018. (Reuters)
Finished mounted Oscar Statuettes are seen at the Polich Tallix foundry in Walden, New York, US, January 25, 2018. Picture taken January 25, 2018. (Reuters)
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Oscars Push Back Nominations Announcement amid California Wildfires

Finished mounted Oscar Statuettes are seen at the Polich Tallix foundry in Walden, New York, US, January 25, 2018. Picture taken January 25, 2018. (Reuters)
Finished mounted Oscar Statuettes are seen at the Polich Tallix foundry in Walden, New York, US, January 25, 2018. Picture taken January 25, 2018. (Reuters)

The Oscar nominations are being pushed back almost a week from their original date amid the ongoing California wildfires. Nominations will now be announced on Jan. 23, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Monday.

“We are all devastated by the impact of the fires and the profound losses experienced by so many in our community,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “The Academy has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship.”

With fires still active in the Los Angeles area, the film academy also extended the nominations voting period for its members through Friday. Originally, nominations were to be announced that morning.

The organization that puts on the Oscars has also made the decision to cancel its annual nominees luncheon, an untelevised event best known for the “class photos” it produces annually. The Scientific and Technical Awards, previously set for Feb. 18, will be rescheduled later.

The 97th Oscars will still happen on March 2, at the Dolby Theatre, with a live television broadcast on ABC beginning at 7 p.m. ET and a live stream on Hulu.

Oscar nominations were postponed in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ceremony itself was also delayed, which had happened several times before: The ceremony was pushed back a week because of disastrous flooding in Los Angeles in 1938.

In 1968, it was delayed two days following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And in 1981, it was put off for 24 hours after President Ronald Reagan was shot in Washington D.C.

The 1981 decision was made four hours before the broadcast was scheduled to begin.