Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga stole the spotlight at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night, delivering career-defining moments that had fans and fellow artists buzzing. Grande took home two major honors — video of the year and best pop video — and sparked conversation with her candid acceptance speech, where she thanked her “therapists and gay people,” a line that drew both laughter and applause from the audience.
Lady Gaga, the night’s top nominee, opened her winning run by claiming artist of the year before electrifying the stage with a highly anticipated performance. Her set at Madison Square Garden, streamed live to the UBS Arena audience, featured “Abracadabra” and “The Dead Dance,” her haunting single from the Netflix series Wednesday. The performance was a reminder of Gaga’s reputation for blending theatricality with raw artistry, leaving fans in awe.
In her acceptance speech, Gaga reflected on the power and responsibility of creativity. “Being an artist is an attempt to connect the souls of people all over the world,” she said. She dedicated her award to fans and paid tribute to her fiancé, Michael Polansky, who co-executive produced her latest album Mayhem. “Creating with you has been a beautiful thing,” Gaga told him, capping off a night where both she and Grande cemented their place at the center of today’s pop culture.
