Entertainment

The VMAs 2023 were a delight for every millennial

By Wieke Veenboer | #!30Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:00:34 +0200+02:003430#30Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:00:34 +0200+02:00-3Europe\/Amsterdam3030Europe\/Amsterdam202330 13pm30pm-30Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:00:34 +0200+02:003Europe\/Amsterdam3030Europe\/Amsterdam2023302023Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:00:34 +0200003009pmWednesday=9#!30Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:00:34 +0200+02:00Europe\/Amsterdam9#09-13-2023#!30Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:00:34 +0200+02:003430#\/30Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:00:34 +0200+02:00-3Europe\/Amsterdam3030Europe\/Amsterdam202330#!30Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:00:34 +0200+02:00Europe\/Amsterdam9#

I usually don't find award shows that interesting, to be honest. Of course, it's fun to see all the outfits (and to have an opinion about everything as if you personally invented fashion in the present day) and as a die-hard Swiftie, I was of course extremely excited that Taylor Swift came out as the big winner by winning every category she was nominated in.

She won the award for Best Music Video for Anti-Hero (pretty much the most important award of the night), and in addition, she won eight other awards. Only Peter Gabriel did better in 1987 by taking one more home than Taylor: he won ten VMA Awards that year.

1987 is quite a while ago, but the ceremony yesterday was still very much focused on former pop heroes. To put it better: it was a true celebration of recognition for millennials.

To start with the most important thing, something that almost makes Taylor Swift's nine awards pale in comparison: *NSYNC was back together. Hooooly shit, what a blast from the past. Even though I was a fan of the Backstreet Boys at the time (could you be a fan of both boy bands? For me, that was really a no-go), we can of course only encourage a reunion of this. The only disappointing thing was that they only came out to present an award (to Taylor Swift), but did not perform. Still a bit of a case of happy-with-a-dead-mouse, but she did come out with Bye, Bye, Bye and that made up for a lot.

But who else did we see on the red carpet (which was pink yesterday)? Nelly Furtado, Nelly, Lil Wayne, and Shakira. Now, the latter is still very relevant in 2023, but as a millennial, nothing will ever surpass her times of Whenever, Wherever and Underneath Your Clothes, with the ultimate highlight being Hips Don’t Lie, which is why I always call her Shakira Shakira in my head.

Other notable moments from the ceremony? Selena Gomez (who looked absolutely stunning) who doesn't quite agree with the nomination of Chris Brown and made that clear. You go, Selena.