Lady Gaga, BTS and Black Eyed Peas: What you missed at the 2020 MTV VMAs

The COVID-19 pandemic may have caused countless events around the world to be cancelled or postponed, but it didn’t stop the 2020 MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards) from going forward last night in New York (this morning, Hong Kong time). In case you missed it, here are all the performances that have set the Internet ablaze, from BTS’ “Dynamite” to Miley Cyrus’ “Midnight Sky,” Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain On Me” and more.

The Weeknd

The first performance of the 2020 MTV VMAs set the tone for the rest of the evening. The Weeknd performed his No.1 hit from over 1,000 feet in the air at the Edge in Hudson Yards, with a fireworks display towards the end of the performance.

DaBaby

DaBaby, the 28-year-old rapper, took to the VMAs stage for the first time in his career thanks to his nominations for four awards including Artist of the Year, “Bop” for Best Hip-Hop and Best Choreography, also his collaboration with Camila Cabello “My Oh My” for Best Cinematography.

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus never disappoints. Debuting her latest single, “Midnight Sky,” which harkened back to her iconic “Wrecking Ball” music video in 2013, even her outfit matched the giant disco ball. This performance will no doubt be added to the list of iconic VMA moments.

Maluma

The Colombian singer Maluma took the stage at a Skyline Drive-In location in Greenpoint, Brooklyn waterfront. Surrounded by a troupe of mask-wearing dancers in coordinated yellow outfits, Maluma performed his single “Hawái” in front of socially distanced cars, which brought the tropical vibes to the big city.

BTS

Fan fave Korean boy band BTS performed their new English-language single, “Dynamite” at the VMAs from afar. Dancing in front of a green screen, the boys still managed to sync up and light up the show from various locations around the world.

Lady Gaga

Up for nine nominations and winning four awards, including song and artist of the year, Lady Gaga’s VMA performance was solid proof that she deserved it all. Performing a medley of her album, “Chromatica” that came out in May, check her out as she dances her way through “911,” “Stupid Love” and “Rain on Me” with Ariana Grande.

Doja Cat

Doja Cat, the TikTok famous 24-year-old singer and rapper, performed a medley of her hit singles, “Say So” and “Like That” at her first VMA appearance. Her performance began with a throwback to MTV News, where she was seen dressed up as an anchor named “Something Quirkier.”

Keke Palmer

Not only did Keke Palmer host the award show, she also pulled off a performance of her very own featuring her new summer jam, “Snack”. Changing from classy cocktail dresses to a neon yellow zip-up leotard, Keke definitely managed to kick up the energy of an already exciting night.

CNCO

Following Keke Palmer’s performance, CNCO performed “Beso” at their first VMAs – a new song that they surprise-released on Thursday. The Latin pop group busted out their best dance moves and kept the crowd hyper with their Toyota-sponsored performance.

Julia Michaels & JP Saxe 

Julia Michaels and JP Saxe presented a timely performance of their single, “If the World Was Ending”, presented by Extra Gum. Although the song was written before COVID-19, it has taken on new resonance as the world grapples with the ongoing pandemic.

Black Eyed Peas

Closing off the show, the Black Eye Peas took to the stage to perform their new single, “Vida Loca”, followed by their 2009 hit, “I Gotta Feeling”. It was actually the first time the trio were seen together on the VMA stage since 1995. The show closed with a series of powerful messages and a tribute to the late Black Panther actor, Chadwick Boseman. #RIP

See also: #SelPink: Watch “Ice Cream” from Blackpink and Selena Gomez