Let’s get into it, shall we? The 2025 MTV VMAs livestream came, served, and left us with a swirl of glitter, glam, and a few “wait, what just happened?” moments. But while the show had its highs, we’re here to spotlight the real MVPs of the night—Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Mariah Carey, and the criminally underused Zara Larsson.
First up, Ariana Grande. Our eternal ponytail priestess was the camera’s favorite cheerleader all night long. Whether she was accepting her Video of the Year win for “Brighter Days Ahead” or giving a shoutout to her “therapists and gay people” (iconic), Ari was the energy plug the show desperately needed.
Sabrina Carpenter? She didn’t just show up—she showed out. Her performance of “Tears” was a full-on theatrical moment, emerging from a manhole cover (yes, really) and backed by drag queens and trans dancers holding signs like “Protect Trans Rights” and “If You Hate You’ll Never Get Laid.” She also snagged Best Pop Artist and Best Album for Short n’ Sweet. Queen behavior.
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Then came Mariah Carey, finally receiving her long-overdue Video Vanguard Award. She hit us with a classic Mariah moment: “I just have one question: What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?” We’ve been asking the same thing since 1999.
And now, let’s talk about Zara Larsson. She was in the audience, looking like she was ready to headline the entire show in that jaw-dropping ensemble. But did she get a performance slot? Nope. Not even a cameo. Just a fashion statement with no follow-through. What a missed opportunity. Zara should’ve been on that stage, giving us vocals, visuals, and vengeance.
Also spotted: The Marías, serving their signature dreamy cool in the crowd. But like many others, they were barely shown on camera. The celeb audience was stacked, yet MTV kept cutting to the same three angles. We needed more chaos, more crowd reactions, more fashion moments. Instead, we got… Kenny G.
And as much as we love Yungblud, we’ve gotta say it—he overdid it during Steven Tyler’s emotional tribute moment. The off-key wailing didn’t hit the way it was supposed to. It was giving more karaoke meltdown than rock legend homage.
The Winners – Main Categories
- Video of the Year: Ariana Grande – “Brighter Days Ahead”
- Artist of the Year: Lady Gaga
- Song of the Year: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
- Best Album: Sabrina Carpenter – “Short n’ Sweet”
- Best New Artist: Alex Warren
- Best Group: KATSEYE
- Song of the Summer: MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – “Shake It To The Max (FLY) (Remix)”
Genre-Specific Categories
- Best Pop Artist (new category): Sabrina Carpenter
- Best Pop: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
- Best Hip-Hop: Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
- Best R&B: Mariah Carey – “Type Dangerous”
- Best Rock: Green Day – “One Eyed Bastard”
- Best Alternative: sombr – “Back to Friends”
- Best Country Video (new category): Megan Moroney – “Am I Okay?”
- Best Latin: Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – “Khé?”
- Best K-Pop: LISA ft. Doja Cat & RAYE – “Born Again”
- Best Afrobeats: MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – “Shake It To The Max (FLY) (Remix)”
Technical & Creative Categories
- Best Collaboration: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With a Smile”
- MTV Push Performance of the Year: KATSEYE – “Touch”
- Best Long Form Video: Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”
- Video for Good: Doechii – “Anxiety”
- Best Direction: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
- Best Art Direction: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
- Best Cinematography: The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – “Timeless”
- Best Editing: Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
- Best Choreography: Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
- Best Visual Effects: ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.”
Special Honors
Latin Icon Award: Ricky Martin
Video Vanguard Award: Mariah Carey
Rock the Bells Visionary Award: Busta Rhymes
So what’s your take—did Zara deserve the stage? Did Yungblud miss the mark? Drop your thoughts below and let’s unpack the glitter and the gaps. 💿✨ #Back2TheFuture #VMAs2025 #ZaraShouldHavePerformed
