Every year, MTV airs a new Video Music Awards show and has various artists take the stage. This year, they had some new acts that have a hit on the radio, tributes and of course the usual Video Vanguard Award to honor one artist that has worked hard to build a legacy of their own.
We have had some iconic moments from the VMA’s with over-the-top entertainment that got the crowd on their feet, some shows even being talked about over 20 years later. But how many of these new performances will really be remembered a year from now, even 10 years from now? Some artists that took the stage knew it was their moment to catch the eye of a new audience, but others…not so much.
I’m going to start off with the brief, lackluster performances. Starting with Alex Warren, his performance was almost entirely dependent on the stage set up and his background “dancers.” I understand his music is not exactly something to dance to, but it comes off as boring.
The only creativity he showed in his slot was the costume difference, with him being the only one in black and everyone else in white. There is no stage presence about him, he was just…there.
The same could be said about Megan Moroney, Post Malone and Jellyroll, Bailey Zimmerman, and Lola Young. Megan depended on her sparkly guitar. Post Malone and Jellyroll just roamed their stage singing about losers. Bailey had a small stage and jumped around. Lola Young just walked from one stage to another, hit a couple of high notes abruptly to make us think she was accomplishing something more and finished her performance within 2 minutes.
The audience looked bored, there was nothing memorable about them and they could be skipped to take a bathroom break.
Now we get into the “okay” productions. Sombr’s song choices were good, everybody knows these songs and the audience was engaged. However, he came off as trying to sell us an image that he’s not even convinced of.
He came out of his photobooth and revealed his outfit (which reminded me of Mick Jagger’s style), leather pants and a thin shirt that shows off his chest. Women danced all around him to try to convince the audience that he has some sex appeal. His stage presence was lacking, and we paid more attention to the stage and the background dancers that carried his performance.
Tate Mcrae had the same issue herself, with her costume not being anything flashy, with her background dancers doing most of the work for her first half. It was not clear whether she wanted us to pay attention to her singing on one side of the stage, or her dancers doing various tricks on the other.
Once she starts dancing, her steps are not all that mind-blowing as she kicks up sand and does a few acrobatic stretches throughout her routine. This was one of the better performances out of this category, but there was much more to be desired.
I do give J Balvin the credit for lifting the mood, even if nothing much else was too memorable from him. He had a fun stage and many women dancing having a good time, but it seems too much was going on at once.
Conan Gray’s set was themed around Romeo and Juliet, which brought out a beautiful set on stage. His song was brief and to the point, then he was gone.
These performances were okay, these would prove to be a little more memorable than the latter, but still there is nothing over-the-top about what should stick with the audience when they leave the building.
With the death of Ozzy Osbourne, a tribute was to be expected from someone that would capture a similar essence as himself. Yungblud was an accurate pick as far as being able to sing Ozzy’s songs in the right key and emulating him back in his heyday.
At a certain point, this tribute became more about himself and the reception of the audience rather than Osbourne’s memory. This was evident when Steven Tyler and Joe Perry came on stage to start their tribute with “Mama I’m Coming Home.”
Tyler has his own established image, and he slipped into the role pretty easily without his own ego getting in the way. When Yungblud came up to join them, he attempted to overshadow Tyler’s voice and was even nudged twice to take a step back.
Yungblud stepped slightly in front of Tyler and Perry, seemingly trying to establish himself to be either an equal or as the sole focal point of the show. I would compare this to be the opposite of Busta Rhymes’ set, where he brought Glorilla to join him on stage. She comes out and does not step in front of the main act, and there is a mutual respect between them as they share the stage. Glorilla recognized that she was an invited guest, and Busta Rhymes let her shine in her own way.
The better performances of the night are obviously the ones that are still being talked about some weeks later. Sabrina Carpenter’s performance not only had her singing live, but she had choreography, stage presence, and added on an additional layer of putting a message out to the audience about trans rights.
The same could be said about the performances by artists that already have their footing in the industry that performed in the awards show such as Ricky Martin and Doja Cat.
Martin took over the stage with his huge smile and reminded us that artists should take pride and have fun during their performances. He went through his most popular songs such as “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” “Shake Your Bon-Bon,” “Vente Pa’ Ca,” among others. He had very high energy, huge smile, and proved just why he is secure in his position of influence on Latin music.
Doja Cat performed her new song “Jealous Type” with an 80’s theme. She started off the awards with a higher standard than most, with complex choreography (pop locking style of dance), props, and utilizing the whole stage rather than staying in one place. Even with other dancers on stage, she remained the center of attention.
Lady Gaga performed from her sold out show in Madison Square Garden, and she owns her own stage and her crowd with her dancing, singing, and stage presence that is only illuminated by her costumes and dancers.
These artists come off as pre-established performers that do not have much to prove to their audience because they have security in their careers and they are not afraid to take risks.
The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award went to Mariah Carey this year. She took the stage and sang through some of her hit songs; she did not have much choreography for herself. However, for her, this was nothing new. She made her own legacy through her creative music videos and her voice. She built her empire on her persona of being THE diva. So, throughout the years she was an artist to be respected for her artistry and influence.
Now as these performances age, these new aged artists should take notice from prior performances such as Jackson’s VMA show from 1995, or Prince’s VMA show from 1991. Jackson had his own legacy by the time of his performance and was recognizable even just by his silhouette.
Jackson rolled through some of his hit songs, then he transitioned into “Dangerous,” which became one of the most talked about iconic performances in VMA history. He did not have much of a backdrop, but he had background dancers with memorable choreography that left audiences amazed with his superstar quality. His costuming also rotated through some of his most popular looks from his fedora, single white glove, then to his simple suit. His career was respected so much prior, that the Video Vanguard Award was renamed after him in 1991.
Prince’s VMA performance had utilized the stage with his team performing “Gett Off.” This show was led by Prince singing the song, then he turned around to reveal he had a sheer backing to his pants that revealed his butt to the audience. This moment was talked about for years afterwards and was even referenced in fashion.
These moments in VMA history were not lived up to again, especially by current artists that do not take as much risk in fear of being rejected by the public. New artists need to do better in finding their individualistic styles just as those that came before them had to. They will need to take more risks and find their star quality to put out memorable works and performances that will leave audiences in awe of their ability to entertain.
