Last night, August 30th 2020 was the annual MTV Video Music Awards that took place online for safety purposes. Especially during a time of anxiety and frustration, social media users are being even more critical of Hollywood Stars, as well as praising those who are spreading important messages about movements like Black Lives Matter, safety for the Pandemic, Police Brutality, and many other modern day issues. The VMAs this year has its ups and downs as many award shows do, here are some "important to talk about" moments that took place at the 2020 VMAs.
- Keke Palmer Hosting.
27-year-old actress Keke Palmer, that many know from the Disney channel film Jump In or Nickelodeon's True Jackson VP, was this year's host for the VMAs. The actress has had her own talk show for a bit called "Just Keke" but was unfortunately cancelled. Keke made history this year as the first black woman to host the VMAs. 2020 has been a huge year for people of color in many ways including losing actor Chadwick Boseman, who was a strong voice in Hollywood for issues regarding race and sexism. Keke made sure to give a heartfelt thank you to him, making sure his warmth was present at the VMAs. Keke's cheery energy and amazing costume changes really stole the show and made it easier to watch with the new changes for safety.
2. The Weeknd as a whole.
As a huge fan of The Weeknd, I made sure to keep an eye out for him in the news and in the show itself. Nominated for seven awards, receiving two of them for his music video Blinding Lights, The Weeknd was a huge artist at the VMAs this year. What really stood out to me was his acceptance speech, as he called for justice for Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake, two young black americans who were killed by the police. His mention was simple yet effective, as he was praised by many as the only person to draw attention to them at the VMAs. Any big celebrity's call for social justice and change can make a large impact and even push some petitions to their end goal.
3. Lady Gaga's masked fashion.
Lady Gaga has been a wild fashion icon since the beginning of her career, so it's no surprise she had so many outfits planned this year. What really made Gaga's fashion so lovable was her creative use of mask wearing at the socially distanced event. According to the CDC, masks that are worn properly can reduce the spread by over 90%, so celebrities and fashion icons wearing them helps stop the stigma around them that they are a bother and promotes creative use of wear to add to one's outfit. Not only did Gaga wear them on the red carpet, she performed in them with her friend Ariana Grande, who also hit a pretty killer high note while wearing a mask, showing that they don't restrict as much as many feel they do.
As difficult as it was for the VMAs to find a way to broadcast this year, there were great performances and moments that were worth mentioning. As exciting as it is to see who won and what performances were cringey, these few things were very special and worth being brought to attention. Thanks to these artists and many more, the VMAs was able to go on and make history this year in its own way.
