From Lady Gaga’s meat dress to Beyonce’s pregnancy announcement, the MTV Video Music Awards have been home to some of music’s most iconic on-stage moments.
Hosted by Nicki Minaj, the 2023 MTV VMAs treated audiences to performances from the new generation of pop stars, with Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, and Doja Cat each taking to the world-famous stage.
WATCH: Kanye West hijacks Taylor Swift’s MTV VMAs speech. Article continues after video.
Although the 2023 ceremony may not have been broadcast live across the globe, MTV treated fans to an exclusive social media livestream dedicated to the backstage antics and A-list reactions of the VMAs, with the candid camera capturing everything from celebrity dance moves to potential backstage arguments.
Missed out on the ceremony? Keep scrolling for a recap of the 2023 MTV VMAs most standout moments.
Why did Megan Thee Stallion and Justin Timberlake argue backstage?
Prior to her performance, Megan Thee Stallion was captured on the MTV VMAs livestream appearing to have a heated argument with Justin Timberlake.
As Megan was getting her hair and makeup touched up by her glam squad, Timberlake began to walk through the backstage area alongside his fellow NSYNC bandmates. During the broadcast, Timberlake’s presence appeared to have agitated Megan, who proceeded to point her finger sternly towards him before she angrily turned away.
According to fans on social media, Justin was reportedly heard exclaiming “free Tory” towards Megan. Timberlake’s alleged comments are believed to be in reference to Tory Lanez, who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence on assault charges related to his shooting of Megan Thee Stallion in July 2020.
Sources speaking to Variety dispute the claims that Justin and Megan were involved in an argument backstage; claiming there had been “zero fight.”
“He said, ‘It’s so nice to meet you,’ and she said, “No, no this doesn’t count, the doesn’t count. We gotta meet proper. It was very cute,” a source told the publication, with another eyewitness also stepping forward to support the dispute.
What happened between Selena Gomez and Chris Brown?
Throughout the MTV VMAs audience livestream, many heartfelt and hilarious celebrity reactions were captured by the hidden camera.
As the nominees for the Best R&B category were being announced, the camera suddenly landed on Selena Gomez, who scowled as Chris Brown’s nomination was announced.
Selena’s unfiltered reaction to Brown’s nomination was praised by fans on social media, with many calling her expression the ‘correct’ response to his nomination in the wake of his felony assault charges following his physical assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna.
Did Taylor Swift win at the 2023 MTV VMAs?
Taylor Swift took home nine awards at the 2023 MTV VMAs. Taylor’s winning streak also landed her in the MTV VMAs record books as she became the first artist in VMAs history to win Video of the Year four times.
Taylor’s highly decorated awards night also placed her second on the list of all-time VMA winners, with the 34-year-old now seven awards shy of Beyonce’s all-time record of 30 VMAs.
While she may have been a frequent visitor to the VMAs stage throughout the night, Taylor quickly went viral for her genuine excitement and over-the-top reactions that were captured during her time in the audience.
Whether she was taking selfies with Ice Spice, screaming over NSYNC, or dancing along to Stray Kids, Taylor’s meme-worthy reactions quickly became one of the internet’s favourite moments of the night.
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