Taylor Swift Will Perform At The MTV VMAs For The First Time In 4 Years
Try not to freak out, you guys, but Taylor Swift will perform at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards for the first time in four years on Monday, Aug. 26. I know. The "ME!" singer is going in on PR for her new album, Lover, which will debut just three days before the VMAs on Aug. 23. As part of the hype, she and her press team obviously decided this was a good move, and fans totally agree.
Based on MTV's report, fans know she will be premiering something, but it's hard to know if she'll be performing anything else along with the new release. She could give viewers a medley of her greatest hits, only new music, or just one other color-soaked songs like "You Need To Calm Down" or her latest single, "The Archer." Whatever happens, fans are preparing themselves for epic-ness.
Not for nothing, Swift is kind of Queen of the whole evening. She's strolling into the VMAs with 10 (yes 10) nominations in the following categories:
Video of the Year - “You Need To Calm Down”
Song of the Year - “You Need To Calm Down”
Best Collaboration - "ME!" with Brendon Urie
Best Pop - "You Need To Calm Down"
Video for Good - "You Need To Calm Down"
Best Direction - “You Need to Calm Down” directed by Drew Kirsch
Best Visual Effects - “ME!” visual effects by Loris Paillier and Lucas Salton for BUF VFX
Best Editing - “You Need to Calm Down” editing by Jarrett Fijal
Best Art Direction - “You Need to Calm Down” art direction by Brittany Porter
Cinematography - “ME!” cinematography by Starr Whitesides
No biggie.
For reference, here are the two main music videos that garnered most of these awards.
"ME!"
Swift and Urie served serious whimsy in their fantastical spectacle, "ME!" and her die-hard followers were here for it. During the Reputation era, I almost forgot how much I loved a good dose of optimism and ponytail on Swift.
"You Need To Calm Down"
After "ME!", Swift came out with unicorn hair blazing in the equality anthem, "You Need To Calm Down," co-produced by her main squeeze, Todrick Hall. In this video, Swift galavanted around a colorful neighborhood full of celebrity cameos and delicious easter eggs teasing music yet to come. This included secret clues to her fifth track on the album, "The Archer," which is the only other song to be released at the time of publication.
All of this to say, Swift is entering the VMAs with plenty to work with. (Let's not forget that world premiere of who knows what?! Eeek!)
The last time Swift graced the VMA stage with a performance was in 2015 when she surprised everyone with a mashup of "The Night Is Still Young" and "Bad Blood" with Nicki Minaj. Before that, she performed "Shake It Off" in 2014, "We're Never Getting Back Together" in 2012, and "Innocent" in 2010.
Bring it on, Taylor Swift. Fans are ready and waiting!