MTV Video Music Awards 2021: Justin Bieber Joins Kacey Musgraves, Lorde & More Performers
UPDATE (9/1/2021):
Justin Bieber, who has the most nominations for the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards (seven), will be taking the stage live from Barclays Center on Sunday, September 12. This is the first time he’ll be performing since 2015’s “What Do You Mean?”
Bieber is nominated for: Video of the Year for “POPSTAR” (Starring Justin Bieber); Artist of the Year; Best Pop for “Peaches”; Best Collaboration for “Peaches”; Best Direction for “POPSTAR” (Starring Justin Bieber); Best Cinematography for “Holy”; and Best Editing for “Peaches.”
UPDATE (8/26/2021):
Six-time Grammy Award-winner Kacey Musgraves is going to be taking the VMAs stage for the first time on Sunday, September 12, with a world premiere performance of her new title track “star-crossed.”
MTV and CMT will also exclusively air the premiere of her music video for the second song off her fourth studio album star-crossed (out September 10) on August 26 at midnight/11c.
UPDATE (8/24/2021):
MTV has announced the second wave of performers for the 2021 Video Music Awards. Chlöe, Doja Cat, Shawn Mendes, and Twenty One Pilots will be taking the stage on Sunday, September 12, when the show airs live from Barclays Center in New York City.
Chlöe will make her solo debut on the VMAs stage with the TV performance premiere of the first single, “Have Mercy,” from her upcoming solo album. Doja Cat returns (after performing “Say So” and “Like That” in 2020). Shawn Mendes, back after his 2019 performance of “If I Can’t Have You” and “Señorita” (with Camila Cabello), with his latest hit single “Summer of Love.” And Twenty One Pilots will perform their hit single “Saturday.”
Doja Cat is up for five VMAs, while Shawn Mendes and Twenty One Pilots were each nominated for one.
Original story (8/11/2021):
MTV has announced the first round of performers for its upcoming 2021 Video Music Awards, live from Barclays Center in New York City on Sunday, September 12 at 8/7c. Camila Cabello, Lil Nas X, Lorde, Machine Gun Kelly, and Olivia Rodrigo will be taking the stage. Other names will be announced soon.
Courtesy of MTV
Following her 2019 performance of “Senoria” with Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello will bring “Don’t Go Yet” to the VMAs. Lil Nas X was also on the awards’ stage in 2019, with “Panini.” Lorde, back on the VMAs stage for the first time since 2017, is set to deliver an explosive world premiere performance from her new project, Solar Power, dropping August 20. Machine Gun Kelly — with a world premiere performance of his new single, “papercuts” — and Olivia Rodrigo will be taking the stage for the first time.
Justin Bieber and Megan Thee Stallion lead the 2021 VMAs nominations, with seven and six, respectively. Close behind them with five each are Billie Eilish, BTS, Doja Cat, Drake, Giveon, Lil Nas X, and Olivia Rodrigo. Lorde and Machine Gun Kelly are each up for one award.
Voting is now open at vma.mtv.com through Friday, September 3, for 14 gender-neutral categories, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Best Collaboration. Voting for Best New Artist (Presented by Facebook) will be open into the show. Nominations for social categories including Best Group and Song of Summer will be announced at a later date.
2021 VMAs, Sunday, September 12, 8/7c, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1 and The CW Network
