Camila Cabello walks the MTV VMA pink carpetDia Dipasupil/Getty Images for MTVAhead of Monday night’s MTV Video Music Awards, stars crammed onto the pink carpet outside New York’s famed Radio City Music Hall — the location of the very first VMAs, back in 1984 — to chat about their excitement at being part of one of the year’s big pop culture moments.
The night’s big winner was Camila Cabello, who was named Artist of the Year, and whose mini-movie clip for “Havana” was named Video of the Year. On the carpet, she told ABC Radio, “It’s amazing how two days of shooting a video can change your life. I’ve always thought there’s a visual aspect of my music and the music part of my music, and I think that both of those are equally important. And I think it’s really cool that this award show celebrates great music videos.”
“I’m honestly just honored to be a nominee, because there are so many people that I’m such a huge fan of and I can’t even believe I’m in this group,” the always-humble Camila added. “It’s really amazing!”
Ariana Grande won Best Pop Video for “No More Tears Left to Cry” and performed “God Is a Woman,” from her new album Sweetener. On the carpet, her brother, reality star Frankie Grande, told ABC Radio that the release of the album has been extremely cathartic for Ariana, coming as it does just over a year since the terrorist attack that happened after her concert in Manchester, England.
“It was very much like giving birth,” Frankie said. Once it was out and the world finally got to hear it, she felt this unbelievable sense of weight lifted, and now the whole world can all share in what she’s been going through and what she’s put out there — it’s beautiful.”
OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder teamed up with rapper Logic to perform their song “One Day,” and they were joined onstage by immigrant leaders and their children. The performance echoed the video itself, which follows the story of a young immigrant teenager forcibly separated at the border from his parents and sibling. On the pink carpet, Ryan told ABC Radio, “The video made me cry. I got so perfectly uncomfortable watching it that I watched it about seven times in a row…I texted [Logic], just saying…’I don’t remember the last video that made me cry, but I’m physically crying in my hotel room, watching this video.”
Bebe Rexha was nominated for Best Collaboration for “Meant to Be.” She didn’t win but she told ABC Radio that just attending the show was enough. “I think that to be in New York City, to be nominated in the same category as The Carters, Beyoncé and JAY-Z, as well as Cardi B and Bruno Mars is just incredible!” she gushed. “I was here the last two years just walking the carpet, and I’m finally here as a presenter and I’m a nominee…that’s amazing. Like c’mon, like, I can’t believe it! It’s, like, pinch me!”
Jennifer Lopez received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the ceremony. On the pink carpet, Ashanti, who co-wrote J-Lo’s smash “Ain’t It Funny (Murder Remix),” told ABC Radio, “[She] is so creative and I love her videos…just fashion and…her being real…I’m just really excited and I’m happy as a woman that she’s killin’ it and getting what she deserves.”
Iggy Azalea, who duetted with J-Lo on the song “Booty” and co-starred with her in its racy video, couldn’t say enough about how deserving Jennifer was of the award.
“She reinvents herself over and over again, she’s one of the best female performers, I think,” Iggy told ABC Radio. “She just has never faltered or fumbled, she’s had pretty much the dream career…and she’s still going, she’s not done yet! So I think she’s the perfect candidate and I’m really happy that I can be here to see her receive the award.”
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