Pop star Taylor Swift reigned supreme at Wednesday’s MTV Music Video Awards (VMAs) with seven awards, including music video of the year for ‘Fortnight’ with Post Malone, and expressed gratitude to her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, for giving her “happiness, fun and magic”.
Swift made history by winning the award for best music video, the most prominent, for the fifth time; also repeated as artist of the year and best pop artist; and added the titles of best collaboration, song of the summer, direction and editing, in total won seven of twelve nominations for which he was eligible.
The video for ‘Fortnight’ is directed by Swift herself, who appears with her face covered in tattoos, Post Malone-style, and also features actors Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles; to them and the technical team the artist dedicated the grand prize at the end of the three-hour gala.
“I will always remember that, when I would finish a take and say ‘cut!’, I would hear someone cheering in the back of the studio where we were recording, and that person was my boyfriend, Travis (Kelce). Everything this guy touches turns into happiness, fun and magic, so I want to thank him for that,” she said.
There was anticipation that he would speak out on politics after endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Kalama Harris on Tuesday, but on Wednesday he was more subtle, noting that the newly won award came from the fan vote and asking fans, “if you’re over 18, to register to vote for something else.”
Taylor Swift accumulates 30 MTV VMA Awards
The 34-year-old singer and songwriter, who started out in country music and switched to pop, has racked up 30 MTV VMA awards in her career, the same number as pop diva Beyoncé, who, paradoxically, has tried country on her latest album; the two now share the record.
In another trip to the stage, when she took home the night’s first award, for best collaboration, she wanted to remember the victims of the 9/11 attacks and their loved ones, adding that “that’s the most important thing about today, and everything that happens tonight is behind that.”
Swift arrived at the MTV red carpet like a gothic princess, with an original yellow and gray tartan dress composed of a corset and a skirt open in front that revealed black shorts with matching high boots; as a complement she wore mittens with crossed straps to the elbows.
