Taylor Swift to Perform at the MTV VMAs for First Time Since 2015
You need to calm down — because Taylor Swift is returning to the MTV Video Music Awards for the first time since 2015.
Swift is tied with Ariana Grande for the most nominations this year, with 10 total nods for her single “You Need to Calm Down” in categories including Video of the Year and Song of the Year, and Video For Good. Other top nominees include Billie Eilish with nine nods and Lil Nas X with eight. Kanye West, Cardi B, Halsey, Solange, Drake, FKA twigs, Lizzo, BTS, Anderson .Paak and Lady Gaga are also nominated.
Swift is the first performer to be announced for the 2019 awards, but there’s been no word yet as to which songs she’ll sing or where she’ll fall in the night’s lineup. This will be Swift’s first televised performance following the release of her next album, “Lover,” on August 23. You can watch a promotional video above.
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Sebastian Maniscalco is set to host the awards, which will be broadcast live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on August 26.
This isn’t Swift’s first time being nominated for 10 awards — she also scored that many nods in 2015, a year which saw the release of her singles “Blank Space” and “Bad Blood.” The latter song has won her two of the seven VMAs she’s won to date, for Best Collaboration and Video of the Year.
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The “Love Story” singer has a long history with the VMAs. She was first nominated for Best New Artist way back in 2008 for “Teardrops on My Guitar,” and though the award ended up going to Tokio Hotel for “Ready, Set, Go!,” the category was stacked with throwbacks who all went on to arguably greater success than the winner — the other contenders included Miley Cyrus, who was nominated for “7 Things,” Katy Perry for “I Kissed a Girl” and Jordin Sparks for “No Air.”
You can view the official poster below.
MTV
The 2019 VMAs will broadcast live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on August 26 at 8/7c on MTV.
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