The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, the VMAs, hosted by LL Cool J at New York’s UBS Arena on September 7, brought together top artists like Tate McRae, Sabrina Carpenter and Doja Cat for a night of music and celebration. These artists received awards honoring their widely-appreciated music. 

Sabrina Carpenter, who won the awards for Best Album, Best Pop Artist and for visual effects in her song “Manchild,” performed her new hit single “Tears” at the show. The performance was filled with lively and dynamic dancers, many of whom were drag queens, highlighting her support for the LGBTQ+ community. 

“The main thing about Sabrina Carpenter that sets her apart is how well she has branded herself. Her catchy songs and outfits can be recognized anywhere,” science teacher Ms. Eisenburg said. “Fans who love Sabrina Carpenter continuously support her as a rising pop star!” 

In addition to established icons, such as Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande, the VMAs honored new and popular faces in the music industry with a wide range of awards. Breakout artists such as Sombr, Alex Warren and Katseye gained recognition in the past few months due to their rising fame. This popularity earned them nominations in numerous categories, such as Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and more, reflecting their immense success and growing fan bases.

This year’s show featured some changes, including the addition of two new award categories: Best Pop and Best Country Artist. These categories were introduced to highlight emerging artists while also paying tribute to veteran icons such as Mariah Carey and Ricky Martin.

“I found it really interesting that they added new categories to the awards since it adds diversity and allows other artists’ music to be recognized,” sophomore Safiya Dar said.

Some of the most notable award winners of the event were Ariana Grande for her music video “Brighter Days Ahead,” which took home Video of the Year; Lady Gaga for Artist of the Year; Alex Warren for best new Artist award; and ROSÉ and Bruno Mars for their song of the year “APT.” Several other awards were presented, highlighting the immense talent at the VMAs.

“Music is such a prominent part of many people’s lives since it brings communities and cultures together, which is why events like the VMAs are extremely important,” freshman Alina Aphraim said.

The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards was a night packed with high-quality performances, enthusiastic fans and a variety of awards for many artists. Entertaining fans for many years, the VMAs continue to celebrate the diversity, creativity and influence of the music world.