The awards show honors the commendable work of the year, ranging from music videos to group performances. At most schools, students buzz about winners, outfits, and drama for days (hopefully). The 2022 VMAs were no different, so what caught the Warriors’ attention this year?

Popular music artist Lizzo made waves with her response to online hate as she accepted the “Video for Good” Award. After a hateful rant from online comedian Aries Spears, Lizzo was fed up with the body-shaming. She reminded online trolls that she was winning, as evidenced by her multi-million dollar career. This caught the attention of North Atlanta’s AVTF pathway teacher Louis Alfred, who believes Lizzo was completely justified in her response. “All I can say is more power to her,” Alfred said.

Taylor Swift was the talk of the night, with multiple powerful moves made by the famous artist. The chatter started when Swift showed up in a dress reminiscent of the one she had worn 13– her lucky number– years ago to the 2009 VMAs. Many remember that awards ceremony by the moment Kanye West interrupted Swift as she accepted an award. Many fans are calling this a “revenge dress”, made even more impactful by her victories in Best Video, Best Direction, and Best Long-form Video. This was not the end of Swift’s highlight reel, though, as she announced her 10th studio album titled Midnights during an acceptance speech. This year’s awards were also a major victory for feminism, as swift said “For the first time in VMA history, four of the directors nominated in the video of the year category are women.”

It’s hard to have a conversation about this years VMAs without Yung Gravy being brought up. The rap artist made headlines when he showed up to the red carpet with Sheri Easterling, the mother of TikTok star Addison Rae. In addition to the age gap, many were shocked to see their relationship was more than a running gag on social media. Sophomore Anna Hammond was among the shocked fans. “I didn’t know it was an actual thing,” she said, “I thought it was more of a joke on Tiktok.”

Some other key moments of the night included a surprise performance by Nicki Minaj, Dove Cameron’s speech dedicating her award to LGBTQ+ youth, and the fusion of the metaverse into the show. Many performances were done virtually, including one by Harry Styles, who won awards in Best Cinematography and Album of the Year. Jack Harlow started the show on a high note with a performance of his viral song “First Class” and brought renowned artist Fergie on stage. 

The 2022 VMAs were a night to remember, with twists and drama creating a show beyond the show. With all the talk created by the events of the night, this year’s Video Music Awards will surely be remembered for years to come.