VMAs 2025: Best Performances, Big Winners, and Bold Fashion Highlights

MTV VMAs 2025: A Night of Iconic Wins, Bold Fashion, and Show-Stopping Performances

The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards lit up the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, on Sunday night with a blend of nostalgia, daring artistry, and boundary-breaking music. Hosted by LL Cool J, the ceremony highlighted not just the year’s best in music but also the power of performance, inclusivity, and spectacle that the VMAs have become known for.

Big Winners of the Night

• Lady Gaga was the evening’s dominant force, taking home Artist of the Year, Best Collaboration for “Die With a Smile” with Bruno Mars, and multiple technical trophies, solidifying her reign as a global pop innovator.
  
  

• Ariana Grande earned the night’s top honor with Video of the Year for “Brighter Days Ahead”, which also won Best Pop Video, continuing her career-defining comeback.
  
  

• Sabrina Carpenter confirmed her rising superstar status, winning Best Pop Artist, Best Album for Short n’ Sweet, and Best Visual Effects for her cinematic music video.
  
  

• Rosé of BLACKPINK made history as the first K-pop soloist to win Song of the Year with “APT”, a collaboration with Bruno Mars.
  
  

• Mariah Carey finally received her long-overdue flowers with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, her first-ever VMA. She also added Best R&B Video for “Type Dangerous”.
  
  

• Busta Rhymes was honored with the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award, while Ricky Martin took home the Latin Icon Award, both celebrating decades of cultural influence.
  
  

• Across global categories, stars like Tyla (Afrobeats), Shakira (Latin), Megan Moroney (Country), Lisa ft. Doja Cat & Raye (K-pop), Doechii (Hip-Hop), and Coldplay (Rock) all scored major wins.
  
  

Unforgettable Performances

If the VMAs are about anything, it’s the performances, and this year delivered in spades:

• Doja Cat opened the night with “Jealous Type”, complete with a surprise sax solo from Kenny G.
  
  

• Sabrina Carpenter performed “Tears” alongside drag artists in a bold, affirming statement for LGBTQ+ rights.
  
  

• Lady Gaga, beamed in from her Mayhem Ball tour, stunned with a mashup of “Abracadabra” and her new track “The Dead Dance.”
  
  

• Tate McRae electrified with emotionally raw choreography-heavy performances of “Revolving Door” and “Sports Car.”
  
  

• A moving Ozzy Osbourne tribute featured YUNGBLUD, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Nuno Bettencourt.
  
  

• Rising star Sombr turned heads with a high-energy, Lower East Side-inspired debut set.
  
  

• Busta Rhymes delivered a nostalgic hip-hop medley with GloRilla, Joyner Lucas, and Papoose.
  
  

• The moment of the night belonged to Mariah Carey, who dazzled with a medley of classics;“Fantasy,” “Obsessed,” “It’s Like That”, and a glamorous mid-show outfit change.
  
  

 Fashion: Bold, Daring, and Unforgettable

The red carpet proved just as headline-worthy as the performances, showcasing both avant-garde risk-taking and timeless elegance:

• Doja Cat stunned in a harlequin-inspired Balmain minidress paired with Chopard jewels.
  
  

• Tyla turned heads in a vintage Chanel mini dress from the 1993 collection.
  
  

• Ice Spice brought streetwear-meets-couture vibes with a corseted denim Ralph Lauren ensemble.
  
  

• Sabrina Carpenter looked ethereal in a Valentino lace gown.
  
  

• Latto shimmered in a gold vintage Versace gown, pure Hollywood glam.
  
  

• Ciara wowed in a sculptural red Schiaparelli mini dress.
  
  

• And, of course, Mariah Carey embodied diva energy in a champagne silk feathered robe layered over a sparkling gold crystal bodysuit.
  
  

The Spirit of the Night

This year’s VMAs stood out for their global inclusivity, emotional resonance, and fearless creativity. From Rosé’s groundbreaking win to Mariah Carey’s long-awaited recognition, from Sabrina Carpenter’s bold stage statement to Gaga’s larger-than-life artistry, the night reflected not just where music is now, but where it’s headed.

The 2025 MTV VMAs will be remembered as a landmark year: a night where legends were honored, newcomers soared, and fashion, performance, and music collided in spectacular style.

Source:

Vogue/EW/IndianTimes.com