The Queen of Pop kicked off the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards as only she could — while Justin Bieber proved to be one of the kings of the ceremony.
Madonna got the massive crowd at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center screaming Sunday as she made a shock appearance on the VMAs stage.
“And they said we wouldn’t last,” Madonna said, commemorating MTV turning 40 in August. “But we’re here motherf---ers. Happy 40th, MTV.”
It’s not the first time the 63-year-old Material Girl has used the VMAs to shock audiences — she writhed across the floor in a white wedding dress at the 1984 show and kissed Britney Spears and Christina Auilera during a “Like a Virgin” performance in 2003.
Sunday’s award show saw Bieber win coveted trophies for artist of the year and best pop video for “Peaches.”
“Music is such an amazing opportunity and an amazing outlet to be able to reach people and to be able to bring people together,” Bieber, who led all artists with seven nominations, said during an acceptance speech.
“We got a lot more in common than we don’t,” the 27-year-old continued.
The trophy for video of the year went to Lil Nas X for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).”
“Let’s go!” the pop star, who performed a portion of the song earlier in the night, yelled during his acceptance speech.
“I want to say thank you to the gay agenda,” he continued, earning cheers. “Let’s go gay agenda!”
Bieber was part of the ceremony’s first performance as he teamed up with The Kid LAROI for their mega-hit “Stay.”
Bieber earned a huge ovation after he stuck around to sing another song, “Ghost,” before Olivia Rodrigo descended from the ceiling on a platform, landing on the main stage to perform her chart-topping “good 4 you.”
The crowd crooned along, jumping up and down as Rodrigo performed the hit in a routine featuring mask-wearing dancers.
“If you like famous people, keep watching!” host Doja Cat declared during a short opening monologue.
“For the 40th year, you get to see more famous people.”
The arena was filled with big-name New Yorkers, including Jennifer Lopez, Cyndi Lauper, Swizz Beatz, Ja Rule and Ashanti.
“It feels so good to be here in my hometown for the VMAs,” Lopez said before presenting an award. “MTV has always been the place to deliver the music and videos that define our generation. We’ve sang together, danced together and lived through moments none of us will ever forget.”
New York artists who performed at the show included Alicia Keys, who played “Empire State of Mind” during a rousing set at Liberty State Park, and rappers Fat Joe and Busta Rhymes, who teamed up for a medley near the end of the ceremony.
The first award of the show went to Rodrigo, who won the moon person trophy for song of the year for “Driver’s License.” The song is the first single from the 18-year-old’s wildly popular debut album, “sour,” which came out in May.
“This is so insane,” Rodrigo said during an acceptance speech. “First of all, I just want to thank all of you guys, the fans. This has been the most magical year of my life, and it is all because of you guys.”
Rodrigo was also named the winner of best new artist, as well as push performance of the year award for “Driver’s License.”
The energy was palpable in the annual award show’s big return to Brooklyn, embracing a party-of-the-year vibe and striking a much different chord than last year’s more subdued event.
That 2020 ceremony was originally scheduled to take place at the Barclays Center, before the COVID-19 pandemic forced MTV to transition to a socially distanced setting filled with pre-recorded performances, many of which took place outdoors and throughout New York City’s five boroughs.
Sunday’s show was billed by organizers as one of the first fan-filled events in New York since the city reopened earlier this year.
Sunday’s VMAs churned out performances from A-list artists throughout the ceremony, with Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes and Kacey Musgraves among those who took the stage.
The festivities began long before the main ceremony, though, with a sprawling red carpet set up outside the Barclays Center. Large crowds of fans wearing masks lined up to catch glimpses of stars such as Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Keys, Mendes and Paris Hilton as they arrived.
Adding to the excitement Sunday was a pre-show ceremony that featured performances outside the arena by Polo G, Kim Petras and Swedish House Mafia.
“The health and safety of artists, fans, staff and partners remain the No. 1 priority, and MTV and Barclays Center are working closely with state and local officials to implement best practices in order to safely bring together music fans from around the globe,” the award show’s organizers said in the lead-up to the event.
Sunday marked the first time the VMAs have been held at the Barclays Center since 2013, when Miley Cyrus memorably twerked with Robin Thicke during a racy performance, and NSYNC reunited as Justin Timberlake received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
Doja Cat, 25, landed the hosting gig after winning the best new artist trophy at the VMAs in 2020 and performing at that ceremony. The singer-rapper behind hits such as “Say So,” “Need to Know” and “Best Friend” is known for her energetic performances and inventive music videos.
MTV debuted a new honor, the Global Icon Award, with the Foo Fighters named the recipient to celebrate the band’s decades of musical achievements.
Doja Cat, Lil Nas X and Rodrigo were among the artists who received five nominations at Sunday’s show, as were Giveon, Drake, BTS and Billie Eilish. BTS won the trophies for group of the year and best K-pop video for “Butter.”