GLASGOW • K-pop stars BTS picked up four prizes at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Sunday, including Best Song for Dynamite and Best Group, capping a year in which the South Korean band underlined their status as a major global act.
BTS' first English-language song, Dynamite, logged nearly 34 million United States streams and 300,000 sales in its first week, making the group the first South Korean act to debut at No. 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
The seven-member band also snagged MTV awards for Best Virtual Live act and the Biggest Fans, although the coronavirus pandemic meant there was no audience and no ceremony to mark their achievement.
Instead, the music channel created a virtual stadium full of waving and cheering fans for the event, with acts appearing in pre-recorded performances from wherever they were located and winners accepting awards on camera.
British band Little Mix hosted the show without member Jesy Nelson, who was reported to be ill. They appeared on a computer-generated stage within the "stadium".
In a nod to the pandemic, American rapper Jack Harlow sang Whats Poppin on a stage with four dancers wearing face masks.
Karol G won in the new Best Latin category and Best Collaboration for Tusa featuring Nicki Minaj. Lady Gaga took the Best Artist award, while DJ Khaled was awarded Best Video.
Little Mix, who performed Sweet Melody in a performance recorded in London, won the Best Pop prize this year.
Cardi B was named Best Hip-Hop act, Coldplay won in the Best Rock category and Hayley Williams won the Best Alternative award.
Among the performers were Alicia Keys, who sang Love Looks Better, and Sam Smith, who performed Diamonds on the stage of an empty theatre.
American singer and rapper Doja Cat, who took home this year's Best New act award, opened the show with her hit Say So.
French DJ and producer David Guetta, who won the Best Electronic award, performed Let's Love with British singer Raye at the Szechenyi Bath complex in the Hungarian capital Budapest, accompanied by a laser show.
REUTERS
