Taylor Swift triumphs at MTV Europe Music Awards dominated by female artistes

MANCHESTER – American singer Taylor Swift led the way at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards in Manchester on Nov 10, picking up four awards on a night dominated by female artistes, including South African singer Tyla and American singer Sabrina Carpenter.

The ceremony’s 30th edition, which brought the biggest names in world music to north-west England, saw Swift, 34, take home trophies for Best Artiste, Best Live Act, Best US Act and Best Video for her collaboration with American rapper Post Malone in Fortnight.

In a pre-recorded message, Swift expressed sadness for not being able to attend in person, but said the honour was “just unbelievable”.

Tyla, 22, won three awards – Best R&B, Best Afrobeats and Best African Act – while Carpenter, 25, won for Best Song.

The MTV Europe Music Awards resumed after the Paris event in 2023 was cancelled shortly after the outbreak of the Gaza war, in which Israel’s military is fighting Hamas militants.

Held in a different city each year, the show on Nov 10 took place at Manchester’s new Co-Op Live venue.

British singer and third-time MTV EMAs show host Rita Ora led a tribute to late

One Direction member Liam Payne, who died in October

after falling from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires. He was 31.

“He was a big part of the MTV world and my world and I think a lot of yours at home and everybody in here tonight,” said a visibly emotional Ora, who collaborated with Payne for the song For You (2018).

“He brought so much joy to every room he walked into and he left such a mark on this world.”

Swift, whose

ongoing Eras tour

is the most lucrative in history, was nominated in seven categories following the release in 2024 of her 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department.

In the Best Artiste category, she went up against compatriots Beyonce, Billie Eilish and Post Malone, and British star Raye, who won a record six gongs at the 2024 Brit Awards.

Carpenter, one of the stars of the summer with her hit Please Please Please, completed the list of nominees.

While Swift won that category,

Carpenter’s Espresso

took Best Song, outshining fellow Americans Eilish’s Birds Of A Feather, Beyonce’s Texas Hold ’Em, Benson Boone’s Beautiful Things, Chappell Roan’s Good Luck, Babe! and Ariana Grande’s We Can’t Be Friends.

Boone, 22, won Best New category.

As with the US music industry’s Grammy awards, Latino artistes, including stars such as Puerto Rican Bad Bunny and Colombian Karol G, were left out of the top categories in 2024 despite their global hits.

Both were contenders in the Best Latin field, alongside Colombian singer Shakira, who has revived her career with the hit Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53, about her separation from Spanish former footballer Gerard Pique. The award went to Mexican singer Peso Pluma.

Best K-pop went to Jimin of K-pop boy band BTS, while Lisa of K-pop girl group Blackpink won Best Collaboration for New Woman, featuring Spanish singer Rosalia.

Other winners included Manchester native Liam Gallagher of rock band Oasis, who took Best Rock, and American rapper Eminem, who won Best Hip-Hop.

American rapper Busta Rhymes, who performed a medley of his hits, received the Global Icon award, while British electro-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, who were honoured with the inaugural Pop Pioneers award, closed the show. AFP, REUTERS