Taylor Swift showed off her pile of awards in a playful backstage snap at the MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday.
The singer, 33, made history when she won in nine of the 11 categories she was nominated – including Artist of the Year – at the annual event, which was held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Taylor pulled a shocked face while holding up her awards alongside Rina Yang and Chancler Haynes.
She was then seen chatting to celeb pals and posing for snaps with Nicki Minaj, Halle and Chloe Bailey.
Elsewhere, Sonyae Elise put on a racy display as she cupped Ice Spice‘s boob backstage.
Shocked: Taylor Swift showed off her pile of awards in a playful backstage snap at the MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday
Beaming: Taylor and VMA host Nicki Minaj posed backstage after both winning awards
There was a number of cute friendship moments shared backstage at the star-studded event, including a hug shared between Taylor and Selena Gomez.
Taylor won Album of the Year for Midnights and Show of the Summer, in addition to taking home six awards for the video and track for Anti-Hero.
They included Video of the Year; Best Cinematography; Best Visual Effects; Best Direction, Best Pop; and Song of the Year.
It’s been 14 years since Taylor won her first VMA for Best Video by a Female Artist for You Belong with Me (and her acceptance speech was infamously interrupted by Kanye West.)
On Tuesday, Swift told the crowd as she accepted the award for Best Pop for Anti-Hero, ‘I love making pop music, I love making pop music videos, I also love making country.
‘I love slinking around different genres and the only reason I’m allowed to do that is because you, the fans, gave me the opportunity to do this.’
She added, ‘One big adventure and it’s all so much to challenge myself to make music that’s different than what I made last and I just love you for it. But I really love making pop music, so thank you so, so, so much.’
Swift won her second award for Song of the Year for Anti-Hero.
‘I want to say, I’m really, really lucky that I get to write songs with one of my best friends in the world, his name is Jack Antonoff,’ she said in her second speech. ‘I’m so lucky I’ve been making music with him since we worked on an album called 1989 – we will continue working together until 2089!’
The superstar continued: ‘Anyway, I am so, so happy because this is validating my favorite part of what I get to do.
Friends: Taylor was later seen chatting to celeb pals and posing for snaps with Halle and Chloe Bailey
Raunchy: Sonyae Elise put on a racy display as she cupped Ice Spice ‘s boob backstage
Adorable: Shakira, 46, brought two adorable dates to the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards: her sons Milan, nine, and Sasha, seven
Her boys: The boys were there to cheer her on as she received one of the night’s highest honors – the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award
Night out with mom: The Colombian musical sensation shares Milan and Sasha with ex Gerard Piqué, 36
Dynamic trio: The family trio was captured in a slew of smitten moments as Shakira appeared to be having a laugh with her two sons
Doting mom: Shakira pictured with her two sons backstage at the awards show
Sweet moment: Taylor and Selena seen hugging during the show
Sweet: The Bad Blood hitmaker, 33, and the Only Murders in the Building star, 31, have been longtime pals, and were pictured sharing a warm hug at the event
Making the rounds: The songstress shared a number of hugs with other industry pals, including Sabrina Carpenter
Happy: Everyone appeared in great spirits at the award ceremony, which were held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey – just outside of New York City (Minaj and Karol pictured)
‘I started writing songs when I was 12 and it always starts with a very isolated emotion, a very specific type of insecurity or self-loathing that I feel like I’m the only one who is feeling in that moment.
‘But then when I go out on tour and I’ve got stadiums singing the words back to me.’
She added, ‘It brings me to this very relaxing feeling of maybe we all have the same issues, so thank you so much to the fans, I love you so much, this means the world to me. Thank you!’
MTV VMAs: Winners at a glance
Video Of The Year: Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero
Artist Of The Year: Taylor Swift
Song Of The Year: Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero
Best New Artist: Ice Spice
Best Pop: Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero
Swift took home her third award of the evening for Best Direction for directing the video for her hit track Anti-Hero.
She thanked her ‘brilliant collaborators’ in her third speech of the evening, saying that being director ‘is absolutely a team sport.’
Swift thanked her editors, cinematographer and director of photography, as well as the actors in the video, adding, ‘You absolutely played the parts perfectly.’
Swift won her fourth award on the telecast for Video of the Year for Anti-Hero.
‘This is unbelievable – I just want to say that the fact that this is a fan-voted award means so much to me,’ she said. ‘Based on the memories that we made recently, the most joyful and exhilarating experience and we are not even halfway done.
‘It’s really felt like the adventure of a lifetime this past year.’
The huge evening resulted in Swift moving up in second all-time on MTV VMA winners with 25 overall – only second to Beyoncé’s 28, two of which she earned as a member of Destiny´s Child.
Pop royalty Madonna (20 VMA awards) and Lady Gaga (19 VMA awards) round out the quartet of musical queens.
Support: There was a number of cute friendship moments shared backstage at the star-studded event
Bold: Karol G donned a racy see-through gown and was seen chatting to French Montana
Eye-catching: Sonyae stood out from the crowd with her bold blue hairdo and long nails
Sisters: TikTok stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio were all smiles as they watched the award ceremony
2023 MTV VMAs: Best moments from the MTV Video Music Awards
Elsewhere, Anitta was named the Best Latin Winner for her song Funk Rave.
‘We are here again, Brazil, we are here again,’ the Rio de Janeiro native, 30, said in her acceptance speech. ‘For the second time, we are here. Thank you so much for my fans, without you I would be nothing.’
Shakira was honored with the Video Vanguard Award and performed as well.
‘Tonight I want to thank people who have played a key role in my visual history,’ she said. ‘And the amazing women who work with me for not only smart but always help me push through all my challenges while wearing so many hats. You girls are amazing, thank you so much!’
The Whenever, Wherever singer, 46, also thanked her family and fans in accepting the vaunted honors.
Previous recipients include Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, and Missy Elliott.
Diddy was named receive the Global Icon Award and performed at the VMAs for the first time since 2005.
‘Love wins, y’all, love wins,’ said Diddy, who became the third recipient of the award, following the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2022 and the Foo Fighters in 2021.
In his acceptance speech, Diddy said, ‘This is so surreal. I appreciate you all coming in just giving me my flowers and celebrating me.
‘Of course I got to thank God, because that’s my secret weapon. It don’t matter what religion you are, make sure you know there’s a higher power of love and I want to just say I give all glory to god, thank you so much. This is a dream come true.’
Looking good: Rita Ora and Jared Leto posed up a storm backstage at the VMAs
Couple: The singer was also joined on the red carpet by film director husband Taika Waititi, 48, who opted for a quirky pale blue and coral co-ord on the night
Happy: Rita later looked loved-up next to husband Taika
Stunning: Shakira, Rita and Karol (pictured L-R) looked incredible in glamorous gowns at the event
The show celebrated 50 years of hip-hop with a star-studded, multi-generational finale performance featuring DMC of Run-DMC, Doug E. Fresh, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, LL Cool J and Minaj
Wowing in white: Ice Spice wowed in a white sheer lace-up look styled with matching arm-length gloves
Mingling: Taylor was then pictured mingling with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
Rema & Selena Gomez collected the award for Best Afrobeats Winner for their track Calm Down.
Rema, 23, said in accepting the honors, ‘Selena, I want to say I love you from the bottom of my heart. This meant so much, being here on this stage presenting Afrobeats here tonight, I’m so happy.’
Gomez, 31, said in her speech, ‘Thank you so much, Rema for believing me, thank you for choosing for me to be part of such an incredible song that’s been able to break records.
‘Thank you to all of you for listening, for streaming. I could not be more honored, and I want to send all my love to Nigeria.’
Nicki Minaj claimed the honors for Best Hip-Hop for her track Super Freaky Girl.
The 40-year-old artist said that she ‘had this really strong sense of gratitude’ when she woke up Tuesday, and thanked her fan base.
Said Minaj, ‘I just want to thank you guys, the people who go out and support, the people who never skip a beat on the Internet, holding us down.’
She continued: ‘Should I be mean right now or should I be nice? Mean? Nice? It’s Barbie, b****!’
Shakira and KAROL G’s TQG took home the honors for Best Collaboration.
Ice Spice was named winner of the Best New Artist award, saying, ‘I just want to thank my munchkins! I love you guys so much!’
The singer, 23, thanked her manager and shouted out her fellow nominees.
‘I want to thank my label for always supporting me,’ she said. ‘And of course God. Without God, none of this would be possible.’
Minaj, Swift, Beyoncé, Doja Cat , Karol G and Shakira were contenders for the night’s Artist of the Year prize.
Queen of the VMAs: The night belonged to Taylor Swift, who won in nine of the 11 categories she was nominated – including Artist of the Year
Rema & Selena Gomez collected the award for Best Afrobeats Winner for their track Calm Down
Shakira was honored with the Video Vanguard Award and performed as well
The band Stray Kids won in the category of Best K-Pop for their track S-Class.
SZA was named the Best R&B Winner for her song “Shirt; she was not able to appear at Tuesday’s event.
TOMORROW X TOGETHER won the honors for PUSH Performance of the Year for Sugar Rush Ride, while Dove Cameron won the category of Video for Good for Breakfast.
The VMAs, which were held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey – just outside of New York City – were hosted by Minaj. Last year, she emceed alongside Lil Wayne and Jack Harlow; this year, she’s solo.
The show celebrated 50 years of hip-hop with a star-studded, multi-generational finale performance featuring DMC of Run-DMC, Doug E. Fresh, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, LL Cool J and Minaj.
Swift had increased her number of nominations to 11 – including seven for her Anti-Hero music video – after MTV announced four additional social categories earlier this month.
This year featured a record number of first-time nominees at 35: including Kim Petras, who has five noms, Metro Boomin´ with four and Rema with three. Aespa, Burna Boy, Davido, Eslabon Armado, FIFTY FIFTY, PinkPantheress, Saucy Santana, Stephen Sanchez and Toosii were also nominated for the first time.
