The MTV European Music Awards took place last night at the Ahoy Rotterdam Arena in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Audiences from the Old Continent were once again able to see their favorite artists perform at a luxurious gala.
American-Albanian singer and producer Bebe Rexha hosted this year’s awards which featured performances from the Joe Jonas’ Band, Bruno Mars, Shawn Mendes, Green Day, and many others.
Justin Bieber took a sizeable number of awards this year. The red carpet saw celebrities such as Nina Dobrev, Jaden Smith, OneRepublic (who also performed), and DNCE.
MTV Europe Music Awards nominees and winners
Justin Bieber took home the first award for ‘Best Song’ thanks to his number one hit ‘Sorry.’ He was up against major names like Adele (with ‘Hello’), Rihanna & Drake’s ‘Work,’ and Mike Posner’s recent chart-topper ‘I Took A Pill In Ibiza.’
The ‘Best Video’ award went to ‘Starboy,’ part The Weeknd’s latest work featuring the French electronic music duo Daft Punk. The Weeknd performed this very song on stage, but without Daft Punk.
The Weekend was also nominated for ‘Best Male’ but lost to another Canadian, young singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes.
Lady Gaga, who could not attend the ceremony, landed a ‘Best Female’ award along with a roaring ovation. Her competitors in that category were Australian performer Sia, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Adele.
Following ‘Best Male,’ in which Bieber, Drake, and Calvin Harris also competed, the ‘Best Live Act’ award went to Twenty One Pilots, best-known for their single ‘Heathens.’ The song became famous because it was part of ‘Suicide Squad.’
Surprise winners and newcomers in Rotterdam
The host Bebe Rexha received a nomination for ‘Best New Artist’ but lost to Swedish singer Zara Larsson. Among the nominees were other names like Lukas Graham and the American funk collective DNCE, which later won ‘Best Push,’ beating Rexha and Graham again.
The ‘Best Pop’ award went to the American five-piece Fifth Harmony beating Bieber and Mendes.
Coldplay won the ‘Best Rock’ prize against Green Day, Metallica, Muse, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. ‘Best Alternative’ went to Twenty One Pilots, besting veteran bands such as Kings of Leon and Radiohead.
Drake received an award for ‘Best Hip-Hop,’ another of the evening’s surprises, seeing that he was up against Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa.
The 20-year-old Dutch producer Martin Garrix humbly received his ‘Best Electronic’ award, leaving behind artists like David Guetta, Major Lazer, and Calvin Harris.
He also received another recognition for ‘Best World Stage,’ awarded for his performance in Malta last year. The evening close with Bieber winning the ‘Biggest Fans’ award, and Green Day being honored with the ‘Global Icon Award’ for their time in the industry.
Source: Billboard
