Beyonce Knowles Wins VMAs Moonman For MTV Music Video Of The Year 2016, And Gives A Spectacular Performance
Though Beyonce Knowles had not been scheduled to perform at Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards or VMAs, rumors had been circulating throughout the day that Ms. Knowles would be making a surprise performance. The rumors, though, didn’t prepare the audience for the spectacular performance which culminated in the award-winning song “Formation.” Even those who were expecting to hear her were awe-stricken by the fiery delivery of her medley of songs from the Lemonade Album.
Beyonce Knowles took the stage in a way that only she, the queen of pop, can really pull off. The audience went completely wild before she sang a single note. Just a nod, coupled with her dramatic posture and glowingly back-lit silhouette, was enough to send the crowd into cheers of delight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDTip6cfPMY
“Pray You Catch Me,” was the first song in Bey’s MTV-sponsored VMAs performance. Beyonce performed it with incredible energy, backed up by an amazing array of dancing women in white. The imagery of the Lemonade video was present within the dancing and costuming, but it was not exactly a reenactment. There were new choreography and different formatting. The choreography and costumes were new, and yet there was an echo of the familiar award-winning music video Lemonade.
Beyonce Knowles was in rare form, even compared to her usual iconic performances. Every note was golden, and every movement of every dancer seemed to land perfectly. Above all, though, there was so much strength, power, and passion behind her voice.
“Hold Up” came next, with a few snippets of “Countdown.” Then, as The Rolling Stone recounts, she gathered her troupe of dancers once more to perform “Sorry,” “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” and “Formation.” The performance featured even more echoes of the VMAs award-winning video content, including a boy in a hoodie. Overall her performance was emotionally charged and exciting to watch.
The VMAs audience gave a tremendously enthusiastic standing ovation, despite being thunderstruck by Beyonce’s considerable talents. Vox described the performance in glowing terms.
“When Beyonce finished her performance at the 2016 VMAs, there was no question as to who the biggest pop star on the planet is. Not that there was ever any doubt. Bey’s performance was powerful — an artistic musing on violence that, like her album, also showcase her showmanship and untouchable talent as an artist.”
Beyonce Knowles now has eight new Moonman statues to display. They can join her collection from previous years. Her mantle must look like a lunar invasion force this morning. As Pitchfork points out, Beyonce now has 21 Moonmen in all, giving her the all-time record.
Madonna has 20, the previous record, so perhaps these two legendary ladies can get together and use them for chess pieces.
Beyonce had been nominated for 11 VMAs last night, but was competing against herself for Best Choreography. Both “Sorry” and “Formation” were nominated. “Freedom” was nominated for Best Collaboration and “Hold Up” was nominated for Best Art Direction. So, Beyonce won a total of eight out of ten possible awards she was nominated for.
Beyonce even brought her perfectly adorable daughter Blue Ivy to the MTV-sponsored VMAs night. Blue was wearing an amazing dress, and of course so was her mother.
[Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images]
