The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards are starting to take shape. The show will air live from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Thursday (Sept. 12) at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Shakira and Sean “Diddy” Combs are slated to receive the top honorary awards: the Video Vanguard Award and the Global Icon Award, respectively. Both artists will also perform on the show for the first time in more than 15 years.
Nicki Minaj is set to “emcee” and perform on the show. Saweetie will host a 90-minute pre-show, with assists from Nessa, Dometi Pongo and Kevan Kenney. The pre-show airs live from 6:30 to 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV, MTV2, CMT and Logo.
MTV also announced the first wave of presenters for the main show. More presenters and performers will be added to this list as they are announced.
Shakira will become the first South American artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award. Women have thoroughly dominated this category in recent years. Shakira follows Rihanna (2016), P!nk (2017), Jennifer Lopez (2018), Missy Elliott (2019) and Nicki Minaj (2022). There was no recipient in 2020-21. The last man to win the award was Kanye West in 2015.
Diddy is third recipient of the Global Icon Award, following Foo Fighters (2021) and Red Hot Chili Peppers (2022).
Diddy isn’t the only rapper who will perform on this year’s VMAs. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion will perform their new single, “Bongos.” Minaj, Metro Boomin (with special guests) and Lil Wayne are also on the bill. And the show will include (yet another) 50th anniversary salute to hip-hop.
Six of the first 11 artists announced as performers on this year’s main show are from outside the U.S., which dramatizes how the music scene has become more global in recent years. Shakira and Karol G are both from Colombia; Stray Kids and TOMORROW X TOGETHER are both from South Korea; Anitta is from Brazil; Måneskin is from Italy.
This is a far more international cast than the inaugural VMAs in 1984, where there were five American performers (Madonna, Huey Lewis & the News, Tina Turner, ZZ Top and Ray Parker Jr.) and two Brits (Rod Stewart and David Bowie, the latter represented by a pre-taped performance from London).
American artists performing on the main show this year are Demi Lovato, Diddy, Doja Cat, Kelsea Ballerini and Lil Wayne. The date of the show, Sept. 12, happens to be Ballerini’s 30th birthday, which shows that the country star is a trouper.
Taylor Swift leads the 2023 VMA nominations with 11 nods, counting three she received on Friday (Sept. 1) in social categories. She is followed in the total nominations count by SZA (eight); BLACKPINK, Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo (six each); Kim Petras and Sam Smith (five each); and Beyoncé, Diddy, Drake, Ice Spice, Karol G, Metro Boomin, Shakira and TOMORROW X TOGETHER (five each).
Bruce Gillmer and Den of Thieves co-founder Jesse Ignjatovic are executive producers of the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. Barb Bialkowski is co-executive producer. Alicia Portugal and Jackie Barba serve as executives in charge of production. Wendy Plaut is executive in charge of celebrity talent. Lisa Lauricella is music talent executive.
Performers
Anitta
Cardi B
Demi Lovato
Diddy (Global Icon Award recipient)
Doja Cat
Fall Out Boy
Karol G
Kelsea Ballerini
Lil Wayne
Måneskin
Megan Thee Stallion
Metro Boomin (featuring Future, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Swae Lee & NAV)
Nicki Minaj (emcee)
Olivia Rodrigo
Peso Pluma
Shakira (Video Vanguard Award recipient)
Stray Kids
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
Presenters
Bebe Rexha
Charli D’Amelio
Coco Jones
Dixie D’Amelio
Emily Ratajkowski
French Montana
GloRilla
Ice Spice
Jared Leto
Madelyn Cline
Rita Ora
Sabrina Carpenter
Performers: Extended Play Stage
Kaliii
Reneé Rapp
The Warning
Performers: Pre-Show
NLE Choppa
Sabrina Carpenter
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