The Creative Performances of the 2020 VMAs

With the COVID-19 pandemic still hitting the U.S., the future of awards shows is up in the air. The Tony Awards were postponed, but many other shows, like The Emmy Awards, are going fully virtual. This was also the case for MTV’s Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Aug. 30. Usually performed to a live audience, the show featured both pre-filmed and live performances in socially distanced settings. 

The VMAs have made a name for themselves as an innovative, boundary-pushing awards show-- a place where anything can happen. The past few years have been devoid of any real eye-popping moments, the last real VMA pop culture touchstone being Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke’s twerktastic performance in 2013. 

However, in the year 2020, the VMAs felt like it was taking a step forward with its presentation for the first time in a while. This year’s VMAs took pandemic restrictions and creatively twisted them to their advantage. Because the show did not take place in an enclosed setting, like last year’s event at Prudential Center, creative freedom exploded, making for an engaging set of performances that entertained audiences with their innovation.

The Weeknd’s Rooftop Lights Show

The show opened with The Weeknd performing his chart-topping smash hit “Blinding Lights”, donned in his “After Hours” getup of a red suit and bloodied nose. The opening tracking shot hovered close to The Weeknd’s face as he made his way to the main stage, mirroring his movements with just the right amount of queasy intensity. Once he hit his final mark, the cameras cut to a sprawling helicopter shot revealing the setting: a rooftop stage in the middle of New York City. 

This shot illuminated the first area where the VMAs were able to innovate: camera work. The revolving helicopter shots intercut with the usual close-ups gave The Weeknd’s performance a massive scale. As he sang about “blinding lights,” the lights of the city skyline blinked in the background, and the number’s ending firework display looked downright cinematic. Without being limited to a single stage within an enclosed center, the cinematography both pulled in close and far out, first building a mood for the performance and then showing its scope. 

Lady Gaga Brings Us Into the World of “Chromatica” 

Another interesting opportunity brought about by the expanded scope of this year’s VMA’s was the sets. CNCO performed in a drive in lot filled with cars and Machine Gun Kelly rocked out during the pre-show on a rooftop, but the most memorable set of the night was Lady Gaga’s. 

Throughout her medley of “Chromatica II”, “911”, “Rain On Me”, with Ariana Grande and “Stupid Love”, she navigated through a series of intricate, interconnected sets. Gaga sang and danced through rooms and stages decked out in fire poles, revolving doorways to funnel in performers and even climbed a staircase leading to a brain-shaped piano. Through these sets, Lady Gaga explored “Chromatica” through more than just singing the songs. She gave viewers a sense of the world she wanted to build with the album. 

BTS’s Dynamite Debut

Bad puns aside, it’s no secret that BTS are a certified world-wide phenomenon and instrumental to the global rise in K-pop’s popularity. They finally took to the VMA stage for the first time with their new single “Dynamite” and showcased their performing prowess and appeal as a band to new viewers.

While fairly simple, the background greenscreen background allowed for BTS’s complex choreography to shine. Every member shined during their individual moment in the spotlight which showcased their personality as individual performers. BTS always puts immense thought into their visuals through their outfits, their choreography or their other accompanying visuals, and this incredibly polished performance was no exception. BTS’s inclusion in the show was a small step towards the American mainstream tapping into the K-pop market. Hopefully, since “Dynamite” is an entirely English song, this will mark a turning point in award shows recognizing the genre’s crossover appeal and allow for more K-pop acts in future awards show lineups. 



Doja Cat Is Out Of This World

Another eye-catching moment from the night? Doja Cat’s out of this world performance featuring the digital soundstage used as her set. The opportunities for post-production of the broadcast allowed the special effects artists to blur the lines of reality. The scene transition between Doja Cat’s songs was one example of this: the alien landscape of “Say So” shattering away to reveal the 8-Bit neon galaxy of “Like That” would be difficult to pull off in past broadcasts. 

Like with Lady Gaga’s physical sets, these opportunities gave the creative team the ability to explore new worlds that complimented the music. Her performance was also a peek into the influence of TikTok on today’s popular music with Doja Cat and company performing the dance routine created on the app that launched the song to viral success. With her win for Push Artist of the Year, it’ll be interesting to see how TikTok’s influence on the music industry continues in the coming months.

How will the 2020 VMAs go down in history? Will they be a strange blip on the radar, or will they mark some greater shift in how award shows are handled in the future? While their longer legacy remains unclear, a move away from overly structured ceremonies and staging and towards freer, the featured artists had more innovative means of expression at their fingertips. 

The current circumstances of the world are by no means ideal, but they forced everyone involved to think outside the box. From The Weeknd’s skyline-scaling cinematography to Lady Gaga’s interactive set design, it was certainly a more memorable ceremony than past years have given us. 

And for the VMAs? That’s exactly what you want.