Ariana Grande took home the top honor at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night, winning Video of the Year for her cinematic visual “Brighter Days Ahead.”
The 26-minute short film, co-directed with Christian Breslauer, also earned her the award for Best Pop Song, marking a triumphant return to the VMAs stage after a five-year absence.
Accepting the award at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, the 32-year-old singer-songwriter was visibly emotional.
“Thank you for growing with me and being so supportive of me as a human being,” Grande said, adding a candid nod to her personal journey: “Thank you to my therapist and gay people – I love you”.
The video, inspired by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, features Grande as an elderly woman named Peaches undergoing a memory-erasing procedure. Her real-life father, Edward Butera, also appears in the visual, adding a deeply personal layer to the narrative.
Lady Gaga was another standout winner, taking Artist of the Year and Best Collaboration for “Die with a Smile,” her duet with Bruno Mars. Gaga briefly paused her Madison Square Garden tour to accept the award in person.
K-pop star Rosé, now pursuing a solo career after her rise with BLACKPINK, won Song of the Year for “APT,” co-written with Bruno Mars. The track has become a global hit, earning Rosé her first top-five entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
South African singer Tyla made history by winning Best Afrobeats, further cementing the genre’s growing influence on the global stage.
Her win follows a wave of African representation at the VMAs, with artists like Burna Boy, Asake, and Ayra Starr also receiving nominations.
Sabrina Carpenter rounded out the major categories with a win for Best Album of the Year for Short n’ Sweet, while Kendrick Lamar, despite multiple nominations, left the ceremony without a trophy.
The night embraced a nostalgic aesthetic, with performances from legends like Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, and Ricky Martin, while newer acts such as Doja Cat and Tate McRae paid homage to the choreography of the ’80s and ’90s.
Unlike last year’s politically charged ceremony, this year’s event steered clear of overt political messaging, focusing instead on artistry, storytelling, and personal growth.