Everything
Words: Chloe Watts
This year the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards is taking social distancing seriously with The Weeknd opening the ceremony atop a building in Manhattan, 1,000 feet to be exact. With nothing but the New York City skyline and two helicopters to keep the superstar company, the ‘Starboy’ singer treated a virtual audience to a performance of his hit song, ‘Blinding Lights’, which is up for six nominations tonight including Video of the Year, Best RnB (spoiler: he won) and Song of the Year.
READ: VMAS: REMEMBER WHEN THE REAL SLIM SHADY PERFORMED AT THE 2000 CEREMONY?
In a year where everyone has been forced to adapt to a new way of living and working, artists and awards shows are taking things to levels we may not have not otherwise been able to see (in this case, literally) if awards shows were following in their traditional format. Just when we thought things couldnβt get any more wild, fireworks lit up the Hudson River and treated New York locals to a special light show during what has been a difficult year.
The artist took the red carpet earlier in the evening donned in the same red suit look, bloodied and bruised as is signature in his latest album.
Of course Twitter had something to say about the mammoth opening performance, and the fans are raving about it. We rounded up a few below.
proud of u, so much.π€#xo #TheWeeknd #VMAs2020 pic.twitter.com/PjPKSK5QzG
— lil.andre (@uesoandre) August 31, 2020
The Weeknd killing it in Hudson Yards 1000 ft above NYC. #BlindingLights #TheWeeknd π¨π¦ pic.twitter.com/MMj5XtCFo2
— Tim Macdonell (@timmacdonell) August 31, 2020
Iconic and very well performed! #TheWeeknd #VMAs pic.twitter.com/WJuDYT8pNa
— κ¨πΊππππ__π (@cynn_2518) August 31, 2020
#TheWeeknd opened with an epic performance #VMAs
— THE MEDIA PRINCE,LLC (@TheMediaPrince) August 31, 2020
topping off an incredible performance with fireworks ππ #theweeknd #VMAs
— Yasser Khan (@y3khan) August 31, 2020
#TheWeeknd performance is WOW! #VMAs pic.twitter.com/AyxgwhSfuJ
— archiver π (@dietzbaldos) August 31, 2020
READ: VMAS: REMEMBER WHEN KANYE WEST STORMED THE STAGE DURING TAYLOR SWIFTβS ACCEPTANCE SPEECH?
