MTV EMAs Pay Tribute to Liam Payne as Taylor Swift, Tyla and Sabrina Carpenter Triumph

Taylor Swift, Tyla and Sabrina Carpenter were among the big winners at the 2024 MTV EMAs, which also included a touching tribute to Liam Payne, nearly a month after the singer's death in Argentina.

“I just want to take a moment to remember someone who was very, very dear to us. We lost him recently and he was a big part of the MTV world and my world, and I think a lot of yours at home and everyone here tonight,” said show host Rita Ora, who duetted with the former One Direction singer . in 2018's For You (Fifty Shades Freed)

“He had the biggest heart and was always the first person to offer help in any way he could,” said a tearful Ora. “She brought so much joy to every room she walked into and left such a mark on this world,” said the visibly emotional host.

The EMAs show, which took place at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, on Sunday (November 10), also included a short video tribute to Payne.

Swift, who was not present in Manchester, won the most awards of the night, taking home awards for best artist, best live, best US act and best video for her Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Fortnight.” , featuring Post Malone.

“I have to say thank you so much to Post Malone for being the most amazing co-star,” Swift said in a video acceptance speech.

Just behind Swift with three awards was Tyla, who took home trophies for Best Afrobeats, Best R&B and Best African Performance. The South African singer, who was honored with a global impact award at the R&B No. 1 Billboard in New York earlier this year, also gave one of the night's standout performances, flanked by dancers for a lively medley of two of his songs, “Push 2 Start” and “Water.”

“I can't believe it,” Tyla said upon accepting the award for best afrobeats from LL Cool J. “Literally, all the nominees are crazy. They've taken Afrobeats so far and I'm so inspired [by them]… Afrobeats has opened so many doors to African music, so thank you all very much.”

Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande, who both didn't attend the show, won best song for “Espresso” and best pop, respectively. Billie Eilish and Charli xcx, who were also absent, failed to win in any of the five categories they were nominated for.

Benson Boone opened the two-hour show, which was held in the UK for the first time since 2017, with a passionate energetic run through 'Slow It Down' and 'Beautiful Things' which began with the 22-year-old suspended in the air as she played a golden piano. Later in the evening, Boone received her first EMA award in the form of a Best New Actress nod.

Making their UK live debut, K-pop group LE SSERAFIM delivered a powerful performance of 'Chasing Lightning' and 'CRAZY', the title track from their latest EP, which topped Billboard's September Albums Chart .

The five-piece pop group, who made their Coachella debut this year, were rewarded for their efforts with the award for best promotion, one of three awards they were nominated for ahead of Sunday's show.

Other memorable performances included Shawn Mendes playing his new single 'Heart of Gold', Mexican trio The Warning with a raucous, pyrotechnic-laced rendition of 'Automatic Sun' and Best British & Irish Actress winner Raye, along with a 30-piece choir for a mind-blowing medley of 'Escapism', 'Tears' and 'Body Dysmorphia'.

Meanwhile, Best Latina recipient Peso Pluma joined Estevan Plazola for a rousing rendition of their hit collaboration “Hollywood.”

Busta Rhymes won the global icon award, the EMA's top honor, previously won by Queen, Eminem, Janet Jackson, U2 and Whitney Houston, among others.

“Thirty-four years of professional recording, this is the first time I've received an award from MTV. It feels incredible,” Rhymes said of collecting the icon trophy from British rapper Little Simz.

The Brooklyn-born rapper went on to pay a glowing tribute to “one of my heroes” LL Cool J, who was at the ceremony to present his duties, before performing a collection of his greatest hits, including “Scenario “, “Put Your Hands Where The Eyes Can See”, “Do The BusABus Pt.2”, “Break Ya Neck” and “Pass The Courvoisier”.

“LL Cool J was my role model,” Rhymes said in an eight-minute acceptance speech that also saw him thank his mom and Public Enemy's Chuck D for supporting him early in his career.

“I learned how to be the embodiment of Busta Rhymes because I like to unwrap the lines and I really like hip-hop,” he told the audience.

“Busta Rhymes is a true creative visionary who has made a huge impact on the music landscape and pop culture,” Bruce Gillmer, executive producer and president of music and content for music at MTV parent company Paramount+, told Billboard. runs until Sunday's ceremony.

The show also featured a number of playful references to host city Manchester's musical heritage with the Hacienda nightclub's famous yellow and black striped badge and the signature opening riff of New Order's 'Blue Monday' repeating patterns throughout the evening .

Local band Blossoms, from nearby Stockport, also joked with presenter Ora as she served champagne bar-style, while one of the more surreal moments of the show involved Ora chatting to Happy Mondays founding members Shaun Ryder and Bez. with the latter in a characteristically uncontrollable, intensely psychic form.

In addition to celebrating the 30th anniversary of MTV's EMAs, which first took place in Berlin in 1994, Sunday's show was the first EMAs since 2022, after last year's event in Paris was canceled due to global security concerns over the Israel-Hamas war.

Pet Shop Boys were joined by members of Manchester orchestra Camerata (wearing the band's iconic conical hats) to close the show with a rocking cover of David Bowie's 'All The Young Dudes', followed by the band's first hit ' West End Girls”, first. released in 1984.

Full list of MTV EMA 2024 nominees and winners

World Icon Award

Busta Rhymes

MTV EMA Pop Pioneers Award

Pet Shop Boys

Best Song

Ariana Grande – We Can't Be Friends (Waiting For Your Love)

Benson Boone – Beautiful Things

Beyoncé – TEXAS HOLD 'EM

Billie Eilish – Birds Of A Feather

Chappell Roan – Good Luck Baby!

WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso

Best video

Ariana Grande – We Can't Be Friends (Waiting For Your Love)

Charlie xcx – 360

Eminem – Houdini

Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

LISA ft. Rosalía – NEW WOMAN

WINNER: Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – Fortnight

Best Artist

Beyoncé

Billie Eilish

Post Malone

RAY

Sabrina Carpenter

WINNER: Taylor Swift

Better Collaboration

Charli xcx & Billie Eilish – Guess with Billie Eilish

Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar – Like That

Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars – Die With A Smile

WINNER: LISA ft. Rosalía – NEW WOMAN

Peso Pluma, Anitta – BELLAKEO

Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – Fortnight

Best New

Ayra Starr

WINNER: Benson Boone

Chapel Roan

LE SSERAFIM

Teddy Swims

The last supper

Tyla

Better pop

WINNER: Ariana Grande

Billie Eilish

Camila Cabello

Charlie xcx

Dua Lipa

Sabrina Carpenter

Taylor Swift

The best Afrobeats

Asake

Ayra Starr

Burna Boy

stream

Tems

WINNER: Tyla

Better Rock

Bon Jovi

Coldplay

Green Day

Kings of Leon

Lenny Kravitz

WINNER: Liam Gallagher

The Killers

The best Latin

Anita

Bad Bunny

CAROL G

WINNER: Peso Pluma

Rau Alejandro

Shakira

Best K-Pop

WINNER: Jimin

Jung Cook

LE SSERAFIM

LISA

New Jeans

Stray children

Better alternative

Fontaines DC

Hozier

WINNER: Imagine Dragons

Lana Del Rey

Twenty one pilots

JUNGLUND

Better electronic

WINNER: Calvin Harris

David Guetta

Revelation

DJ Snake

Fred again..

Swedish House Mafia

Best Hip-Hop

Central Cee

WINNER: Eminem

Kendrick Lamar

Megan Thee Stallion

Nicki Minaj

Travis Scott

Best R&B

Kehlani

SZA

Shake it

WINNER: Tyla

ENTER

Victoria Monet

Better Live

Adel

Coldplay

Doja Cat

RAY

WINNER: Taylor Swift

Travis Scott

Better Push

Ayra Starr

Chapel Roan

Coco Jones

Flyana Boss

Jesse Murph

Laufey

WINNER: LE SSERAFIM

Mark Ambor

Shaboozey

Teddy Swims

The Warning

Victoria Monet

The biggest fans

Anita

Ariana Grande

Beyoncé

Billie Eilish

Chapel Roan

Charlie xcx

Katy Perry

WINNER: LISA

Nicki Minaj

Sabrina Carpenter

Sean Mendes

Taylor Swift

Complete list of MTV EMA Worldwide 2024 winners

Best African Act – Tyla

Best Asia Act – BINI

Best Australian Act – Sia

Best Austrian Act – RAF Camora

Best Brazilian Act – Pablo Vittar

Best Canadian Act – Sean Mendes

Best Caribbean Act – Young Miko

Best Dutch Act – Roxy Dekker

Best French Act – Pierre Garnier

Best German Act – Ayliva

Best India Act – Mali

Best Israeli Act – Noa Kirel

Best Italian Act – Annalisa

Best Lat Am Central Act – Manuel Turizo

Best Lat Am North Act – Yerimua

Best Lat Am South Act – Dillom

Best Nordic Act – Zara Larsson

Best Polish Act – Daria Zawiałow

Best Portuguese Act – Bárbara Bandeira

Best Spanish Act – Lola Indigo

Best Swiss Act – Nemo

Best Act UK & Ireland – Raye

Best US Act – Taylor Swift