Global Pulse

分类： entertainment

  • From films to streaming prices – how the Warner Bros deal could affect you

    From films to streaming prices – how the Warner Bros deal could affect you

    After months of negotiations and regulatory reviews, two of Hollywood’s most iconic legacy studios, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery, have officially closed their $110 billion mega-merger, creating a new entertainment giant named Skydance that unites globally beloved franchises ranging from *Harry Potter* to *Game of Thrones*. The transformative deal, however, comes with a series of binding regulatory conditions that dictate everything from annual film output quotas to the structure of newsroom oversight, setting off widespread discussion about how the merger will reshape what audiences watch, how content is made, and the future of Hollywood’s workforce. Below is a breakdown of the four most significant shifts that will follow this industry-altering combination.

    ## Higher Streaming Costs Ahead for Subscribers
    Warner Bros Discovery previously operated HBO Max, the streaming home to hit series including *The Sopranos*, *House of the Dragon*, and *Euphoria*, while Paramount Skydance ran Paramount+, which hosts popular titles such as *Yellowstone*, *Parks and Recreation*, and *NCIS*. Industry analysts broadly expect the two platforms will eventually combine into a single integrated service or a discounted bundled offering, but consumers should prepare for long-term price increases despite potential short-term savings for dual subscribers.
    The newly formed Skydance carries an eye-watering $80 billion in debt from the merger transaction, even as leadership has targeted $6 billion in annual cost cuts to improve profitability. Forrester Research research director Mike Proulx acknowledges that the merger will give subscribers access to a far larger combined content catalog, but he notes that price hikes are inevitable for most users. “There’s no way that a combined Paramount+ and HBO Max streaming service won’t end up costing more for those who subscribe to only one of the services,” Proulx told the BBC.

    ## Binding Quotas Secure Cinematic Releases for the Next Five Years
    As part of a regulatory settlement with U.S. states that had raised antitrust concerns about the merger, Skydance has agreed to mandatory minimum film release requirements for the next five years. For the first two years, the company must release 30 feature films annually, rising to 32 films per year for the remaining three years, for a total of 156 new films over the mandate period. The majority of these releases must be wide theatrical releases, and the company is also required to distribute at least four independent films each year.
    Failure to meet these quotas would trigger a severe penalty: Skydance could be forced to sell its 49% controlling stake in Miramax, the historic studio co-founded by disgraced former media mogul Harvey Weinstein. Corporate attorney Breanne Gilliam, of Maddin Hauser, notes that the quota requirement is a meaningful win for theatrical exhibition, even though it is only temporary. “Once those obligations expire, the company will have far more flexibility,” Gilliam explained. “Temporary rules cannot permanently fix a structural market shift.”
    History suggests that after regulatory obligations lapse, mega-mergers often lead to fewer wide theatrical releases, as companies prioritize content for their internal streaming platforms. Following Disney’s $71 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019, 20th Century Fox’s annual theatrical slate shrank from 12 to 17 films per year to just 3 to 6 releases annually under Disney’s leadership.

    ## Thousands of Industry Jobs At Risk Amid Consolidation
    For entertainment workers across Los Angeles, the merger has been greeted with deep alarm, with on-the-ground creators describing the combination as an industry disaster. Actors, writers, and crew recently gathered to protest the deal outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, accusing federal and state regulators of failing to protect working people’s livelihoods in the entertainment sector.
    Kirsten Vangsness, best known for her role on the long-running series *Criminal Minds*, told the BBC she was “heartbroken” by the approval of the deal. “It’s people that make this city,” Vangsness said. “It’s people that make entertainment, it’s the everyday creatives that this industry is built on – this is who it hurts.”
    An independent analysis from consultancy CVL Economics, commissioned by Los Angeles County, estimates the merger could eliminate roughly 4,500 direct film and television jobs over three years, cutting total industry wages by $1.26 billion in the region. The projected job losses would hit a local industry that has already shed roughly a third of its total workforce – equivalent to 50,000 positions – since 2020. National University business professor Syleecia Thompson notes that the damage extends far beyond cast and crew, hitting small local businesses that rely on film and TV production. “it hits small businesses, vendors, caterers and local communities,” Thompson said, warning that Hollywood could gradually shift from a centralized production hub to a more geographically dispersed network of production locations.
    While the regulatory settlement established a special workforce fund to retrain workers displaced by consolidation, the agreement does not include any restrictions on layoffs. “Nothing in the settlement limits layoffs,” attorney Gilliam confirmed.

    ## Questions Remain Over Newsroom Independence at CNN and CBS
    The merger brings two of the United States’ most prominent national television news operations under single corporate ownership: Paramount previously controlled CBS News, while Warner Bros Discovery owned CNN. Both outlets have faced intense political pressure in recent years – CNN was among a small group of major news organizations banned from White House access during the first Trump administration – and both have undergone repeated leadership shifts amid broader media industry consolidation.
    As part of the regulatory settlement to address public concerns over journalistic independence, the merger agreement creates a special news editorial independence board, whose members will be appointed directly by Paramount. Paramount chief executive David Ellison has requested that CNN head Mark Thompson, the former director-general of the BBC, retain his leadership role post-merger, and Bari Weiss will remain editor-in-chief of CBS News. Even with these guardrails in place, newsroom staff remain concerned that Skydance’s push for billions in cross-company cost cuts will lead to widespread layoffs at both CNN and CBS News.
    Beyond potential job losses, press freedom advocates and legal experts remain deeply skeptical that the newly created board can meaningfully protect independent journalism. Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, called the Paramount-appointed oversight board “worthless”. “The board creates the same First Amendment problems it claims to solve, the government meddling in news,” Stern said. Gilliam echoed that critique, noting that paper commitments do not replace actual enforceable authority. “An oversight board only has as much power as the agreement gives it. Oversight without authority is just observation,” she said.

  • Niamh O’Brien, dancer and wife of Michael Flatley, dies at 52

    Niamh O’Brien, dancer and wife of Michael Flatley, dies at 52

    Niamh O’Brien, a celebrated Irish dancer and long-time wife of Riverdance icon Michael Flatley, has passed away at 52 following a recent illness. The news of her death was shared publicly by Flatley via social media this week, where he opened up about his overwhelming grief.

    “My heart is broken,” Flatley wrote in his emotional announcement. “My gorgeous bride of twenty years has gone to the Lord in Heaven.”

    O’Brien built her reputation as a standout talent in Irish dance, most notably originating and performing the lead role of Saoirse in the global hit *Lord of the Dance* tour, where she wowed audiences across the world with her technical precision and dynamic stage presence. Beyond her career, Flatley remembered her as the core of their family, praising her as “the most loving mother, wife and person” and acknowledging that life for all who knew her would never be the same.

    The couple welcomed their son, Michael St. James, in 2007, one year after they married in 2006. According to Ireland’s national public service broadcaster RTÉ, a spokesperson for Flatley confirmed that O’Brien died peacefully at Dublin’s Beacon Hospital, where she had been receiving care in her final weeks.

    Both the Flatley and O’Brien families are said to be utterly devastated by the sudden loss of Niamh. In a statement shared through the representative, the family requested privacy as they process this catastrophic loss, while also extending thanks to the medical team that cared for O’Brien. “They express their sincere gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff at Beacon Hospital who cared for Niamh over the past few weeks, and to everyone who has offered their kindness and support to the family,” the statement added.

  • Kanye West’s Russia shows officially cancelled after weeks of uncertainty

    Kanye West’s Russia shows officially cancelled after weeks of uncertainty

    Two planned stadium concerts by Ye, the rapper legally formerly known as Kanye West, have been formally scrapped after weeks of lingering uncertainty and public backlash over the artist’s history of hateful antisemitic and pro-Nazi rhetoric. The performances were scheduled to take place October 10 and 11 at St. Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena, and would have marked the largest live show by a Western artist in Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

    Confusion over the shows began back in August, when Gazprom Arena officials publicly stated they had never signed a formal venue rental agreement with the event promoters, meaning the concerts could not go forward on their property. Local organizers Say Agency, a Moscow-based events company, initially said they were working behind the scenes to resolve the venue dispute, before ultimately confirming the full cancellation in an official statement posted to the Telegram messaging platform.

    “With sincere regret, the Ye concerts in St. Petersburg will not be able to take place on the scheduled dates,” the organization wrote. “We will issue an official statement regarding the status of the project and our plans in the near future.” In addition to the contractual deadlock, Gazprom Arena also confirmed it had received hundreds of public complaints from members of the public about hosting West, whose long record of bigoted comments has sparked global outrage in recent years.

    West has recently issued a public apology for his past hateful statements, attributing his offensive remarks to a loss of connection with reality brought on by his bipolar disorder diagnosis. But the apology did little to quell backlash in Russia, a country that suffered catastrophic loss from the 1941-1945 Nazi invasion during World War Two. Top Russian officials were among the most vocal critics of the planned shows: Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, called the planned performances unacceptable and called out West’s well-documented glorification of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

    Criticism intensified after it emerged that in 2025, West began selling merchandise printed with swastikas and released a song titled *Heil Hitler*, a reference to the Nazi salute used by Hitler and his regime. Pro-Kremlin pro-war bloggers also added their opposition, arguing that Russia should not welcome an American artist at a time when the U.S. continues to send billions of dollars in military and financial aid to Ukraine to defend against the Russian invasion.

    This cancellation is far from an isolated incident for West, who returned to global touring earlier this year following a years-long pause of his live performance career. He launched his comeback with his first major U.S. concert in over five years in Los Angeles back in April, and has since held shows across Western Europe, including stops in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. But multiple planned performances across the globe have been scrapped due to backlash over his views. Last summer, West was set to headline London’s Wireless Festival, but he was barred from entering the United Kingdom, forcing organizers to cancel the entire event entirely. Planned shows in Poland, Italy and France have also been called off in recent months. As of Tuesday, West has not issued any public comment on the cancellation of his planned Russian performances.

  • K-pop star convicted of violating military service law

    K-pop star convicted of violating military service law

    South Korean K-pop idol Song Min-ho, better known by his stage name Mino and a core member of the popular boy band Winner, has received a suspended one-year prison sentence following his conviction for breaching the country’s strict military service regulations, a Seoul court confirmed this week.

    Under South Korean law, all able-bodied adult men are required to complete a minimum of 18 months of military service. For individuals with qualifying health conditions, an alternative posting as a public social service worker is granted in place of active military duty. Song, 33, was assigned to a Seoul-based community service center for a 21-month placement that ran from 2023 to 2024. Court documents reveal that the entertainer racked up 102 unapproved absences from his role over the course of his posting.

    Thursday’s ruling handed down a one-year prison term, which has been suspended for a two-year probation period. If Song avoids any further criminal offenses during this probation window, he will not be required to serve jail time. In its official statement, the court emphasized that mandatory military service is a obligation that all eligible South Korean men must fulfill “faithfully”, adding that alternative social service placements do not exempt individuals from this responsibility. Even so, the court opted for a suspended sentence after acknowledging that Song had pled guilty to all charges and expressed genuine remorse for his actions.

    The investigation into Song’s conduct was launched shortly after he completed his social service placement in 2024, following local media reports of repeated unauthorized absences and excessive unapproved sick leave. In a related development, Song’s supervisor at the community service center also received a suspended prison sentence for aiding Song in dodging his duties, including falsifying attendance records to falsely show that Song had reported for work as required.

    This case has reignited long-running public debate in South Korea over how celebrities fulfill their mandatory military service obligations. High-profile military service controversies involving South Korean entertainers date back decades: global hit “Gangnam Style” singer Psy was forced to enlist twice, first in 2003 and again in 2007, after a court ruled he had improperly neglected his duties by continuing active entertainment work during his first service term. 1990s and early 2000s top star Steve Yoo was banned from South Korea after he renounced his citizenship and became a U.S. national to avoid conscription in 2002, sparking a nationwide scandal.

    In South Korea’s fast-paced entertainment industry, taking a two-year hiatus to complete military service often poses a major threat to rising or established entertainers’ careers, as audiences shift their attention to newer active acts. Still, any attempt to evade conscription carries harsh legal penalties and widespread public condemnation.

    Ahead of Thursday’s ruling, local outlet Seoul Economic Daily reports that Song spoke to reporters, acknowledging his regret and stating he was “sorry toward the people who gave me so much love”. He declined, however, to respond to questions about whether he would re-enlist to complete his mandatory service requirement.

  • US actor Chad Lowe ‘heartbroken’ by death of daughter Fiona aged 13

    US actor Chad Lowe ‘heartbroken’ by death of daughter Fiona aged 13

    Acclaimed American actor Chad Lowe and his wife, producer Kim Painter, are grappling with unthinkable grief after the sudden passing of their 13-year-old daughter, Fiona. In a heartfelt public statement shared exclusively with entertainment outlets Page Six and People magazine, the couple opened up about the light their young daughter brought to their family, describing themselves as “deeply heartbroken” over the loss of their “beloved” child.

    “Fiona was a loving young girl who was smart, creative and loved to dance,” the family’s statement read. The couple went on to note that Fiona was adored by her two older and younger sisters, and held an irreplaceable place at the center of their family unit. “She was deeply loved by her parents. In fact, she was the light of our lives,” the statement added.

    The couple emphasized that Fiona’s death has been a devastating blow to their entire extended family, and asked for respectful space as they navigate their profound loss. “We ask for prayers and privacy at this time,” they wrote.

    In a meaningful closing to their statement that aims to help other families facing similar struggles, the couple included an important mental health resource note: “If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.” For readers based in the United Kingdom, additional mental health support information is listed on the BBC Action Line website.

    Chad Lowe, who is the younger brother of fellow Hollywood star Rob Lowe, built a decades-long career in television and film. He earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1993 for his groundbreaking role on the ABC series *Life Goes On*, and later went on to secure recurring roles on hit shows including *Pretty Little Liars* and *Supergirl*. Beyond his professional work, Lowe has long prioritized his life as a parent, sharing three daughters with Painter: 17-year-old Mabel, Fiona, and 10-year-old Nixie.

  • Celine Dion kicks off Paris Fashion Week with surprise performance

    Celine Dion kicks off Paris Fashion Week with surprise performance

    Paris Fashion Week, the annual global celebration of women’s spring and summer ready-to-wear collections, kicked off in unforgettable fashion this year, with global music icon Celine Dion delivering a showstopping surprise performance beneath the iconic Eiffel Tower that has captured the attention of fashion and music fans worldwide.

    The Canadian superstar, who revealed her diagnosis of the rare neurological disorder stiff person syndrome in 2022, closed out L’Oreal Paris’s highly anticipated opening show with a powerful rendition of her 2002 hit single *I’m Alive* — a performance that carries extra weight given Dion’s long road back to the stage after years of health struggles. Clad in an elegant, ruched full-length black velvet gown, Dion was later joined on the runway by an all-star lineup of the brand’s global ambassadors, including Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis, *Bridgerton* star Simone Ashley, *How to Get Away With Murder* actress Aja Naomi King, and producer and actor Eva Longoria, all of whom greeted the returning star with visible excitement and support.

    Dion’s surprise Paris Fashion Week appearance comes just weeks after she staged her first public comeback performance earlier this month in Paris, her first full live show since her 2020 concert in New Jersey. That 2020 performance was cut short when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down live entertainment worldwide and forced Dion to pause her world tour, as her health challenges later forced her to step back from performing entirely for multiple years.

    The L’Oreal opening show also featured a host of top modeling talent walking the runway: reality star turned supermodel Kendall Jenner turned heads in a sheer black halterneck gown with a high thigh split layered over an ivory corset, while British model and actress Cara Delevingne commanded the runway in a dramatic, sparkling red sheer gown finished with a flowing train. Elsewhere on day one of the week-long event, music icon and fashion entrepreneur Rihanna brought her signature bold style to the front row of the Matières Fécales show, wearing a glamorous shimmering copper two-piece set layered over sheer black undergarments. Matières Fécales, the buzzy brand behind the viral angel wing gown Zendaya wore to the *Odyssey* premiere in New York earlier this summer, has become one of the most anticipated shows of the season. Other A-list attendees on opening day included *Wicked* star Cynthia Erivo, who attended a joint event hosted by luxury jewelry brand Tiffany & Co. and Paris’s Musée des Arts Décoratifs.

    Paris Fashion Week 2026 runs through October 6, with more than a dozen of the world’s most influential luxury labels set to unveil their new spring and summer collections over the coming days. Scheduled shows include presentations from legacy houses Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford, Schiaparelli, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Balenciaga, and Loewe. But all eyes in the global fashion industry will be on two iconic brands in particular: Dior and Chanel. Both houses appointed new artistic directors in 2025, and this week’s presentations will mark a key moment for the new leaders to cement their creative visions for the legacy labels. Matthieu Blazy stepped into the role of Chanel’s creative director in early 2025, while Jonathan Anderson took the same position at Dior last summer. Industry observers are already expecting a captivating clash of creative aesthetics as the two new leaders show the fashion world what they have planned for their respective brands.

  • Lost songs from iconic Australian rockstar found in garage

    Lost songs from iconic Australian rockstar found in garage

    Over a decade following the passing of legendary Australian rock trailblazer Chrissy Amphlett, three previously unheard recordings she cut in 1998 are finally set to debut globally this Friday, after being unexpectedly unearthed from a private garage storage space.

    Amphlett, the iconic powerhouse frontwoman of 1980s and 1990s rock group Divinyls, built an enduring legacy through her signature gritty, husky vocals and magnetic, unapologetic stage presence. Her career delivered a string of globally celebrated hits, including the 1990 chart-topping single *I Touch Myself*, 1985’s *Pleasure and Pain*, and the 1981 breakout track *Boys in Town*. She passed away in 2013 after a years-long battle with illness, leaving behind a massive fanbase and an indelible mark on the international rock landscape.

    The three newly recovered tracks were created during a collaborative studio session between Amphlett and Tim Finn, the former lead vocalist of iconic New Zealand band Split Enz, nearly 26 years ago. Long believed to have been lost forever after the project was never completed, the master tapes were only rediscovered by Finn in his own garage during a 2023 clearing out, decades after he stored them away following the initial recording session.

    Recounting the 1998 recording sessions in Sydney during an interview with ABC’s flagship documentary series *Australian Story*, Finn explained that the collaboration came at a pivotal moment for Amphlett. “It was a good time for us to meet because she was looking for something new, something different in her life musically,” Finn shared.

    Per the documentary, the late 1990s marked a period of major personal and professional transition for Amphlett: she had recently separated from Divinyls co-founder and guitarist Mark McEntee, following a long and turbulent professional and romantic relationship, and had begun growing close to drummer Charley Drayton, who she would later marry. Drayton even joined the 1998 session, laying down drum tracks for all three new songs across the several-day writing and recording retreat.

    Finn, who has long been an outspoken admirer of Amphlett’s work, recalled being blown away by her work ethic and artistic focus during the sessions. “She was so focused. She just wanted to get it right… I was in the presence of great talent, great charisma,” he said. In a social media post shared earlier this week, Finn added that the pair had never met prior to the session, but immediately connected as former frontpeople of two influential rock acts. “We hadn’t met previously but instantly felt a bond, a camaraderie of shared history as ex-lead singers of two brilliant bands,” Finn wrote.

    After the sessions wrapped, Finn took the raw master tapes back to his home with plans to finish production on the tracks, but the project was never finalized, and the recordings were forgotten. Last year, Drayton reached out to Finn to ask about the long-forgotten 1998 sessions, prompting Finn to search through his stored belongings. “I thought they were lost to the universe but remarkably found the two-inch tape in my garage,” Finn wrote in his social media post. “It was still in perfect condition and we are now able to share these songs with you.”

    The three recovered tracks will be released this Friday as a limited extended play (EP) under the title *Some Times*, marking the first new official Amphlett release in more than a decade, giving fans a rare new glimpse into the artistic depth of one of rock’s most revered frontwomen.

  • Nigerian attempts to break world record by dancing non-stop for seven days

    Nigerian attempts to break world record by dancing non-stop for seven days

    A 33-year-old Nigerian professional dancer is on the cusp of making global history, closing in on completing a 168-hour non-stop dance marathon that would shatter the existing Guinness World Record by more than 40 hours.

    Benjamin Daniel, known professionally as Ben Dancer, launched his ambitious attempt at Lagos’ Freedom Park on September 22. If he maintains his pace through the final hours, he will hit his 7-day, 168-hour target early on Wednesday morning. The current standing record for the longest individual dance marathon stands at 127 hours, set in 2023 by 16-year-old Indian kathak dancer Srushti Sudhir Jagtap. Guinness World Records has not yet issued an official confirmation of the attempt’s validity, and the BBC has reached out to the organization for additional comment.

    Far from a mere test of physical endurance, Ben Dancer’s week-long dance performance is a celebration of Nigeria’s extraordinary cultural diversity. With more than 250 distinct ethnic groups across the country, the event draws from a vast range of the nation’s artistic traditions, blending time-honored local dance forms with modern internet-driven cultural trends. Musical accompaniment has spanned popular Afrobeats hits alongside classic genres including fuji, jazz, and zouk, and Ben Dancer has periodically swapped his standard dance wear for iconic traditional Nigerian garments, including flowing agbada and colorful dashiki.

    To prepare for the grueling challenge, the dancer, who has built a professional career over 18 years, underwent months of intensive physical conditioning. He adjusted his diet to prioritize carbohydrates and built up his cardiovascular endurance to withstand the extended effort. Under Guinness’ rules, participants are permitted five minutes of rest for every hour of continuous activity; Ben Dancer has chosen to accumulate these rest breaks, dancing for multiple consecutive hours before pausing to recover. Throughout the attempt, a dedicated on-site medical team has been on standby at Freedom Park to address any health concerns, and he has stuck to light meals and steady fluid intake between breaks.

    In the days since the marathon began, the venue has transformed into a vibrant, ongoing street party that has captured national attention. Crowds of young supporters have gathered daily to cheer Ben Dancer on, filming every moment of his progress and joining in the celebration from behind event barriers. Clips of the attempt have spread widely across social media platforms, drawing larger crowds to the park each day.

    Audience members have shared widespread admiration for the dancer’s unwavering determination. “It’s a beautiful moment. Seeing how far he has come and witnessing him achieve this feat made me incredibly proud and grateful to God,” Uche Anumudu, one daily attendee, told the BBC. Other supporters have expressed both admiration for his grit and quiet concern over the physical strain of the attempt. Moronumubo Akodu, who has made multiple trips to Freedom Park to watch, called the challenge “insane but I am so proud of him.”

    Emmanuel Ulelu, who visited the event twice, noted a surprising shift in the dancer’s energy after days of continuous movement. “On day two, you could see the stress,” he explained. “Even after just three hours of dancing at the location myself, I wondered how he would keep going.” But when Ulelu returned 16 hours into the fifth day of the attempt, he found Ben Dancer far more energetic than he had been days earlier. “It reminded me that we’re capable of doing unbelievable things when how badly we want something matches and surpasses the difficulty of achieving it,” he said.

    Ben Dancer’s attempt comes as part of a growing wave of record-breaking challenges that have swept Nigeria since 2023, when Lagos-based chef Hilda Baci set a new Guinness record for the longest cooking marathon with a 93-hour 11-minute performance. Baci’s achievement sparked national excitement, and within two months of her record-breaking cook-a-thon, Guinness World Records reported receiving more than 1,500 new record applications from Nigeria, covering challenges ranging from continuous reading and singing to crocheting. Even as other contenders have since surpassed Baci’s cooking mark, her success opened the door for a new generation of Nigerian record-seekers like Ben Dancer, who are combining physical endurance with cultural celebration to capture global attention.

  • Taylor Swift breaks record for most MTV VMAs as Madonna also wins

    Taylor Swift breaks record for most MTV VMAs as Madonna also wins

    The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, held Sunday in Los Angeles and hosted by legendary rapper Snoop Dogg, delivered a night of historic milestones, surprise moments, and dominant wins for some of pop music’s biggest names, with women artists leading every major category.

    Headlining the history-making achievements was global pop superstar Taylor Swift, who walked away with the night’s highest honor—Video of the Year—and claimed her place as the most awarded artist in VMA history. Entering the ceremony tied with Beyoncé at 30 career VMA wins, Swift crossed the finish line after taking top prize for her music video *The Fate of Ophelia*, the standout visual pulled from her 2025 studio album *The Life of a Showgirl*. She also added another first to her night, winning the VMAs’ inaugural Artist Director award for writing and directing the lavish, theatrical *Ophelia* video herself.

    In an emotional acceptance speech, Swift dedicated her new award to country music icon Dolly Parton, calling her the “ultimate showgirl” and saying, “I think we were all very lucky to share this planet with Dolly Parton for a time.” The ceremony also marked the world premiere of Swift’s latest music video for *Patient Zero*, her first visual release since her marriage to NFL tight end Travis Kelce. Starring A-list actors Colin Farrell and Dakota Johnson, the dark gothic thriller is one of four new tracks included on *The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore*, the expanded reissue of Swift’s 2025 album that dropped last week.

    Original “Queen of Pop” Madonna had an equally landmark night, taking home three major awards: Artist of the Year, Best Dance Video, and Best Collaboration for her hit dance single *Bring Your Love*, a joint track with rising pop star Sabrina Carpenter that serves as the lead single from Madonna’s 2026 album *Confessions II*. Madonna’s production team also claimed two additional awards for *Confessions II* the film, taking home prizes for Best Cinematography and Best Choreography.

    Opening her Artist of the Year acceptance speech, the 68-year-old pop icon reflected on her four-decade connection to the VMAs, noting, “Most of you were probably not born when I performed at the very first VMAs 43 years ago.” She recalled a career-altering early mishap from that debut performance, where a fall left her accidentally exposed, an incident that nearly ended her burgeoning career at the time. Looking back on her recent journey, she added, “I spent the last year and a half finding myself, believing in myself and really making the music that I wanted to make.”

    Madonna also lightheartedly revealed that when she first reached out to collaborate on *Bring Your Love*, Carpenter’s team took five days to respond to her request. “When five days passed and I still didn’t get connected with Sabrina and didn’t hear back from her about whether she wanted to do a song with me – five days – I DM’d her,” Madonna shared. “She answered me back and… within weeks we were in the studio together. It was fabulous.” A visibly amused Carpenter quickly clarified the mix-up during the shared acceptance speech, joking, “My team replies. Just so everybody knows, they do respond to people. But I respond faster. So direct line to me is always the best way to get in contact.”

    The ceremony also featured Madonna’s first VMAs performance since her iconic 2003 onstage kiss with Britney Spears, including a live duet of *Bring Your Love* with Carpenter and a guest appearance from British pop trailblazer Charli XCX for their new track *Danceteria (Afterhours)*.

    Another historic win came from Blackpink’s Lisa, who made history as the first Asian solo artist to take home the award for Best Pop for her hit single *Dream*, whose music video featured acclaimed Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi. The Thai-born rapper-singer beat out a stacked field of top pop artists, including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Olivia Rodrigo, to claim the prize. An emotional Lisa, 29, addressed her dedicated fanbase—known as Lillies—during her speech, saying, “I wouldn’t be here without you guys.”

    Other notable winners from the night included British breakout star Sienna Spiro, who took home Best New Artist, BTS, who claimed Best Group and Song of the Year for their hit *Swim*, and Olivia Rodrigo, whose track *The Cure* won Best Alternative. Nirvana was honored with the prestigious Video Vanguard award in recognition of their decades-long impact on music and visual media, while British singer Raye performed alongside Spiro, and PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson took home Best Art Direction for their collaboration *Stateside*. The ceremony also included heartfelt tribute segments honoring the late Dolly Parton and George Michael, closing out a night that cemented new legacies while celebrating the enduring impact of pop music’s most iconic figures.

  • Watch: Madonna and Taylor Swift win big at the MTV VMAs

    Watch: Madonna and Taylor Swift win big at the MTV VMAs

    One of the music industry’s most high-profile annual celebrations, the MTV Video Music Awards, wrapped up its Sunday evening ceremony in downtown Los Angeles, with some of the world’s biggest pop acts walking away with top honors.

    Headlining the list of standout winners are two legendary figures in contemporary pop: Madonna, the decades-long Queen of Pop who has redefined global pop culture and performance art, and Taylor Swift, the currently record-breaking singer-songwriter who has dominated charts and fan culture across the world for years.

    Joining these two veteran superstars on the winners’ platform was LISA, the Thai member of K-pop global sensation BLACKPINK, who continued her successful run as a solo artist with a major award win at the event.

    Hosted in the heart of Los Angeles, the 2024 VMAs brought together hundreds of A-list musicians, industry executives, and fans for a night of show-stopping performances and competitive awards, highlighting the most impactful music videos and artists of the past year. For the winning artists, the night cemented their ongoing influence across the global music landscape, capping off a successful year of creative work and fan engagement.