Taylor Swift closed out the MTV Video Music Awards with a record-breaking 30 wins — 30 for Moon Men — on Tuesday night. Swift extended her personal total, surpassing the previous record of 25 wins held by Beyoncé (as a solo act), and also became the first female artist to win Video of the Year five times.
During her acceptance speech for the latter award, Swift spoke about directing the video and praised the many people involved, along with Post Malone and “my friend Travis Kelce,” who was “cheering and flirting from all over the studio where we were filming.” [the video]“I want to thank him for adding that to our shoot because I will always remember that,” she said.
She continued her speech by thanking her fans, whom she thanked for “making my life what it is, making Eras Tour what it is, and making The Tortured Poet's Department what it is,” she told the crowd. “That's all there is to it, guys.”
Before leaving the stage, Swift chose to reiterate what she had written in a comment on an Instagram post the night before, in which she encouraged people to vote in the upcoming election. “If you’re 18, please register to vote,” she told the VMA audience. “This is an important election.”
Swift led the nominations with 12, including some of the most coveted awards like Artist of the Year, and multiple awards for her song “Fortnight” with Post Malone. The song won Song of the Year, Song of the Summer, and Video of the Year, among other awards. She is the only artist to win the latter award three years in a row.
Beyoncé was nominated for Song of the Year for her hit song “Texas Hold 'Em,” the first single from her country album “Cowboy Carter.” “Texas” competed against Swift's “Fortnight,” Kendrick Lamar's “Not Like Us,” Sabrina Carpenter's “Espresso,” Teddy Swims' “Lose Control,” and Jack Harlow's “Lovin on Me.”
