Pop music American singer Katy Perry has won the Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards, the most prestigious award at the video music awards show. MTV announced on Thursday that Katy Perry will receive the Vanguard Award at this year's ceremony on September 11. Perry is also scheduled to perform at the ceremony.
“Katy is a musical powerhouse and a true pop culture icon,” Paramount executive Bruce Gilmer said in a press release. “With her game-changing creative vision, she has become a global phenomenon and taken over the world’s biggest stages.”
Over the years, Perry has won five Moon Persons Awards. In 2011, she won Video of the Year for “Firework” and Best Collaboration and Best Special Effects for “E.T.” with Kanye West. In 2012, she won Best Art Direction for “Wide Awake” and Best Female Video in 2014 for “Dark Horse” with Juicy J.
In 2017, Perry took over hosting duties at the awards show, where she also presented a witness “Swish Swish” single with Nicki Minaj. Prior to that, Perry also performed “Roar” at the 2013 Video Music Awards.
“Katy’s versatility will be on full display live at the VMAs with an unmissable performance that spans her career and celebrates her biggest moments and chart-topping songs,” Gilmer added. (Trisha Paytas, who co-starred in the “Woman’s World” video, leaked the Vanguard Award news on her show earlier this week.)
Perry will join a long list of icons who will receive the prestigious award. Shakira won the award in 2023, Nicki Minaj in 2022 and Missy Elliott in 2019.
Perry's tribute comes just one week before the release of her sixth album, 143which will feature Kim Petras, Deutsche, and 21 Savage. The album has had a somewhat rocky launch since she dropped its lead single, “Woman's World,” in July. The song was quickly followed by “Lifetimes” earlier this month.
Earlier this week, the VMAs announced that the awards show will feature performances from Sabrina Carpenter, Chappelle Rowan, Camila Cabello, Gloria, and Raw Alejandro. MTV also moved its broadcast from September 10 to September 11 to make room for the presidential debate.
The Video Music Awards released their list of nominees last week, with Taylor Swift leading the way with 10 total nominations, many of which were for Tortured Poets Section Single with Post Malone, “Fortnight”, including Video of the Year. Malone received nine nominations, Ariana Grande received six, as did Eminem and Carpenter. The Artist of the Year category includes Swift, Grande, Eminem, Carpenter, Bad Bunny and SZA.
