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MTV EMAs 2024 Dazzle Manchester, But Left Some Hearts Heavy


The Co-Op Live Arena became a dazzling spectacle as the MTV Europe Music Awards rang in its 30th year, filled with strobe lights, international stars, and moments that gleamed with glamour, and occasionally, an oddly hollow echo.

From the moment the three-time host Rita Ora hit the red carpet (covered in feathers and diamonds, of course), there was an unspoken vibe of being in this together. She came with her mom as her date, and she wasn't the only one. Mabel presented an award with her mother, the inimitable Neneh Cherry, and Jodie Turner-Smith sang her a lovely birthday shoutout from the stage. Even Busta Rhymes, who won the prestigious Global Icon Award, choked back tears as he called his mom his "best friend and hero."

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South African sensation Tyla kept the sister act going, pulling her sister up on stage to dance and celebrate her three-for-one win: Best Afrobeats, Best R&B, and Best African Act. It was a self-consciously personal night for many people.

The night began on a physical high, with TikTok heartthrob Benson Boone dropping out of the rafters on a golden piano to perform 'Slow It Down' and 'Beautiful Things' like a heavenly rock star. Later, winning best new, he humbly admitted he hadn't thought this would be his trajectory: "Get ready for the new album," he said.

Tyla's dreamy mash-up of "Push 2 Start" and her breakout "Water" added Afro-pop sweetness to the proceedings. Then RAYE blew the roof off with a gospel-gassed rendition of "Escapism, Tears, and Body Dysmorphia," a chill-inducing moment that showed she's not just singing, she's preaching.

Rock sisters The Warning scorched the stage, while Shawn Mendes charmed in denim-clad simplicity on 'Heart of Gold', and Teddy Swims alternately set the crowd swooning with his thick, honey-sweet vocals and an as-yet-unknown heart.

The former were on stage to collect their Best Rock prize. At the same time, Eminem called in his Best Hip-Hop victory via a mobile phone in a cheeky British accent, and Sabrina Carpenter was declared Best Song winner for the chart-eating 'Espresso'. Taylor Swift blew through in only Taylor Swift fashion: Best Artist, Best Live, Best US Act, Best Video.

The evening concluded with a technicolor blast from Pet Shop Boys, performing with Manchester Camerata to ring in 40 years of hits from 'West End Girls' to 'All The Young Dudes' in a fashion as otherworldly as their unknown depths of influence.

For all the shimmer, though, the EMAs were a snoozer where it counted. Award shows are not necessarily meant to solve the world's problems, but the near-total silence on global issues struck a wrong note. In a time of artists as much advocates as entertainers, the disconnect between the world outside and the party inside felt as sharp as it ever has.

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