Taylor Swift reigned supreme at the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs), winning four of the top gongs on a night filled with electric performances.
Across her six nominations, the US megastar took home best video and best longform video award for her 10-minute version of All Too Well (Taylor’s Version), as well as best artist and best pop at the ceremony held at the PSD Bank Dome in Dusseldorf, Germany on Sunday.
Harry Styles, Nicki Minaj, Muse and Gorillaz were among the global stars who also picked up top awards from the 20 gender-neutral categories.
Singer-songwriter Swift, 32, ensured she thanked her fans – known as Swifties – for every award, saying at one stage: “You’re the reason that anything has every happened to me.”
Her first prize of best longform video was presented by John Lennon’s son and singer Julian.
Collecting the award she said, “I have been writing and directing my music video for a long time but this was the first short film I have made and I felt like I learned so much about myself of how making film can be a natural extension of my storytelling just like songwriting.”
Swift also thanked actors Dylan O’Brien and Sadie Sink who starred in the music video, which also later picked up best video, seeing off competition from Harry Styles’ As It Was, Blackpink’s Pink Venom, Doja Cat’s Woman, Kendrick Lamar’s The Heart Part 5 and Nicki Minaj’s Super Freaky Girl.
As she accepted the second award for the video, the singer reflected on how the project and this moment “almost never happened”.
She said: “The older version of this song came out like 10 years ago and it was never a single. It was never supposed to even have a music video, nonetheless a short film.
“I can only explain this by saying that the fans willed this to happen. I will never stop thanking you for this.”
It also picked up the prestigious video of the year gong at the MTV Video Music Awards earlier this year.
Swift has been dominating the charts across the world in recent weeks following the release of her new album Midnights.
Reflecting on how the album has been received during the award ceremony, she added: “I am so blown away, you have no idea how much it means to me to even get to do this as a career, so I just want to say, personally, from me to you, thank you for supporting (me).
“There is not a single moment I take this for granted. Thank you so so much.”
After the ceremony, she celebrating her successful night with grime star Stormzy who shared a selfie on Twitter showing them posing together as Swift clutched a glass of wine, captioning the post with a love heart and an emoji face welling up with emotion.
Former One Direction star Styles was the most nominated musician at the awards with seven nods but only went home with best live performer.
US rapper Minaj was awarded best song for Super Freaky Girl and best hip hop artist while US singer Chloe won best R&B.
David Guetta and Bebe Rexha kicked off the EMAs ceremony in rapturous style, performing their hit I’m Good (Blue), which went on to win the best collaboration award.
The duo were raised from below the stage in a box as the crowd went wild around them, and Guetta also secured the title of best electronic.
British band Muse picked up the best rock prize after delivering an electric performance of their new track Will Of The People at the start of the ceremony.
While a video was projected of Gorillaz performing their track Cracker Island from Tonhalle music concert hall in Dusseldorf, recorded the night previous, before the band won best alternative.
Stormzy also delivered an emotional rendition of his ballad Fire Babe during the ceremony, creating an intimate moment with kinetic lighting with guest vocalist Debbie as he performed the track for the first time on TV.
Ukrainian rap group Kalush Orchestra received a warm welcome from members of the audience waving flags of the war-torn country as they took to the stage to perform their Eurovision-winning track Stefania.
Traditional designs from the country were projected across the stage and they were supported by dancers wearing pink bucket hats favoured by lead singer Oleh Psiuk.
Tom Cruise also delivered a surprise message to introduce OneRepublic’s performance of I Ain’t Worried, which they wrote for Top Gun: Maverick.
The Hollywood star said he was “very grateful” to the band and their frontman Ryan Tedder for recording the song.
Lewis Capaldi gave an powerful rendition of his track Forget Me as he took to the stage while Gayle gave an energetic performance of her viral hit Abcdefu where she jumped on a bed.
This year’s ceremony was hosted by celebrity power couple singer-songwriter Rita Ora and Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi and marks the sixth time the awards show has been held in Germany.
It was the couple’s first time working together after keeping their partnership mostly out of the spotlight since they first sparked relationship rumours last year after appearing alongside each other on red carpets.
Ora also claimed the best look “personal style” award during the ceremony.
A raft of famous faces also presented including Baywatch star David Hasselhoff and Eurovision runner-up Sam Ryder.
The MTV EMAs 2022 will be available to watch again on Paramount+ UK from November 14.
