Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles.
One app.

Start reading

Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles. One news app.

Start reading

Reuters

Entertainment

Jill Serjeant

Camila Cabello beats Beyonce, Drake for top VMA prizes

2018 MTV Video Music Awards - Photo Room - Radio City Music Hall, New York, U.S., August 20, 2018. - Camila Cabello poses backstage with her awards for Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for "Havana." REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

(Reuters) - Cuban-born Camila Cabello beat out heavy hitters Beyonce, Bruno Mars and Drake to take home the two top prizes at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Monday.

Cabello, 21, was chosen artist of the year and won video of the year for her Latin-flavored hit "Havana," while rapper Cardi B picked up wins for best new artist and song of summer for her dance hit "I Like It" with J Balvin and Bad Bunny.

"I can't believe this is for me," said Cabello, who split from girl group Fifth Harmony in late 2016 to launch a solo career.

New York rapper Cardi B, 25, made her first public appearance since giving birth to her first child in July. But the feisty "Bodak Yellow" singer failed to make good on her leading 10 nominations going into the show as fans spread their votes far and wide.

"A couple of months ago people were saying, you're gambling your career by having a baby," Cardi B said. "I had a baby ... and now I'm still winning awards."

2018 MTV Video Music Awards - Arrivals - Radio City Music Hall, New York, U.S., August 20, 2018 - Cardi B. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

The biggest winner of the night was Childish Gambino, the music stage name of actor Donald Glover, who came away with three for his hard-hitting video "This Is America" about black identity and police brutality.

But the trophies were mostly in technical categories, including choreography and direction. Beyonce and Jay-Z's much talked-about "APES**T," which was shot inside the Louvre in Paris against the backdrop of some of the world's most famous art works, won just two of its eight nominations.

Canadian rapper Drake, one of the most popular artists in terms of sales and streaming, came away empty-handed, as did multiple Grammy winner Bruno Mars.

2018 MTV Video Music Awards - Arrivals - Radio City Music Hall, New York, U.S., August 20, 2018. - Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande.

Neither Mars, Drake, Gambino, Beyonce nor Jay-Z attended the awards show in New York City, which featured performances by Ariana Grande - who won best pop video for "No Tears Left to Cry," - Nicki Minaj, Aerosmith, Shawn Mendes and Travis Scott.

Jennifer Lopez brought the audience to its feet with a song and dance medley of her biggest hits as she was presented with the annual Vanguard Award, named after Michael Jackson, recognizing her 20 years in show business.

"It's been an incredible journey of dreaming my wildest dreams and then watching them come true," said Lopez.

2018 MTV Video Music Awards - Photo Room - Radio City Music Hall, New York, U.S., August 20, 2018. - Rapper Nicki Minaj poses backstage with her Best Hip-Hop Video award for "Chun-Li." REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

However, a promised tribute to Aretha Franklin following her death last week at age 76 consisted only of a speech by Madonna and a brief video clip from Franklin's early career.

The VMAs have a reputation for irreverence and provocative stunts but, aside from a segment on U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial immigration policies, there were few surprises.

Rapper Logic was joined onstage by dozens of immigrant children and their families wearing white t-shirts saying "We are all human beings," for a performance of his song "One Day."

2018 MTV Video Music Awards - Show - Radio City Music Hall, New York, U.S., August 20, 2018 - Cardi B speaks on stage. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

The song is a protest against the policy that saw thousands of immigrant children separated from their parents in June after crossing the southern border with Mexico without documents.

(Additional reporting by Gina Cherelus; Editing by Darren Schuettler and Paul Tait)