Eight bits of gossip we uncovered on the night

The MTV Awards got here to Manchester for the primary time of their 30-year historical past on Sunday night time, however one way or the other did not really feel very Mancunian.

There was no signal of Take That or Aitch, or Liam Gallagher – despite the fact that he received greatest rock star.

Organisers made a number of delicate nods to the town: The stage was framed within the black and yellow stripes of Manufacturing facility Data, and New Order’s Blue Monday pumped by means of the audio system each time nominees had been introduced.

However the present took a extra world perspective, highlighting acts from Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and America – together with a predictable victory for Taylor Swift within the night time’s two greatest classes, greatest artist and video of the 12 months.

She solely appeared by video, selecting as a substitute to spend the night time watching her boyfriend, American Soccer participant Travis Kelce, lead the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs to victory in opposition to the Denver Broncos.

However there have been loads of different stars on the present and on the pink carpet. Here is among the gossip we picked up alongside the way in which.

Two weeks in the past, Raye instructed followers her second album had been delayed by thieves who stole her automobile and, with it, a number of notebooks filled with lyrics and track concepts.

On the pink carpet, she confirmed the police hadn’t been in a position to observe them down, saying: “I’ve simply needed to let it go.”

The singer mentioned she could not recreate a variety of the concepts, as a result of the act of writing them down freed her thoughts to work on different issues.

“You let it go, since you suppose you possibly can come again to it – and now there are such a lot of concepts which might be simply gone. It is so unhappy.”

However the singer, who received greatest UK artist, maintained a optimistic outlook.

“All the things occurs for a purpose. I will have to start out once more and possibly it is a blessing in disguise.”

The choice to deliver rap legend Busta Rhymes to Manchester to obtain a worldwide icon award wasn’t as random because it sounded.

Earlier than he developed his rapid-fire rap supply, an 11-year-old Rhymes spent two summers residing along with his Aunt Velma in Morecambe.

“I went to karate college, and we illegally went into nightclubs, to make slightly cash break-dancing,” he instructed us.

“I keep in mind Boy George was cool, Wham was cool,” he continued.

“However our favorite was Benny Hill. Benny Hill continues to be our favorite to this present day. I do not suppose anyone has as ever been as humorous or as charismatic as Benny Hill.”

So, throughout these halcyon days of watching smutty comedy in Morecambe, did he ever suppose he’d be again, profitable a lifetime achievement prize?

“You possibly can by no means foresee one thing like that,” he mentioned. “Once we first bought concerned with hip-hop, we did not do it for not one of the accolades. We simply did it as a result of we beloved it.

“However with that being mentioned, tonight is a dream come true.”

To honour that second, he gave a nine-minute acceptance speech thanking everybody from his mom to an artwork instructor he’d met backstage.

“I’ve by no means bought an award from MTV earlier than. Thirty 4 years of professionally recording [and] that is the primary time I’m getting an award from MTV. It feels unbelievable.”

Olly Alexander performed a pre-show occasion on Saturday night time, and could not fairly imagine the reception for Dizzy – the track which earned him 18th place at this 12 months’s Eurovision Tune Contest.

“That went down so much higher than it did in Eurovision,” he laughed, shortly earlier than Jedward invaded the stage and induced utter chaos.

On the principal ceremony, Alexander was there to award track of the 12 months to Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso. However he additionally had a number of phrases for anybody contemplating representing the UK at subsequent 12 months’s contest.

“I’d say to them, whoever it’s, ‘Name me, and we can have a critical dialog about it’,” he mentioned with the haunted look of a person who has seen some issues.

Along with profitable greatest new artist, US singer Benson Boone opened the ceremony with a spectacular efficiency that noticed him suspended mid-air on a grand piano, earlier than pulling off a spectacular entrance flip from a platform along side the stage.

“The insurance coverage is at all times loopy,” he laughed, “however I like to carry out.”

One one that could not imagine his eyes was Glad Mondays star Bez, who accosted Boone throughout an interview with Rita Ora.

“Once you got here down on that grand piano,” he mentioned, “I assumed, ‘Elton John goes to be gutted.'”

Manchester is house to the UK’s greatest Ok-Pop store and, on Sunday morning, the workers could not fairly imagine one of many style’s greatest woman bands had landed of their metropolis.

“Le Sserafim had been posting photos from the Christmas market,” certainly one of them instructed me. “That is solely 5 minutes from right here!”

The five-piece, who’ve been setting chart data over within the US, jetted in for his or her first-ever UK efficiency, a mash-up of Chasing Lightning and the 90s home banger Loopy.

However they had been extra excited to be out in town with out being mobbed.

“It was so good, we had baklava!” enthused singer Huh Yun-Jin; whereas her bandmate Sakura tucked right into a portion of fish and chips.

“It was my first time,” she mentioned. “I beloved it.”

On stage on the EMAs, the band bought one of many greatest screams of the night time, regardless of being comparatively unknown within the UK… for now.

“Coming to Europe is one thing that we have at all times dreamt of, so that is completely surreal,” mentioned Yun-Jin. “We simply wish to make an excellent impression.”

Mission completed.

For completely no purpose in any respect, Jedward went on an enormous allure offensive for the worldwide press.

“Oasis are again and Jedward are again!” they declared, earlier than racing over to baffled German and French journalists, whereas singing Cease Crying Your Coronary heart Out.

This went on for 2 deliriously sensible hours, because the twins, who discovered fame on The X Issue 15 years in the past, insisted that “a variety of artists have been impressed by Jedward”.

And, to be honest, they’ve proof. Mercury Prize nominee CMAT not too long ago said the brothers had encouraged her to finish her second album, with a motivational voice message.

“It’s important to give it some thought, in life,” defined John.

“Do not at all times suppose you are the primary character. Attain out to different individuals. Serve that tennis ball and see what they do.

“It is at all times about protecting that spark alive.”

They had been, to be sincere, an absolute blast.

Liam Payne received 12 MTV EMAs throughout his time in One Course, and later used the ceremony to launch his solo profession, performing his world smash hit Strip That Down on the 2017 ceremony.

It was solely becoming that the occasion marked his dying – however placing the correct tone in the midst of an enormous showbiz occasion isn’t straightforward.

Ultimately, his pal and collaborator Rita Ora simply spoke from the center.

“There have been so many ways in which we had been speaking about honouring him,” she mentioned. “However generally merely talking is sufficient.”

Addressing the digital camera straight, she shared her recollections of the 31-year-old, as her voice cracked.

“Liam Payne was one of many kindest folks that I knew,” she mentioned. “He introduced a lot pleasure to each room he walked into. And he left such a mark on this world.”

It was sombre and restrained, but powerfully emotional. Ora wasn’t the one one crying.

South African star Tyla, greatest identified for her viral hit Water, clinched each the very best R&B and greatest Afrobeats awards.

The awards marked her continued ascent, after being named one of many BBC’s Sounds of 2024 – however she made certain to honour her inspirations.

On the pink carpet, she rocked a classic Roberto Cavalli gown with a turquoise blue zebra print.

The very same gown had beforehand been worn by US rapper Eve on the 2000 Soul Practice Awards.

And R&B legend Aaliyah wore a canary yellow model on the 2000 MTV Awards, the place she received greatest feminine video for Strive Once more.

The ceremony happened in September 2000, lower than a 12 months earlier than Aaliyah’s tragic dying in an aircraft accident.

The singer was simply 22 on the time – the identical age that Tyla is now.