Ariana Grande picked up the highly sought-after Video of the Year award for Brighter Days Ahead at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards in New York.
After acknowledging a long list of collaborators who helped bring the video to life, Grande wrapped up her speech by saying, “Thank you to my therapist and gay people.”
Lady Gaga secured the title of Artist of the Year, taking the stage to accept her award and expressing gratitude to her fiancé, Michael Polansky. She then left the glamorous ceremony to perform at Madison Square Garden as part of her The Mayhem Ball Tour.
“A partner in all things, Michael, creating this year with you was a beautiful, beautiful dream, and you have been my partner every step of the way,” she said to loud applause from the audience.
Rising star Alex Warren earned the Best New Artist award and also performed during the evening.
The night’s performances included Sabrina Carpenter, Post Malone, and Jelly Roll, who appeared via satellite from Germany. The 2025 Video Vanguard Award went to Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes was recognized with the first-ever Rock the Bells Visionary Award, and Ricky Martin accepted the Latin Icon Award.
The celebration took place on Sunday night in the United States at UBS Arena, with the broadcast presented by Grammy and VMA winner LL Cool J.
Here's a roundup of the night's highlight winners.
Video of the year: Ariana Grande - Brighter Days Ahead
Artist of the year: Lady Gaga
Song of the year: Rosé & Bruno Mars - Apt
Best new artist: Alex Warren
Best pop artist: Ariana Grande
MTV push performance of the year: Katseye - Touch
Best collaboration: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars - Die With a Smile
Best pop: Ariana Grande - Brighter Days Ahead
Best hip-hop: Doechii - Anxiety
Best R&B: Mariah Carey - Type Dangerous
Best alternative: sombr - Back to Friends
Best rock: Coldplay - All My Love
Best Latin: Shakira - Soltera
Best K-pop: Lisa feat. Doja Cat & Raye - Born Again
Best Afrobeats: Tyla - Push 2 Start
Best country: Megan Moroney - Am I Okay?
Best album: Sabrina Carpenter - Short n' Sweet
Best long-form video: Ariana Grande - Brighter Days Ahead
Not for the first time, Moby is speaking out against Donald Trump’s administration with clear frustration.
“The U.S. is collapsing under a deeply corrupt and shockingly ineffective administration,” the longtime electronic musician shared on social media. “These are unbelievably dark times.”
Moby went deeper into his thoughts through a video message, where he explained that people outside the United States keep asking Americans what is actually happening in the country.
“So many of my friends outside the United States keep asking me, ‘what the hell is happening over there?’ And honestly, we don’t even know,” he said. “The country is being controlled by one of the most corrupt, dangerous and incompetent administrations imaginable. Nobody fully understands what’s happening right now. These are very dark times in America.”
Moby joins a growing list of artists publicly criticizing Trump and MAGA politics, including Bruce Springsteen, Jack White, Eminem and Billie Eilish.
Earlier this year, Moby uploaded another statement to social media where he addressed how people should respond following the killing of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis. “The real question isn’t whether people should feel horrified or outraged by what’s happening in the United States,” Moby explained in the Jan. 26 clip. “The question is what are we actually going to do about it?”
The musician and activist also encouraged people to protest, saying demonstrations are a constitutional right and something he believes Trump’s administration is attempting to weaken.
In the end, he urged people to vote regularly, “not only during the upcoming midterms, even though those matter, but also in every special election throughout the year.” He also encouraged supporters to “stop giving money to the scumbag corporations backing Trump and ICE. We all know who they are. Boycott them.”
His newest remarks arrive as the U.S. Justice Department unveils a nearly $1.8 billion compensation fund for Trump allies who claim they were unfairly investigated. At the same time, the Strait of Hormuz remains shut down following military action launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran in late February without approval from Congress, leading to rising gas prices across the globe.
Throughout his independent music career, Moby has earned 10 entries on the Billboard 200 along with two songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and an enormous catalog of sync placements. Overseas, particularly in the United Kingdom, he is viewed as one of the defining artists of his era. He scored two No. 1 albums there with Play from 1999 and 18 from 2002, alongside 18 top 40 singles and two nominations for Best International Male at the BRIT Awards.
Check out Moby’s newest social media post below.
