Experiencing the 2022 VMAS
by Liam Gillin (he/him)The MTV Video Music Awards was always my favorite awards show. One of my goals in life was to one day attend the VMAs. Two nights ago I got to be in the audience for the awards and I want to share my experience.
I got my free pit tickets through 1iota.com. I believe I waited for a good five hours before we were even let into the Prudential Center. I made sure to have a big meal, drink lots of water, and go to the bathroom as much as I could before the show began. A majority of my time at the VMAs was me running on adrenaline through the excitement of being there.
Where I was placed in the pit was right where they were presenting the awards so I got a good glimpse of every single musician that night. It’s one of the most surreal feelings being around some of the biggest names in the world. You see them on social media, but now they’re right in your face.
NICKI MINAJ, LIL NAS X, AND TAYLOR SWIFT | CREDIT: ARTURO HOLMES/GETTY; JEFF KRAVITZ/GETTY; THEO WARGO/GETTY
I saw so many people from Avril Lavigne, Jack Harlow, Khalid, Dove Cameron, Blackpink to even Jimmy Fallon. The performances were immaculate. My favorite had to be Nicki Minaj. She performed her entire discography within 10 minutes before accepting the Vanguard Award. Minaj is one of the most influential artists of our generation. The crowd knew every single verse and we rapped along with her.
Another impactful artist performance of the night was Bad Bunny. I don’t listen to his music all that much but after what I witnessed in the Prudential Center, I’m definitely listening to his songs now. He performed at Yankee Stadium with his song “Tití Me Preguntó” He wasn’t even close to the Prudential Center but the way the crowd reacted. The way they danced and sang so loud to the point the ground started to shake. It showed me the power that Bad Bunny has on the world right now.
BAD BUNNY, AUGUST 2022 | CREDIT NOAM GALAI/GETTY IMAGES FOR MTV/PARAMOUNT GLOBAL)
Finally the moment everyone wants me to talk about: Taylor Swift. I had no idea she was coming and I think everyone else didn’t either. She entered her seat during Jack Harlow’s opener. We screamed for her when the cameras went off. Taylor sat there with her crew and waved to all of us. She ended up winning 3 awards that night for “All Too Well.” At the end, Taylor won “Video of the Year.” I was five feet away from her as she accepted the award. When she said that she had an announcement none of us knew what to expect. We began to all look at eachother confused and then Taylor told us that she had a new album coming soon.
TAYLOR SWIFT WINS 2022 VIDEO OF THE YEAR AWARD | CREDIT: DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY IMAGES
The moment she announced “Midnights” the audience went wild. People were cheering, collapsing on the floor, and crying tears of joy. It was just like when Oprah told her audience she got them free cars. I wish I was able to capture this moment from my point of view but we weren’t allowed to have our phones. It was a magical moment that I have engraved in my memory forever.
Words will never be able to describe what attending the VMAs was like, the experience I had. It was unforgettable. It was a lot of waiting and standing around but so worth it. I hope to attend next year and go to more music award shows.