The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards proved to be a star-studded night as the likes of Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande flocked to New York City for the ceremony on Sunday.
With so many music A-listers under one roof, the celebration produced countless viral moments that captivated social media during its incredible three-hour runtime.
From Grande allegedly ‘shading’ pop rival Sabrina Carpenter to Video Vanguard Award recipient Carey’s ‘lackluster’ stage presence, fans had plenty to feast on.
The night’s performances also had fans talking, with Carpenter’s first-ever live rendition of Tears facing backlash from the LGBTQIA+ community and Aerosmith’s Ozzy Osbourne tribute bringing audiences to ‘tears.’
The red carpet wasn’t without its controversies as Doja Cat sparked an online frenzy after she was caught eating her lipstick in front of photographers.
With another MTV VMAs in the books, Daily Mail is rounding up the night’s most viral moments.
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘frosty’ behind-the-scenes exchange
During the lengthy ceremony, Grande was accused of shading Carpenter as an awkward encounter between them was caught on camera.
A video of the two singers talking and hugging at the 2025 VMAs went viral thanks to a seemingly ‘frosty’ response from Ariana.
The clip showed the two women embracing and chatting while backstage during the awards show.
But when Sabrina, 26, went to hug Ariana, 32, a second time, the Wicked actress failed to put her arms around the Espresso songstress, making for a slightly uncomfortable interaction.
Ariana Grande has been accused of shading Sabrina Carpenter as an awkward encounter between them at the MVA Video Music Awards was caught on camera
Fans were quick to discuss the seemingly tense moment online, with some accusing Ariana of being ‘fake’ and speculating that she wasn’t too fond of Sabrina.
Casino.ca’s body language expert Judi James analyzed the moment exclusively to the Daily Mail, and she noted that the ‘partial hug’ certainly looked ‘frosty.’
‘[Ariana] holds her arms out for a frosty-looking partial hug that has ‘brakes’ on it via the holding of the elbows,’ Judi explained.
‘There is a small dance on the spot with excitement but it is rather low-key compared to the kind of fan-like hand kissing she performed on Lady Gaga.’
Even so, Judi added that the God Is a Woman hitmaker kept her ‘cool’ and came off as ‘professional.’
‘Ariana performed many acts of fan-like lowered status and respect tonight but the body language signals from her greeting ritual with Sabrina tonight suggested she retained her own status while keeping it rather cool,’ she continued.
‘The body language looks professional here … but with the elbow-clutching the suggestion is that these two stars don’t know each other very well.’
A video of the two singers talking and hugging at the 2025 VMAs has gone viral thanks to a seemingly ‘frosty’ response from Ariana
Mariah Carey’s accused of doing ‘bare minimum’ on stage
Despite her legend status, Mariah couldn’t escape the wrath of VMA viewers as they accused her of doing the ‘bare minimum’ on stage.
The singer, 56, was presented with the Video Vanguard Award during the 2025 VMAs during the star-studded event.
Dressed in a sparkly gold body suit, she performed a medley of her hits afterwards, including Sugar Sweet, Fantasy, Honey, Obsessed, and It’s Like That.
But the hitmaker was mocked on social media afterwards, as hordes of fans felt her performance was lackluster.
Mariah Carey has been brutally roasted online over her MTV Video Music Awards performance, with users slamming her for doing the ‘bare minimum’ on stage
Many X users called her out for seeming ‘stiff’ and walking extremely slowly around the stage, while others accused her of lip syncing
Many X users called her out for seeming ‘stiff’ and walking extremely slowly around the stage, while others accused her of lip syncing.
‘Mariah Carey being introduced as the queen of vocals and she’s just lip syncing…’ one user wrote.
‘Mariah Carey doing the least possible movement,’ noted another.
‘Mariah stay giving us the bare minimum,’ penned someone else.
‘Mariah out here all stiff and s**t… Girl if you got back problems tell ’em you can’t perform…’ read a fourth tweet.
A fifth said, ‘Mariah just existing on stage.’
‘Mariah don’t be moving at all,’ scathed a different person.
Dressed in a sparkly gold body suit, she performed a medley of her hits afterwards, including Sugar Sweet, Fantasy, Honey, Obsessed, and It’s Like That
Mariah Carey guilts MTV for waiting DECADES to give her her first VMA award
Before receiving the coveted Video Vanguard Award, Carey accepted the honor for Best R&B for her latest hit Type Dangerous.
And during her pre-recorded acceptance speech, the songstress shaded MTV for waiting until 2025 to award her for her iconic work.
‘Yay! My first Moonman ever… Thanks so much, MTV. This is amazing,’ she began.
‘I don’t know why you took so long to happen…’
She made the same dig during her Video Vanguard Award speech after Ariana Grande presented her with the honor.
‘I can’t believe I’m getting my first VMA tonight, I just have one question. What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?’
After receiving her first-ever VMAs on Sunday night, Mariah Carey shaded MTV for waiting so long to recognize her and her work; seen receiving an award from Ariana Grande
Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘raunchy’ Tears performance protesting for trans rights divides fans
Carpenter left fans divided with her raunchy performance at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, during which she advocated for trans rights.
Some have accused the 26-year-old singer of ‘fetishizing’ the trans community with her rendition of her latest single, ‘Tears,’ which features explicit lyrics.
Carpenter was joined on stage by drag queens — including Honey Balenciaga, Symone, Dashaun Wesley, Richie Shazam — for her performance at the UBS Arena in New York, which included a dance break in the rain.
Sabrina Carpenter, 26, left fans divided with her raunchy performance at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, during which she advocated for trans rights
Some have accused the singer of ‘fetishizing’ the trans community with her rendition of her latest single, ‘Tears,’ which features explicit lyrics
Her background dancers also carried signs that read ‘In trans we trust’, ‘Dolls, dolls, dolls,’ ‘Support drag,’ ‘Protect trans rights’ and ‘If you hate, you’ll never get laid.’
Later in the show, Carpenter returned to the stage to accept the award for Best Album, thanking her ‘queens on stage.’
But not all fans were pleased, with one writing, ‘There’s kind of a weird fetishizing aspect to a lot of the ‘protect the dolls’ stuff but I’m alright not caring about that until there’s a lot less ‘exterminate the dolls’ stuff going on.’
”Dolls dolls dolls’ unsurprisingly, trans identifying males are the focus over the females, and in classic Sabrina Carpenter fashion womanhood is turned into a plastic, hyperfeminine, hypersexualized product designed to cater to and be sold to men,’ another added.
‘They turn concerts into campaign rallies, then wonder why people stop watching.’
Her background dancers also carried signs that read ‘In trans we trust’, ‘Dolls, dolls, dolls,’ ‘Support drag,’ ‘Protect trans rights’ and ‘If you hate, you’ll never get laid’
Not all of her fans were pleased, with one accusing the singer of turning womanhood ‘into a plastic, hyperfeminine, hypersexualized product designed to cater to and be sold to men’
But others defended the singer, saying it was ‘absurd’ to take issue with the performance which was ‘defending trans rights’
Another wrote: ‘One reason many Americans did not watch the VMAs.’
Another called the performance ‘fake activism.’
‘This feels performative.’
But others defended the singer, saying it was ‘absurd’ to take issue with the performance which was ‘defending trans rights.’
Tate McRae pushes boundaries of family-friendly show
McRae injected a spicy touch to the awards show as she delivered a steamy performance of Revolving Door and Sports Car.
Flanked by hunky backup dancers resembling Greek gods, Tate, 22, worked her magic in sexy white crop top and hot pants for a show that soon turned steamy.
She seductively bounced about a giant sand box while her backup dancers – clad in little more than speedos and shimmer – followed her.
Tate McRae injected a spicy touch to the awards show as she delivered a steamy performance of Revolving Door and Sports Car
One fan gushed McRae ‘was so f**king hot in the performance’
Tate strutted across the stage with a smooth finesse.
She finished off the performance on the floor, contorting her body in a sensual manner as flames erupted in the background.
The performance delighted fans attending in person and those watching from the comfort of their homes, with thunderous cheers heard in the background.
Tate received overwhelming positive response to her performance, with fans hailing her as the next Britney Spears (a comparison she has previously received).
The performance soon turned steamy as she slithered about in a giant sand box
Ariana Grande’s brother’s ‘weird’ reaction to Tate McRae’s sexy performance
Not everyone in the audience at UBS Arena appeared to love McRare’s performance, including Ariana Grande’s older brother Frankie Grande.
The 42-year-old — who was there in support of Ariana along with their mother Joan — was caught making a sour expression as McRae performed her racy routine.
Fans wondered what the ‘beef’ was between Frankie and Tate as the clip of his reaction began to circulate on X (formerly Twitter).
‘frankie grande reaction to tate mcrae on vmas tonight is weird idk,’ penned on disappointed fan.
However, Frankie looked to be a fan of McRae’s later in the night as she approached his A-list sister for a chat and a photo. He was seen shaking the 22-year-old’s hand.
Not everyone in the audience at UBS Arena appeared to love McRare’s performance, including Ariana Grande’s older brother Frankie Grande
The 42-year-old — who was there in support of Ariana along with their mother Joan — was caught making a sour expression as McRae performed her racy routine
However, Frankie looked to be a fan of McRae’s later in the night as she approached his A-list sister for a chat and a photo
Lady Gaga’s sudden and dramatic exit from the show
Gaga made a dramatic exit out of the 2025 MTV VMAs just moments after winning one of the night’s biggest honors.
As she took to the stage to accept the award for Artist Of The Year, the singer, 39, told the cheering crowd that she had to urgently leave before the ceremony was over.
Gaga, who earned the first Moon Person of the night, explained that she was on her way to her sold-out show at NYC’s Madison Square Garden, which is located 20 miles away from UBS Arena in Elmont, New York where the VMAs were being held.
‘I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden,’ she said to the audience. ‘Love you. Thank you.’
She dedicated the honor to her fiancé Michael Polansky before ending her heartfelt speech.
Lady Gaga made a dramatic exit out of the 2025 MTV VMAs just moments after winning one of the night’s biggest honors
As she took to the stage to accept the award for Artist Of The Year, the singer, 39, told the cheering crowd that she had to urgently leave before the ceremony was over
Aerosmith comes out of retirement to honor late Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy was honored at Sunday night’s 2025 MTV Video Music Awards following his death at age 76 in July.
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, 77, and Joe Perry, 74, delivered a moving tribute alongside Yungblud, 28, and Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, 58.
The performance was prefaced by a video montage featuring Ozzy’s son, Jack, and his daughters Kelly, Aimee, and Jessica.
They each wore Ozzy shirts and shared precious memories of their late father.
Tyler took the stage despite sustaining a vocal cord injury two years ago, which last year forced him and his band to stop touring indefinitely.
The former American Idol judge suffered a fractured larynx — a break in the cartilage of the structure colloquially known as the ‘voice box’ — in September 2023.
Yungblud appeared on stage with his best rendition of Ozzy’s ‘All Aboard’ call.
He then went into Black Sabbath’s Changes and Crazy Train before being joined by Tyler and Perry to perform Mama, I’m Coming Home to wild applause.
Ozzy Osbourne was honored at Sunday night’s 2025 MTV Video Music Awards following his death at age 76 in July
An image of the beloved late singer was projected from a large screen in the background of the performance
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, 77, and Joe Perry, 74, delivered a moving tribute alongside Yungblud, 28, and Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, 58
Ariana Grande is left blown away by Steven Tyler and Yungblud
As Youngblud united with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry to perform their Ozzy Osbourne tribute during Sunday’s big show in New York, Grande was caught reacting to the performance in real time.
The 32-year-old songstress looked to be in disbelief as Yungblud and Tyler belted out the last notes of Osbourne’s 1991 hit Mama, I’m Coming Home.
Her mouth was wide open and she repeatedly put her hands on her head and gestured towards the men on stage as she watched from the audience.
She frequently mouthed ‘what’ and seemed particularly in awe of Tyler’s vocals as she appeared to say his name to the person seated to her right.
The video of Grande’s reaction quickly went viral online during the three-hour show, with fans using it to react to their fave artist’s VMAs performances.
As Youngblud united with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry to perform their Ozzy Osbourne tribute during Sunday’s big show in New York, Grande was caught reacting to the performance in real time
Ariana Grande’s sweet exchange with Rain On Me collaborator Lady Gaga
Five years after gracing the VMAs stage together to perform their hit Rain On Me, Ariana reunited with fellow pop star and pal Lady Gaga at Sunday night’s ceremony.
The duo were sat next to one another at the start of the show, where they were spotted having a warm interaction.
In a now-viral clip, Gaga is seen grabbing Grande’s hand, prompting the Dangerous Woman hitmaker to turn in her direction.
Gaga leaned in close to Grande to whisper something in her ear. Once Gaga pulled away, Grande planted a kiss on the Just Dance singer’s hand.
Five years after gracing the VMAs stage together to perform their hit Rain On Me, Ariana reunited with fellow pop star and pal Lady Gaga at Sunday night’s ceremony
Doja Cat shocks photographer by EATING her lipstick
Doja left fans grossed out as she performed a shocking act on the red carpet at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Rocking a funky 80s-inspired look, the Grammy Award-winning hitmaker, 29, undoubtedly turned heads upon her arrival at the starry event in New York City.
But it was her bizarre stunt in front of red carpet cameras that really sent MTV viewers into a frenzy.
While playfully applying red lipstick to her plump pout, Doja stunned photographers when she suddenly took a bite out of the makeup product and began to eat it.
Doja left fans grossed out as she performed a shocking act on the red carpet at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards
While playfully applying red lipstick to her plump pout, Doja stunned photographers when she suddenly took a bite out of the makeup product and began to eat it
The busty starlet continued to pose for photos while chewing and holding onto the half-eaten lipstick tube.
Fans of the Kiss Me More singer flocked to social media to react to her ‘insane’ act, with many left completely shocked by what they’d just witnessed on live TV.
‘THE WAY SHE ATE THE LIPSTICK OMG,’ read one tweet on X (formerly Twitter) as footage of Doja eating her lipstick began to go viral.
Another added: ‘girl why is u eating lipstick [crying emoji]’
However, many of Doja’s devout fans showered her with praise for pushing the envelope on one of the music industry’s biggest nights.
One fan joked, ‘a queen never goes hungry.’
Another referred to Doja’s lipstick chow down as a ‘tasty fashion statement.’
Some declared the moment ‘iconic’ while others were left convinced that it was Doja’s way of teasing her rumored upcoming single, Lipstain.
Fans of the Kiss Me More singer flocked to social media to react to her ‘insane’ act, with many left completely stunned
