7 Controversial VMAs Performances: Miley Cyrus’ Twerk-Filled Dance to Fifth Harmony’s Camila Cabello Dig and More
A Blood-Soaked Lady Gaga Appeared on Stage
Lady Gaga divided viewers of the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards with her blood-soaked performance. Donning an all-white outfit, she sang her hit track “Paparazzi” and allowed her dancers to complete her surreal pop-art number.
At the end of her appearance, she suspended herself from a noose while showing off her face smeared in red liquid.
While fans approved of it as the most iconic performance of the night, some viewers — especially parents — expressed their discomfort upon seeing the performance.
Fifth Harmony Seemingly Threw Shade at Camila Cabello
In 2017, Fifth Harmony hit the VMAs stage for a medley of their hit singles, like “Down” and “Angel.” Before officially kicking off the performance, a fifth figure appeared before it flew backward and disappeared from viewers’ eyes.
The public instantly ᴀssumed the group had made the dig toward former member Camila Cabello, who left in 2016 amid reports she “failed to get along” with her bandmates Ally Brooke, Lauren Jauregui, Normani Kordei and Dinah Jane.
Explaining the drama, Brooke said on Good Morning America, “We get asked all the time if we’re getting a fifth member and we wanted to show the world in an artistic way that hey the four of us are Fifth Harmony. And we’re stronger and better than we’ve ever been.”
Lil Mama Crashed Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ Performance
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys were enjoying the performance of their hit track, “Empire State of Mind,” when Lil Mama suddenly joined the pair, sparking backlash.
Years after the blunder, she appeared on “The Jay Hill Podcast” and opened up about the aftermath.
“I had to deal with Ed Lover on the radio in the morning, Wendy Williams, Angie Martinez, who talked to Jay, and he was just like, ‘Yeah, you know. I didn’t like it.’ He was so angry and I was just trying my best to do everything I could do,” said Lil Mama while tearing up.
She added, “After a while, I was like, ‘Forgive yourself, bro. Move forward.’ Bro, I was hurt. I was depressed. I was like, ‘Yo, what’s going on?’ And then you got everybody telling you, ‘You’re doing bad.’ People pointing at you, like, ‘What did you do?'”
The incident took a toll on her mental health, but she reportedly bounced back after realizing how “blessed” she was.
Madonna Kissed Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera
Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera caused a stir when they shared steamy moments on the VMAs’ main stage in 2003. The telecast, however, only captured Spears and Madonna’s smooch as the camera focused on Justin Timberlake afterward.
Alex Coletti, who produced the VMAs ceremony that year, told Yahoo Entertainment, “The tricky thing was you couldn’t go from that reaction sH๏τ and get back to Christina in time. So, yeah, Christina got slighted a bit. It was never about how Madonna kissed Britney and Christina. It was always known as the ‘Britney/Madonna kiss.’ And I feel bad for that.”
Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke Had a Twerk-Filled Performance
Known for her raunchy performances, Miley Cyrus shocked fans when she performed with Robin Thicke at the 2013 VMAs. The appearance, which lasted six-and-a-half minutes, featured the infamous foam finger, in addition to the repeated twerking and groping, leaving some aghast.
Reflecting on the “life-changing” moment, the Hannah Montana star told Wonderlandmagazine in 2018, “It inspired me to use my platform for something much bigger. If the world is going to focus on me and what I am doing, then what I am doing should be impactful and it should be great.”
Nirvana Performed an Unexpected Song
Nirvana launched the 1992 VMAs with a few bars of “Rape Me” before continuing with a performance of “Lithium.” The troublemaker frontman, Kurt Cobain, played the prank despite the MTV executives banning the band from playing the track.
Did Prince Bare His Bottom?
During the 1991 VMAs, Prince raised eyebrows for allegedly exposing his ᴀssets during his “Get Off” performance. The suit’s designer, Marliss Jensen, later clarified to St. Paul Pioneer Press that the “b— suit” was fabric.
