Kanye West’s infamous VMAs act didn’t just do Taylor Swift and Beyoncé a disservice – it also robbed newcomer Lady Gaga of enduring glory
Lady Gaga may have won an Oscar for A Star is Born in 2019, but her star status had been cemented 10 years prior with a performance that was quickly overshadowed by one of the most controversial award show moments of all time.
It was on a Sunday in September 2009 when 23-year-old Gaga took the MTV VMAs stage after being introduced by Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz and Cobra Starship’s Gabe Saporta.
What followed was four minutes and 27 seconds that, until August 2019, had only been available to watch via bootleg copies stealthily shared by Gaga’s ‘Little Monsters’.
Watch the video above.
Kanye West’s interruption of Taylor Swift’s 2009 VMAs acceptance speech has gone down in infamy. (Getty)
But Lady Gaga, pictured here at Venice Film Festival in 2024, also had a defining moment at the awards show that’s been overlooked. (Getty)
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And when MTV finally released the official footage of Gaga’s Paparazzi performance a decade on, the whole world finally got to appreciate what became lost the second Ye (formerly Kanye West) grabbed the microphone from Taylor Swift, kicking off one of the biggest pop culture feuds in modern history.
Going into the 2009 MTV VMAs, Gaga – who had released her debut album The Fame one year prior – knew it was going to be a big night.
She was tied with Beyoncé for the most MTV VMAs nominations that year, and would ultimately walk away from New York City’s Radio City Music Hall with three awards, including Best New Artist.
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But it was what’s since become widely regarded as one of her best live performances to date that well and truly introduced the eccentric genius that is Mother Monster to the world – and 15 years on, MTV created a whole new category (VMAs Most Iconic Performance) that Gaga’s Paparazzi performance has been nominated for.
Over the years, Gaga has developed a reputation for her shocking artistic statements (remember the meat dress?) but the 2009 MTV VMAs was one of the first times the world got to see it up close and personal.
It was, after all, the first time she was performing at the award show, and she needed to leave her mark.
