Justin Bieber, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez kick off MTV VMAs; Olivia Rodrigo takes trophy

Justin Bieber, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez have kicked off the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center.

The big music event, which highlights music and pop culture, opened on Sunday with Madonna paying homage to the network's 40th anniversary followed by Justin Bieber’s high-energy performance.

“They said we wouldn’t last,” Madonna said. “But we’re still here.”

The star-studded night had great fun for music lovers. After Madonna pranced off stage, Bieber and The Kid LAROI rappelled from the ceiling of the Barclays Center in New York onto the VMA’s stage before the hit song “Stay.” The singer, performing for the first time in six years, went solo act for his song “Ghost.” He last took the VMAs stage in 2015 when he performed “What Do You Mean?”

Bieber leads this year’s show with seven nominations, including video of the year for “POPSTAR” and artist of the year. Moments after Olivia Rodrigo performed her hit “good 4 u,” she collected the first award of the night for her massive hit song “Driver’s License.”

Jennifer Lopez, who graced the event with her chic appearance, presented Rodrigo her trophy. Moments later, Justin Bieber collected his first award from early MTV icon Cyndi Lauper. 

Lauper preached about female equal rights before she handed the Moonman trophy to Bieber, whose song “Peaches” with Giveon and Daniel Ceasar won best pop song.

“Girls still want to have fun,” said Lauper, known for classic melody “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” “But we also want to have funds, equal pay, control over our bodies, you know, fundamental rights.”

Megan Thee Stallion enters the show as the second-leading nominee with six nominations. BTS, Doja Cat, Drake, Giveon, Lil Nas X and Rodrigo each have five nods.

Justin Bieber and Megan Thee Stallion will compete with Ariana Grande, Doja Cat, Rodrigo and Taylor Swift for artist of the year.