Getty Lady Gaga is performing with Ariana Grande during the 2020 VMAs.
The 2020 MTV Video Music Awards air tonight, August 30 at 8/7c on MTV. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the award show will look different this year, with remote elements and social distancing measures in place. Nevertheless, the show will go on, with a number of A-list performances and appearances from the biggest names in music this year.
The artists expected to perform during the VMAs are BTS, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, Black Eyed Peas, CNCO, The Weeknd, Da Baby, Doja Cat, and Maluma. Roddy Ricch and J Balvin were originally supposed to perform as well, but People reports that both artists dropped out.
Ahead of the VMAs, there will be a pre-show with performances from Chloe x Halle, Machine Gun Kelly, Lewis Capaldi, and more.
The VMA Performances Will Happen Across New York City, Without an Audience Present
While the MTV Video Music Awards are usually held in the Barclay’s Center, this year they have spread the performances out across New York City to stay as socially distant as possible. In a statement, MTV explained, “The 2020 VMAs will be held on Sunday, August 30, and pay homage to the incredible resiliency of New York with several outdoor performances around the City with limited or no audience, adhering to all state and city guidelines.”
The New York State Department of Health told CBS that performers and production team members traveling to New York from states with high COVID-19 infection rates would not have to quarantine for 14 days. In a statement, they said, “Similar to professional athletes, the VMA cast and crew are required to adhere to strict procedures which include quarantining when not working, wearing masks and appropriate social distancing, and rigorous testing during their stay. Exemptions to the travel advisory, which The Department has granted on a case by case basis, include individuals who have traveled to New York for medical procedures or funerals, as examples.”
Ariana Grande & Lady Gaga Will Perform Their Song ‘Rain on Me’
One of the most highly-anticipated performances of the night is Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga’s performance of their hit song “Rain on Me.” Grande and Gaga lead the nominees this year, with 9 nominations each.
In celebration of her 9 VMA nominations, Lady Gaga took to Instagram to reflect on the accomplishment. In a post, she wrote, “I am so grateful and so blessed to have 9 #VMAs nominations this year for my album Chromatica, for Rain On Me, and other performances I’ve given. This is such a difficult time for people all over the world, I really honor how lucky I am to have a day like today. I hope you all will celebrate yourselves in this moment, everyone should be nominated for an award right now. For bravery, for courage, for the strong human spirit. God bless you and I love you thank you for this gift today.
The 2020 VMAs air on Sunday, August 30 at 8/7c on MTV.
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VMAs 2020 Performers & Performances: Who Is Performing Tonight?