Heavy/Getty Katy Perry holding her 2024 Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs on September 11, 2024
Pop icon and former “American Idol” judge Katy Perry left the audience stunned multiple times at MTV’s 2024 Video Music Awards as she performed a retrospective of her hits and received the prestigious Video Vanguard Award on September 11, 2024.
Perry’s big night, during which she was honored as one of the most influential artists in popular music, including buzz-worthy, eyebrow-raising moments from her onstage PDA with longtime beau Orlando Bloom to starting out her acceptance speech by sharing she had her period.
Orlando Bloom Calls Katy Perry ‘Irresistible’ Before Her Racy Performance & Their Steamy Kiss at VMAs
Before Perry received her Vanguard Award, Bloom, 47, addressed the packed UBS Arena on Long Island. The couple has been engaged since 2019 and share a four-year-old daughter, Daisy.
“You fell in love with her as Katy Perry,” Bloom told the cheering crowd. “I feel in love with her as Katheryn Hudson. You know her as a global superstar who brings love, light and her unique sense of humor to every song she writes and music video she creates. I know her as a mother, as a partner, who brings that same love and joy to our family.”
“In moments when we’ve most needed it,” he continued, “her music and the remarkable world she creates has brought a sense of joy and laughter, inspiring generations of people from all over the world. She loves with her whole heart, and it’s kind of irresistible. I see it reflected everywhere; in our home, in her love for her work, but especially in her love for her fans. Congratulations on this honor, baby, I’m so proud of you. 1-4-3. Ladies and gentleman, your 2024 MTV video vanguard: Katheryn Hudson, Katy Perry.”
The only word to describe @katyperry‘s #VMAs Video Vanguard Medley is … ICONIC 👏 #KatyVMAVanguard
Suspended in the air above her backup dancers to begin her 10-minute performance, Perry thrilled the crowd with some of her biggest hits from the last decade — including “E.T.,” “California Gurls,” “Firework,” and “I Kissed a Girl.” She also sang an excerpt of her new single, “Lifetimes,” and gave a racy performance of her upcoming release, “I’m His, He’s Mine,” in which she and featured rapper Doechii straddled each other and nearly kissed as Perry’s longtime beau, actor Orlando Bloom, was seen in the audience biting his lip and clapping.
Tweets were flying about the moment, including one from a viewer who wrote, “Orlando looked cringe af when Katy almost kissed Doechii”
Social media was also buzzing about Taylor Swift singing and bopping along to Perry’s medley of tunes. The pop superstars had a highly-publicized feud from 2014 – 2019 but eventually mended fences and, in 2024, have supported each other publicly, including Perry attending The Eras tour in February. In addition to dancing to Perry’s music, a camera focused on Swift for much of the night showed her shocked reaction to Perry’s near-kiss with Doechii.
After Perry’s performance, Bloom walked onto the stage carrying her Video Vanguard Award. In another unexpected display of PDA, she slid down her performance set and ran up to Bloom, embracing him in a passionate kiss that caused the crowd to go wild.
Katy Perry Reveals She Got Through 10-Minute Performance on the ‘First Day of My Period’
Perry’s acceptance speech also raised a few eyebrows — including Swift’s — as she began it by announcing to the crowd, “Oh my gosh, I did that all on the first day of my period, can you believe it?”
After pausing while the crowd cheered, Perry then said, “Thank you so much to MTV for believing in my weirdness from day one, and for helping artists extend their worlds beyond a song. There are so many things that have to align to have a long and successful career as an artist. There are no decade-long accidents. So I would like to acknowledge a few people: my team who have been with me for over 20 years, Direct Management, and my label Capitol Records.”
“Trust me, it takes a village of strong people, a lot of healthy discourse, and a lot of group chats,” Perry continued. “My parents and my family, the deepest roots I know. We don’t always agree, but what a lesson that those disagreements can still be full of love. Thank you to MySpace, Warped Tour, and all the bygone places where I found a voice, identity, and a community so early on. Thank you to the friends that were there when my Jetta was repossessed. My Katy Cats: You stood by me for a lifetime, and the LGBTQ community who I recognize I would not be here without and who show me that you can be both kind and [expletive].”
Perry then shocked viewers again when she made a subtle reference to an interview on the “Call Me Daddy podcast on September 4. The interview made headlines when Perry said that her “love language” is acts of service, explaining that she’s prone to performing a sexual act if she walks into the kitchen to find the dishes done and pantry doors closed.
In her acceptance speech, Perry coyly said, “Thank you to Orlando for keeping me grounded, celebrated, and doing the dishes.”
Many fans caught the racy reference, including someone who tweeted, “Orlando doing the dishes lol we love a man who does the dishes”
She finished her speech by saying, “And lastly for my Daisy, the only flowers I’ll ever need.”
In May, Perry filmed her final episode as an “American Idol” judge so she could focus on releasing her new album, “143,” which comes out on September 20, and launching a world tour.
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Katy Perry Shocks VMAs Crowd While Receiving 2024 Video Vanguard Award