Taylor Swift shows off VERY tiny waist in sexy black gown with silver skirt as she hits 2026 MTV VMAs red carpet without Travis Kelce... ahead of her big award

Taylor Swift made her hotly anticipated arrival at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night - but her new husband Travis Kelce was nowhere to be found.

Despite riding solo, the 36-year-old Grammy winner, who is set to receive a special, first-ever honor, confidently hit the red carpet in a sexy two-toned gown.

Swift's dress consisted of a black sleeveless bodice with a mesh back to highlight her enviably trim waist and a sparkly silver skirt that hung off her hips.

The already statuesque pop star added inches to her 5 foot 10 inch frame with sky-high heels decked out with rhinestones.

Swift appeared to debut shorter, wispier bangs, which she styled with sleek shoulder-length strands.

As for accessories, Swift wore dangly earrings, her wedding band and her $550,000 engagement ring from Kelce, whom she wed in July after nearly three years of dating.

Fans notably chanted 'Mrs. Kelce' once Swift was spotted making her way to the red carpet following the likes of Charli XCX, Tyla and Lisa Rinna.

Taylor Swift made her hotly anticipated arrival at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night - but her new husband Travis Kelce was nowhere to be found

Despite riding solo, the 36-year-old Grammy winner - who is set to receive a special, first-ever honor - confidently hit the red carpet in a sexy two-toned gown

While Swift was working her angles on the red carpet, her husband was spotted across the country with his NFL team the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami, Florida, where they played a football game against the Miami Dolphins earlier in the day.

Swift's appearance at this year's VMAs comes just days after the release of The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore, a surprise deluxe version of her 2025 album.

The new record includes four new songs from Swift, including a love anthem to Kelce titled Cleveland - a nod to his Ohio hometown - that critics dubbed a 'dud' despite the sentimental lyrics.

The other three tracks - Pink Clouding, Babylon and Patient Zero - also failed to impress the critics, as well as many of Swift's diehard fans.

Currently The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore has an abysmal score of 39 on Metacritic, which means it has received 'generally unfavorable reviews.' 

Swift had announced the album just days before its release, telling fans that she wrote the songs 'out of pure gratitude' for her fans' exuberance for and celebration of' The Life Of A Showgirl, which was released on Kelce's birthday on October 3, 2025.

'About a year ago, you guys did a truly unfathomable thing. Something that completely blew my mind… You gave The Life of a Showgirl the biggest first week for an album in history,' she wrote of it success in a Tuesday Instagram post.

'I took a trip to Sweden to celebrate with Max and Shellback, my two collaborators on this album. Really we just wanted to reflect and take in how grateful we were for the moment we were in, but there was a studio there and we did what we do when we feel anything at all: We wrote more songs.

'I hope you love them, because they were born out of pure gratitude for your exuberance for and celebration of the album we made. The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore including four new songs is out on Friday and available to pre-order and save now,' concluded Swift, who released the Encoure song Patient Zero as her latest single.

The music video for the track is set to premiere during Sunday night's VMAs before or after Swift accepts the inaugural Artist Director Honors.

Swift's dress had a black sleeveless bodice with a mesh back to highlight her enviably trim waist

The lower half of Swift's gown had a sparkly silver skirt that hung off her hips

She showed off her VMAs look from all angles during her red carpet stint

As for accessories, Swift wore dangly earrings, her wedding band and her $550,000 engagement ring from Kelce, whom she wed in July after nearly three years of dating

The Life Of A Showgirl singer debuted shorter, wispier bangs, which she styled with sleek shoulder-length strands

 The already statuesque pop star's tall rhinestone heels were hidden beneath her gown's skirt

Swift opted for a natural glam makeup look - drifting away from her signature red lip

Fans notably chanted 'Mrs. Kelce' once Swift was spotted making her way to the red carpet following the likes of Charli XCX, Tyla and Lisa Rinna

Swift's appearance at this year's VMAs comes just days after the release of The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore, a surprise deluxe version of her 2025 album

While Swift was working her angles on the red carpet, her husband was spotted across the country with his NFL team the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami, Florida, where they played a football game against the Miami Dolphins earlier in the day

With the crowning, Swift will break her tie with Beyonce, 44, as the most decorated artists of the VMAs, as they each came into Sunday's event with 30 gongs to their name.

Inasmuch as Beyonce has no nominations this year, Swift will become the sole reigning record-holder.

The MTV VMA Artist Director Honors celebrates a sustained and influential body of work from artists who have pushed creative boundaries and developed a clear directorial voice.

Swift has utilized music videos as an extension of her songwriting as she has directed the visuals for her tracks: The Fate of Ophelia, Opalite, The Man, cardigan, willow, All Too Well: The Short Film, Anti-Hero, Bejeweled, Fortnight (feat. Post Malone), I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault), Karma (feat. Ice Spice) and Lavender Haze.

Meanwhile, nominations were unveiled last month as it was Madonna who emerged as the artist with the most nods.

Madonna, 68, is in competition for a staggering 11 prizes, narrowly beating out Swift, who has nods in nine categories.

They will be vying against each other for the evening's top honor, video of the year, with Swift up for The Fate of Ophelia and Madonna for Confessions II (The Film).

No doubt diehard Swifties will be watching the event with plenty of scrutiny as she released deluxe album The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore along with new single Patient Zero on Friday

Madonna, 68, is in competition for a staggering 11 prizes, narrowly beating out Swift, who has nods in nine categories; seen in June

They will be vying against each other for the evening's top honor, video of the year, with Swift up for The Fate of Ophelia (pictured) and Madonna for Confessions II - The Film

Confessions II (The Film) is in the running to win best best direction, best cinematography, best visual effects, best editing, best choreography, best art direction and more

Rounding out the category are the music videos for Hate That I Made You Love Me by Ariana Grande, Tears by Sabrina Carpenter, I Just Might by Bruno Mars and Storm by GENER8ION (starring Yung Lean).

Trailing Madonna and Swift, Grande and Carpenter are tied for third place with seven nominations apiece, while Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson each have five.

The artist of the year category is a face-off between Madonna, Swift, Grande, Carpenter, Mars and country music heartthrob Morgan Wallen.

Best pop video has emerged as a contest between Grande's Hate That I Made You Love Me, Swift's The Fate of Ophelia and Tate McRae's Nobody's Girl, as well as Dream by the Blackpink breakout Lisa, SS26 by Charli XCX, Drop Dead by Olivia Rodrigo and House Tour by Carpenter.

MTV Video Music Awards 2026 NOMINEES

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Ariana Grande - Hate That I Made You Love Me

Bruno Mars - I Just Might

Gener8ion (starring Yung Lean - Storm

Madonna - Confessions II (The Film)

Sabrina Carpenter - Tears

Taylor Swift - The Fate of Ophelia 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ariana Grande

Bruno Mars

Madonna

Morgan Wallen

Sabrina Carpenter

Taylor Swift 

Madonna has the most nominations of the year with 11

SONG OF THE YEAR

BTS - Swim

Ella Langley - Choosin' Texas

Huntr/x - Golden

Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter - Bring Your Love

Olivia Dean - Man I Need

Raye - Where Is My Husband

BEST NEW ARTIST

Bella Kay

Cortis

Magnus Ferrell

Malcolm Todd

Myles Smith

Sienna Spiro

Stella Lefty

BEST COLLABORATION

Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice – Chains & Whips

French Montana and Max B – Ever Since U Left Me

Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter

PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside

Shakira and Burna Boy – Dai Dai

Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye – Hard Part

BEST POP

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me

Charli XCX – SS26

Lisa – Dream

Olivia Rodrigo – Drop Dead

Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour

Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

Taylor Swift is trailing just behind the Queen of Pop with nine nods to her name

BEST HIP-HOP

Cardi B featuring Kehlani – Safe

Don Toliver – E85

Drake – Janice STFU

Megan Thee Stallion – Lover Girl

Travis Scott – Dumbo

Tyler, The Creator – Sugar on My Tongue

BEST R&B

Bruno Mars – I Just Might

Chris Brown – It Depends/Obvious

Dave & Tems – Raindance

Justin Bieber – Yukon

Kehlani – Folded

Mariah The Scientist and Kali Uchis – Is It a Crime

BEST ALTERNATIVE

Geese – Taxes

MGK and Fred Durst – Fix Ur Face

Noah Kahan – The Great Divide

Olivia Rodrigo – The Cure

Sombr – Homewrecker

Tame Impala – Dracula

Twenty One Pilots – Drag Path

BEST DANCE

Bebe Rexha and Faithless – New Religion

Harry Styles – Aperture

Lady Gaga and Doechii – Runway

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside

Slayyyter – Dance...

Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl

 BEST LATIN

Anitta and Shakira – Choka Choka

Bad Bunny – NUEVAYoL

Fuerza Regida – Tu Sancho

Karol G – Papasito

Rosalía – La Perla

Ryan Castro, Kapo and Gangsta – La Villa

Shakira and Burna Boy – Dai Dai

Ariana Grande has landed a total of seven nominations

BEST K-POP

Blackpink – Jump

BTS – Swim

Cortis – Redred

Katseye – Pinky Up

Le Sserafim – Spaghetti

Lisa – Dream

 BEST COUNTRY

Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas

Kacey Musgraves – Dry Spell

Lainey Wilson – Somewhere over Laredo

Luke Combs – Back in the Saddle

Shaboozey – Cowgirl

Stella Lefty – Boston

Tucker Wetmore – Brunette

BEST DIRECTION

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love me

Bruno Mars – I Just Might

Gener8ion – Storm

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour

Taylor Swift – Opalite

Sabrina Carpenter is tied with Grande, having scored seven nods

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me

A$AP Rocky – Punk Rocky

Lisa – Dream

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

Shaboozey – Cowgirl

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

BEST EDITING

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me

Bruno Mars – I Just Might

Lisa – Dream

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Gener8ion – Storm

Harry Styles – Dance No More

Katseye – Pinky Up

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me

Jisoo and Zayn – Eyes Closed

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside

Raye – Click Clack Symphony

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

BEST ART DIRECTION

Charli XCX – SS26

Lady Gaga and Doechii – Runway

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)

PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside

Sombr – My Body Isn’t Ready

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

Swift has a chance this year to break her dead heat with Beyonce, with whom she is tied for most VMAs ever at 30