Charli XCX flashes her abs in a daring crop top as she leads the Brits on the red carpet at the MTV VMAs with glam Raye and Emma Bunton

Charli XCX led the British stars on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night. 

The singer, 34, showed off her impressive abs in a tiny black mesh crop top and a matching long velvet skirt by Saint Laurent. 

Charli suffered an awkward wardrobe malfunction while on the red carpet as she endured an unfortunate nip slip at one point while posing for cameras. 

Raye, 28, meanwhile, sparkled in a plunging silver Georges Hobeika couture gown which was embellished with thousands of beads in her first outfit of the evening. 

The songstress later took to the stage in a red lace dress to perform a medley of I Will Overcome and Where Is My Husband!. 

Raye then changed into a plunging black gown to join Teddy Swims, Sombr and Adam Lambert for a special tribute to George Michael.   

Emma Bunton, 50, made a rare solo appearance at the VMAs, 29 years after the Spice Girls first took the event by storm.

Charli XCX led the British stars on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night

Raye, 28, meanwhile, sparkled in a plunging silver Georges Hobeika couture gown which was embellished with thousands of beads in her first outfit of the evening

Emma Bunton, 50, made a rare solo appearance at the VMAs, 29 years after the Spice Girls first took the event by storm

The radio presenter put on a leggy display in a black velvet playsuit which she teamed with platform heels. 

Emma was at the ceremony to present Madonna with one of her multiple awards.  

London-born Sienna Spiro took home the coveted Best New Artist award over nominees like Bella Kay and Magnus Ferrell. 

She also made her VMA performance debut in a custom silver minidress by Agro Studio which was inspired by Paco Rabanne's 1967 creation. 

The songstress, who is behind the viral hit Die On This Hill, hit the red carpet in a custom champagne beaded gown by Valentino. 

She complemented the look with Jimmy Choo shoes and Chopard jewellery. 

PinkPantheress, 25, won her first MTV VMA for Best Art Direction for her hit track, Stateside, alongside Zara Larsson and director Charlotte Rutherford. 

Victoria Beverley Walker, known professionally as PinkPantheress, stunned in a burgundy polka dot Nina Ricci ruffled dress. 

The singer, 34, showed off her impressive abs in a tiny black mesh crop top and a matching long velvet skirt by Saint Laurent 

Charli XCX suffered an awkward wardrobe malfunction while on the red carpet as she endured an unfortunate nip slip at one point while she was posing for cameras

London-born Sienna Spiro, who is behind the viral hit Die On This Hill, hit the red carpet in a custom champagne beaded gown by Valentino

Victoria Beverley Walker, known professionally as PinkPantheress, stunned in a burgundy polka dot Nina Ricci ruffled dress 

PinkPantheress, 25, won her first MTV VMA for Best Art Direction for her hit track, Stateside, alongside Zara Larsson and director Charlotte Rutherford

Emma was at the the ceremony to present Madonna with the Artist Of The Year gong. She took to the stage alongside Rachel Dratch 

The songstress later took to the stage in a red lace dress which had a daring thigh-high slit

Raye then changed into a plunging black gown to join Teddy Swims, Sombr, and Adam Lambert for a special tribute to George Michael

Sienna made her VMA performance debut in a custom silver minidress by Agro Studio which was inspired by Paco Rabanne's 1967 creation

The singer took home the coveted Best New Artist award over nominees like Bella Kay and Magnus Ferrell

During the ceremony, Taylor Swift paid tribute to the 'ultimate showgirl' Dolly Parton as she accepted a prize at the MTV VMAs.

The singer took home the show's first-ever Artist Director Honors – which preceded a screening of her new video for Patient Zero – and she went on to pick up the Video of the Year prize for The Fate of Ophelia and Best Direction for Opalite.

After picking up the Video of the Year award, Taylor dedicated the prize to late country icon Dolly, who died in August at the age of 80. Taylor said: 'I want to thank and dedicate this award to one person without whom this wouldn't be happening, and that person is the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton.

'Every single song that she wrote, her storytelling was so vivid and so rich. Listening to her songs, it's like watching the best music video you have ever seen in your life, every single time you hear what she's written.

'And she handled this thing with such grace and joy and love and gratitude for the fact that she got to do this, and everything that happened in her life or her career, she channeled back into love and gratitude and appreciation for her fans.

'I am lucky I got to be one of them, and I will always be one of them. I think that we were all very lucky to share this planet with Dolly Parton for a time. And thank you for this amazing moment, I love you all.'

During the ceremony, Taylor was given a gushing introduction by her Patient Zero co-star Dakota Johnson and the singer then gave a speech in which she talked about her love of directing after stepping behind the camera to take charge of 18 of her own music videos.

She said: 'I got to tell you, though, the main reason why I love writing and directing music videos so much is because you, the fans, make it so much fun.

'You make it so rewarding! Because you actually care about what we're making.

'I want to say thank you to everyone who ever worked on a music video that I got to be a part of. I learned something from every single person who worked alongside me on these projects.

'Mainly, I want to say thank you to the fans, and rather than say anything else... I would love to, if it's okay with you, show you my latest music video.'

The MTV VMAs also featured a Dolly Parton tribute delivered by Kacey Musgraves, who performed the singer's classic hit I Will Always Love You.

The performance was introduced by Dolly herself as a video played to the audience showed the late singer handing out some words of wisdom, saying: 'I'd like to leave you fellas with a little bit of advice.

'Don't criticize your wife's judgment. You just remember who she married. Just kidding you. There's a lot of truth in that and I would also like to say about life, I hope it treats you real kind and I hope that you have all that you ever dreamed of.'

Dolly was then heard starting off the track before Kacey joined in.

The ceremony also featured a tribute to grunge icons Nirvana, who were honoured with the Video Vanguard Award. Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear accepted the award and Novoselic remembered the band's late frontman Kurt Cobain, who died in 1994.

He said: 'The ideas for those videos all grew out of the vision of one of the greatest artists of all time, Kurt Cobain.

'Kurt was one of one. None of us could have imagined that our band, our sound or our aesthetic would mean so much to so many people. But ultimately, the music had a life of its own. It charted its own course.

'Nirvana continues to resonate so deeply because people are still hungry for authenticity, something real, something uncompromising, something that tells you it's just OK to come as you are. Kurt would have loved that legacy.'

Other winners on the night included Madonna, who opened the show and led with 13 nominations. The pop superstar saw off competition from Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift to win the Artist of the Year prize and she also landed Best Collaboration for her track with Sabrina Carpenter, Bring Your Love, as well as Best Dance for Confessions II – The Film.

Song of the Year went to BTS for Swim, Lisa won Best Pop for Dream, Best Hip-Hop went to Cardi B and Kehlani for Safe, Olivia Rodrigo's The Cure was named Best Alternative, Bad Bunny nabbed Best Latin for NUEVAYoL and Bruno Mars took the R&B prize for I Just Might.

MTV Video Music Awards 2026 WINNERS

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 - WINNER

Taylor Swift earned top honor Video of the Year to break an epic record 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ariana Grande

Bruno Mars

Madonna - WINNER

Morgan Wallen

Sabrina Carpenter

Taylor Swift 

SONG OF THE YEAR

BTS - Swim - WINNER

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 - WINNER

Stella Lefty

British singer took home the coveted Best New Artist gong

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 - Bring Your Love - WINNER

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 - WINNER

Olivia Rodrigo – Drop Dead

Sabrina Carpenter – House Tour

Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

BEST HIP-HOP

Cardi B featuring Kehlani – Safe - WINNER

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 - WINNER

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 - WINNER

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) - WINNER

PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – Stateside

Slayyyter – Dance...

Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl

 BEST LATIN

Anitta and Shakira – Choka Choka

Bad Bunny – NUEVAYoL - WINNER

Fuerza Regida – Tu Sancho

Karol G – Papasito

Rosalía – La Perla

Ryan Castro, Kapo and Gangsta – La Villa

Shakira and Burna Boy – Dai Dai

BEST K-POP

Blackpink – Jump

BTS – Swim - WINNER

Cortis – Redred

Katseye – Pinky Up

Le Sserafim – Spaghetti

Lisa – Dream

 BEST COUNTRY

Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas - WINNER

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 - WINNER

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me

A$AP Rocky – Punk Rocky

Lisa – Dream

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film) - WINNER

Shaboozey – Cowgirl

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

Madonna dominated as she earned the most wins with seven 

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 - WINNER

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

Sabrina took home Best Editing for House Tour as she accepted Best Collaboration with Madonna

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Gener8ion – Storm

Harry Styles – Dance No More

Katseye – Pinky Up

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film)n - WINNER

Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Ariana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love Me - WINNER

Jisoo and Zayn – Eyes Closed

Madonna – Confessions II (The Film) - WINNER

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 - WINNER

Sombr – My Body Isn’t Ready

Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia

PinkPantheress earned Best Art Direction alongside Zara Larsson for Stateside