Taylor Swift took a moment to remember the tragedy of the 9/11 terrorist attacks as she accepted her first award during the 2024 MTV VMAs telecast.
Taking the stage to honor her best collaboration, Moon Person, with “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone, Swift began by reflecting on the 23rd anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York.
“Waking up this morning in New York on 9/11, I thought about what happened 23 years ago: everyone who lost a loved one and everyone we lost,” Swift said. “And that's the most important thing today. And everything that happens tonight is secondary.”
Swift, who made headlines and generated more than 300,000 visits to vote.gov with her endorsement of Kamala Harris after Tuesday night’s presidential debate, later thanked Post Malone.
The 2024 MTV VMAs, broadcast live from UBS Arena on Long Island, were originally scheduled to air on September 10, before being pushed back a day to avoid confusion with the Harris-Donald Trump debate.
When the prestigious music awards ceremony was rescheduled, MTV confirmed that the event would take place on the 23rd anniversary of 9/11.
“On the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, MTV will once again support the nonprofit organization 9/11 Day, which organizes the National Day of Service and Remembrance for 9/11, and Tuesday’s Children, which serves the families of 9/11 victims,” the network said in a statement last month.
Taylor Swift leads the 2024 VMA nominations with 12 nods, followed by Post Malone with 11, Eminem with eight, and Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, SZA and Carpenter with seven each.
The 2024 MTV VMAs will be broadcast live from UBS Arena on Long Island.