Kacey Musgraves Delivers Emotional Dolly Parton Tribute at 2026 VMAs
The country singer brought attendees to tears with a rendition of "I Will Always Love You."
Kacey Musgraves captivated the audience at the 2026 VMAs with a heartfelt tribute to country music legend Dolly Parton, performing Parton's iconic 1974 song "I Will Always Love You." The performance, which took place during the awards ceremony, moved many viewers to tears, as reported on social media.
Musgraves' rendition of the classic ballad was a standout moment of the night. The performance reportedly began with archival footage of Parton introducing the song, followed by Parton's own live performance, before Musgraves joined in on stage.
The 2026 VMAs saw numerous artists recognized across various categories. Madonna led the nominations with 11 nods, closely followed by Taylor Swift with nine. Both artists were nominated for Artist of the Year, alongside Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Morgan Wallen, and Sabrina Carpenter. Grande and Carpenter each secured seven nominations. Swift has the opportunity to break her tie with Beyoncé for the most VMA awards ever, with both artists currently holding 30 wins.
Key nominations included Video of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. Madonna's "Confessions II (The Film)" received multiple technical nominations including Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Art Direction. Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" was also a strong contender in several technical categories, including Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and Best Visual Effects. Ariana Grande's "Hate That I Made You Love Me" was also nominated for Video of the Year and received nods in several technical fields such as Best Direction, Best Editing, and Best Visual Effects.