Lady Gaga made a sudden exit from the MTV Video Music Awards after telling the crowd she had to leave urgently, footage from the ceremony showed.
Gaga was among the night's top winners, taking home Artist of the Year and multiple other awards, including Best Collaboration with Bruno Mars for "Die With a Smile." Video of the Year was awarded to Ariana Grande for "Brighter Days Ahead," while Rosé and Bruno Mars won Song of the Year for "Apt." and Sabrina Carpenter earned Best Album for "Short n’ Sweet."
The clip circulating online shows Gaga speaking briefly to the audience before leaving the stage area; she did not offer further explanation in the footage. Representatives for Gaga did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Other prominent winners included Alex Warren, who took Best New Artist, and Tate McRae, who won multiple awards including Best Editing and Song of the Summer for "Just Keep Watching (From F1® the Movie)." Coldplay won Best Rock for "All My Love," while Shakira was named Best Latin for "Soltera." The evening also honored industry veterans: Mariah Carey received the Video Vanguard Award, Ricky Martin was presented with the Latin Icon Award, and Busta Rhymes was given the Rock The Bells Visionary Award.
Organizers handed out awards across a wide range of categories recognizing visual, technical and performance achievements. Lady Gaga's cinematic entry in the "Abracadabra" nominations earned wins in categories including Best Direction and Best Art Direction for other nominees, and she was credited in multiple categories across the night. Sabrina Carpenter finished the evening with three wins, including Best Pop Artist and Best Album.
The VMAs continued to spotlight a mix of established stars and rising acts. Rosé and Bruno Mars also collected awards for craft categories tied to their Song of the Year win, and several viral and breakout performers were acknowledged in performance- and video-specific categories.
The sudden departure by Gaga was one of several notable moments at the broadcast, which combined award presentations with tributes and special honors. Producers and performers kept to the planned schedule as winners accepted awards and recipients of lifetime and career achievement recognitions addressed the audience.
MTV typically issues full winner lists and additional footage through its official channels; broadcasters and social media accounts for the awards show posted highlights and acceptance speeches throughout the night. The VMAs remain a high-profile annual showcase for music videos, performances and industry milestones, drawing attention to both mainstream chart-toppers and emerging artists.