Tate McRae delivered a highly charged performance at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, pairing provocative staging with choreography that drew loud cheers from the crowd and viewers at home. The 22-year-old singer also left the ceremony with the Song of the Summer trophy for "Just Keep Watching" and a Best Editing award for the same track.
McRae performed a medley of "Revolving Door" and "Sports Car," entering and moving across a set that included a large sandbox and pyrotechnics. She wore a white crop top and matching bottoms while a group of male backup dancers, dressed in minimal, shimmering attire, joined her for close-contact choreography. The performance concluded with McRae lowering to the stage floor as flames rose behind her and the audience responded with sustained applause.
The set and costuming prompted social-media reaction during and after the broadcast, with viewers comparing McRae’s stagecraft to pop-era precedents and praising the physicality of her choreography. McRae had also been among the night's nominees in multiple categories; alongside her Song of the Summer win, she was recognized with Best Editing for "Just Keep Watching." Her collaboration with Morgan Wallen, "What I Want," had also been nominated for Song of the Summer. She did not win in other categories where she was nominated, including Best Visual Effects, Song of the Year and Best Pop Artist.
The 2025 VMAs featured several notable winners. Lady Gaga was awarded Artist of the Year, upsetting Taylor Swift and other finalists, and used her acceptance speech to reflect on the role of art and to thank fans and her fiance. Ariana Grande took Video of the Year for "Brighter Days Ahead," Sabrina Carpenter won Best Album for "Short n’ Sweet," and Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars won Best Collaboration for "Die With a Smile." Rosé and Bruno Mars earned Song of the Year for "Apt."
Organizers presented awards across a wide range of categories spanning pop, hip-hop, rock, Latin and international genres, and the show combined staged performances with film clips and tributes. McRae’s evening combined commercial recognition with a performance that emphasized theatrical staging and mature choreography, reflecting the VMAs’ longstanding focus on spectacle.
McRae arrived on the red carpet earlier in a sheer dress and left the stage among the night’s most discussed moments, with coverage and commentary focusing on both her wins and the production choices of her live set. The show capped a night in which established stars and emerging artists shared the marquee, and those results and performances are expected to shape music-industry conversations in the weeks following the awards.