Chappell Roan was among the winners at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York last night. Roan performed her hit song, “Good Luck, Babe!” and picked up the award for Best Newcomer.

As her increasing number of fans know, Roan is hardly a newcomer, having been releasing music for several years (“Pink Pony Club” first came out in 2020). However, the Missouri-raised singer’s slow-burn path to success has exploded over the past six months.

Accepting her award, Roan, 26, clutched her diary, in which she had written a speech of gratitude.

“Can you believe it, we’re at the VMAs,” Roan said to cheers from the audience.

“Thank you MTV and Island Records, and my team and family and friends. I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me,” she said to further cheers.

“And I dedicate this to queer and trans people that fuel pop. To the gay who dedicate my songs to someone they love or hate. And thank you to the people who are fans who listen to me. Who hear me when I share my joy and my fears. Thank you for listening to me. And for all the queer kids in the midwest watching right now, I see you, I understand you, because I’m one of you.

“And don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t be exactly who you want to be, bitch.”

Watch below.

You can watch Roan’s performance of “Good Luck, Babe!” below. She’s dressed in a medieval knight-inspired outfit and backed by male knights as backing dancers. It starts with her firing a flaming arrow and setting the gates behind her alight.

Roan also made headlines for her appearance on the red carpet. At one point, she snapped at a photographer. They appear to yell “F*ck off” at her, prompting her to shout back, “No, you f*ck off!”

Roan later said that appearing on the red carpet, where people shout things at her, can provoke her anxiety.

“I yelled back. You don’t get to yell at me like that.”

Taylor Swift

Besides Roan, other VMA performances came from LL Cool J, Eminem, Shawn Mendes, Katy Perry, Benson Boone, Anitta, Karol G, Camila Cabello and Halsey.

The night’s big winner was Taylor Swift, who picked up seven awards out of 12 nominations. She now holds the record for the most VMA awards (30 of the iconic moon men figurines), eclipsing previous record holder Beyoncé (who has 26).

Swift also becomes the first artist to win Video of the Year for a fifth time. This year she won it for ‘Fortnight’ with Post Malone.

Katy Perry won the “Most Iconic VMA Performance” award for her 2013 rendition of “Roar”. Her win divided the internet. Many Lady Gaga fans, in particular, expressed shock and upset that their heroine did not win for her 2009 performance of “Paparazzi” (which was among the other contenders).

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