Taylor, Billie, Halsey and BTS top EMAs with two wins each

Females Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Halsey and the sensational South Korean boy band BTS topped the 2019 MTV European Music Awards with two wins each. By a strange stroke of bad luck, Ariana Grande, who was this year’s top nominee with seven nods, got nothing. It actually felt almost unbelievable. Is this a sign of things to come for her thank you, next album in the upcoming other music awards? On the other hand though, upsets such as these just make things very exciting in the awards season.

The EMAs, the international counterpart of the MTV Video Music Awards of the U.S. of A. was held last Nov. 3 at the FIBES Conference and Exhibition Centre in Seville, Spain. It was hosted by Becky G who also performed her new single Como No with Akon. The evening featured massive star power with its multi-racial line-up of performers. Dua Lipa, Niall Horan, Halsey, Ava Max and Latin breakthrough star Rosalia were some of them. The American rock band Green Day joined the show from its mini concert at Seville’s Plaza de Espana. 

Biggest surprise of the evening though was the arrival of Spanish futbol star Cristiano Ronaldo who brought his lovely girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez along. Now although a big pop star, Ronaldo is one who does not sing.  He was there to show his support for the return of the EMAs to Spain. But he sure drew the biggest and the loudest screams walking the red carpet. 

He only got one trophy but he was certainly the biggest winner of the evening. That was Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher who was given the very first MTV Rock Icon Award. There is no Oasis reunion lurking in the near future but Liam gratefully thanked the EMAs for “recognizing my brilliance,” and gave forth with a rendition of his latest solo single, Once and a rousing performance of the Oasis classic Wonderwall, complete with an orchestra that turned into a sing-along number with the audience. 

Here now are the winners in the general categories of the 2019 MTV European Music Awards:

•Best Song: Billie Eilish, bad guy

•Best Video: Taylor Swift ft. Brandon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, ME!.

•Best Artist: Shawn Mendes.

•Best New Artist: Billie Eilish.

•Best Collaboration:  Rosalia and J Balvin ft. El Guincho, Con altura.

•Best Pop:  Halsey.

•Best Hip-Hop: Nicki Minaj.

•Best Rock:  Green Day.

•Best Alternative: FKA Twigs.

•Best Electronic: Martin Garrix.

•Best Live: BTS.

•Best Push: Ava Max.

•Best World Stage:  Muse (Bilbao), Spain.

•Best Look: Halsey.

•Biggest Fans: BTS.

Unfortunately, the Philippines’ bet Moira dela Torre lost out in the Best Southeast Asian Act category this year. The prize went to Jasmin Sokko, the 23-year-old singer, producer and songwriter of the electronic hits 1057, Hurt and Tired from Singapore.  This is Singapore’s first win at the EMAs while Vietnam and the Philippines remain the leaders in the region with two trophies each from the past years.

And now here are the winners in the regional categories:

•Best Australian Act:  Ruel.

•Best Greater China Act: Zhou Shen (China).

•Best Indian Act: Emiway Bantai.

•Best Japanese Act:  King Gnu.

•Best Korean Act:  Ateez.

•Best US Act: Taylor Swift.

•Best Canadian Act:  Johnny Orlando.

•Best UK & Ireland Act: Little Mix.

By the way, the EMAs also gave out the first Generation Change Award during the live red carpet pre-show held at the FIBES. The award aims to empower fearless, original activists and youth leaders who are changing the world through their music, storytelling and innovation. It comes with a monetary donation from MTV International to the organizations of the honorees. This is aside from the commitment to air stories about their transformational work across the MTV brand’s social and digital platforms in nearly 180 countries.  

The very young 2019 MTV EMA Generation Change recipients are rap activist Alfredo (Danger) Martinez, 33, of Mexico; Legally Black UK Co-creator Shiden Tekle, 20, of the United Kingdom; student filmmaker Lisa Ranran Hu, 20 of China; nonprofit founder Kelvin Doe, 22, of Sierra Leone; and activist Jamie Margolin, 17, of the United States.