Ariana Grande Wins Video of the Year at the 2025 MTV VMAs—and Gave a Heartfelt Speech

THE RUNDOWN

• Ariana Grande won Video of the Year and Best Pop Song at tonight’s MTV VMAs.
• In her acceptance speech for Video of the Year, she addressed her “fiercely loving and supportive” fans, and for Best Pop, she thanked her “therapists and gay people.”
• She also won Best Long Form Video.

Ariana Grande added more trophies to her MTV VMAs collection this evening: Video of the Year, Best Pop Song, and Best Long Form Video for “Brighter Days Ahead.”

Her Video of the Year award was presented by tonight’s host, LL Cool J, and for the occasion, she changed into a white Givenchy minidress with matching pumps. She also brought the video’s co-director, Christian Breslauer, up onstage with her. Before handing him the mic to give his speech, she used her time to reflect on her music and her fans’ support.

Read her full speech below:

Does this [mic] get taller every time? Is this intentional? Ladies and gentlemen, Christian Breslower. I’ll make this very quick because I took far too much time with the last one. I want to start again with my fans. Thank you so, so, so much. I love you with everything I have. I love you. I have since I was a teenager, since we first crossed paths, and I will for my whole life. Art has been a safe space for me since I was a kid. I’m so grateful that I get to do this with my life and to have such fiercely loving and supportive fans. Thank you for growing with me and being so supportive of me as a human being navigating in real time which creative itch needs to be scratched. Next!

And shortly before, she was presented the Best Pop Song award for the same video by Ciara. She took the stage in a black and white Steve O Smith gown and thanked a long list of collaborators.

Read her full speech below:

Thank you so much. Oh my god, this is so kind, thank you so much. I have to start by saying thank you so much to my fans. I’m gonna cry again. I have to say thank you first and foremost to my fans. I love you with every fiber of my being. Thank you, MTV. Thank you to my dad, who acted in this video for the first time in his life. He’s the best scene partner and dad in the world. I have to thank the best music video director and collaborator in the world, Christian Breslauer. Thank you so much for bringing these songs and this vision to life and articulating them visually in a way that was fanciful, yet specific and vulnerable, yet protective all at once. Oh my goodness, you guys, this is... You are the best in the world. I just wanna say, these videos that mean so much and define us as artists forever take a village, so I would really like to thank the village. Bear with me, it’s going to be a long time. [She thanks various collaborators, management, and her team] I love you so much. And thank you to my therapists and gay people. I love you.

Grande made her long-awaited return to the VMAs this evening, arriving with seven nominations, including a nod for Best Pop Artist. Her music video “Brighter Days Ahead” was also up for Best Pop Song, Best Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.

In July, Grande assured fans that while she has been focused on promoting Wicked, she hasn’t forsaken her music career. She shared a video of herself performing at the Met Gala, writing:

very silly of you all to assume that just because i have my hands full with many things that i plan to abandon singing & music … !!!it is and has always been my lifeline. there will need to be room made for all of it. 🧚🏼‍♂️it may not look exactly like it did before but i much prefer how it looks in my head. i am having fun. i feel grateful and excited and inspired. :) finding a balance, between many projects and endeavors i love, and doing it my own way… so i’m working on a plan to sing for you all next year. even if it’s just for a little.

i love you.