Beyoncé Skipped the 2025 MTV VMAs!

On the heels of her Cowboy Carter Tour, Beyoncé chose to skip the MTV VMAs and continue her break from the spotlight. The star has just one nomination, but it was in one of the awards show’s most prestigious categories: Artist of the Year. The category was announced early in the show, with Lady Gaga accepting the honor shortly before departing UBS to headline a show at Madison Square Garden.

Going into the night, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift were tied for the most VMA wins at 30 each. Both stars were nominated only in the Artist of the Year category for the 2025 ceremony.

On July 26, Beyoncé performed her final Cowboy Carter Tour show in Las Vegas, where Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland joined her for a Destiny’s Child reunion.

The star has yet to release the third act of the three-part musical project she began with Renaissance. Last September, she spoke to GQ about what inspired her to create a trilogy, honing in on her choice to make a country album for Cowboy Carter.

“I started Cowboy Carter almost five years ago,” she began. “Pay close attention to my age in the lyrics of ‘16 Carriages.’

“From the start of my career and on every album, I have always mixed genres. Whether it is R&B, Dance, Country, Rap, Zydeco, Blues, Opera, Gospel, they have all influenced me in some way. I have favorite artists from every genre you could think about. I believe genres are traps that box us in and separate us. I’ve experienced this for 25 years in the music industry. Black artists, and other artists of color, have been creating and mastering multiple genres, since forever.

“This is why it was so important for me to sample the composer Joseph Bologne, known as Chevalier de Saint-Georges, in the song ‘Daughter’ on Cowboy Carter. Violin Concerto in D Major, Opus 3, No. 1: II. Adagio was created in the 1700s. This is a testament to Chevalier’s vision. I hope it inspires artists, as well as fans, to dig deeper and learn more about the Black musical innovators who came before us. Some of the most talented artists never achieve the mainstream praise they deserve, especially when they defy the norm.”

Why Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco Skipped the 2025 MTV VMAs?

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco released their first joint album, I Said I Love You First, this past spring. But despite having nominations for it, Blanco and Gomez chose to skip the MTV VMAs tonight. Selena Gomez has been doing press for Only Murders in the Building, and TMZ reported this week that the couple will be getting married later this month, so they are in the midst of wedding prep, too.

It’s worth noting Blanco famously has a fear of flying, so he would’ve had to drive across the country to make it to the New York ceremony.

Blanco and Selena Gomez have two nominations this evening: Best Collaboration (“Sunset Blvd”) and Video for Good (“Younger and Hotter Than Me”).

Gomez recently spoke on Therapuss with Jake Shane about first meeting Blanco 17 years ago, noting she believes their romance began at the right time in summer 2023.

“We met when I was 16 because we were going to possibly work together, but I didn’t start releasing music ’til 17, 18…so we saw each other around. It was nice,” she said.

She characterized him as “just an acquaintance, if that makes sense. And to be honest, I wasn’t like besties [with him]. I just thought he was nice. Then we did a few songs together, [including] ‘Same Old Love,’ which was awesome. We had a great time. [There was] nothing really there. And then ‘I Can’t Get Enough,’ which was with Tiny and J Balvin. Didn’t get it there either. I just thought he was funny. I was just like, ‘This guy is so funny.’ But I didn’t think anything of it.”

She admitted she wasn’t ready for what their love story would become back then, either. “You know when you realize you’re not in that place anymore?” she asked. “You need to be where you are. It’s all about timing to meet that person. Because even if I did think, ‘Oh, let’s take this a step further,’ then it wouldn’t have worked. It just simply you have to be there mentally in order to move forward in something healthily.”

When they started working together on “Single Soon,” the timing was finally right, even if the track wasn’t their favorite collaboration.

“It was really fun,” Gomez said. “Just because I can say this because I’m marrying him, [it] just really wasn’t what I thought I wanted. So he came in—and he agrees on a lot of levels—but he just came in, and I was like, ‘Oh, Benny, hi, Benny.’

“And we spoke for two hours, and I asked him to hook me up with anybody that he knew that was cute. And he was like, ‘Oh, we do these things like dinner nights, you should come.’ And then next thing you know, we’re dating. But he was terrified in the beginning because he’s like, ‘It’s work and it’s company, and people are going to get mad. And I’m like, ‘I don’t give a shit, kiss me.’”

Why Billie Eilish Skipped the 2025 MTV VMAs?

Billie Eilish stayed out of the public spotlight this evening, skipping the MTV VMAs as she continues her break from her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour.

Billie Eilish has six nominations this evening. Her single “Birds of a Feather” is up for Video of the Year and Song of the Year. “Guess,” her collaboration with Charli XCX, also earned several nods in the Video for Good, Best Direction, Best Art Direction, and Best Editing categories.

In April, she spoke to British Vogue about her relationship with rejection and courage in the music industry. “I had no idea [when I was younger] that I was doing anything fearlessly,” she said. “When I would hear people comment that I was only 16 and not fitting in with the stereotype—that I was a rebel or whatever—I remember being really confused because I didn’t see it that way. I just felt like I was doing what I thought was cool. I was not intentionally trying to break any mould or rules or change music. I kind of just stayed true to what I liked and what I wanted.

“But, the older I get, there really have been many periods of doubt and fear and feeling so much pressure, and then when more people knew me, more people had something to say. It was hard to remember to trust myself or even believe in myself sometimes. It’s still a process. I think I’m doing pretty good. I’ve also always been very strong-willed and very much myself, so I do think that plays a part.”

Why Olivia Rodrigo Skipped the 2025 MTV VMAs?

Olivia Rodrigo doesn’t have any nominations at tonight’s MTV VMAs or new music to promote, so it’s no surprise that the singer opted to skip the ceremony.

Olivia Rodrigo just finished her Guts World Tour and has been hinting for months that her next music era is coming. In June, Rodrigo spoke to Daily Star UK about how she was approaching writing her third album.

“As I just grow as a person, and I learn more about music, and I have different perspectives, it’s impossible for that not to be reflected in your songwriting,” she said. “Hopefully by the time I put out my next album, it’ll feel more mature and like a different take on things. I think that’s what’s so fun about writing songs, is you get to keep pushing yourself and learning and growing and expanding.”

Still, Olivia Rodrigo has yet to announce a release date for the project.Rodrigo last attended the MTV VMAs in 2023, just days after she released Guts:

The singer recently interviewed her friend and fellow artist Conan Gray for Interview magazine. The pair talked about how they give each other bad advice about their music, though not deliberately.

“Maybe this is too much information to be giving, but we notoriously give each other bad advice sometimes about samples,” Rodrigo said. “On Superache, you played me ‘Memories,’ which turned out to be the biggest hit on the album. Everyone loved it. And I remember hearing it for the first time being like, ‘I just think you have better songs.’ And then similarly, when I played you Guts, I played you ‘Vampire,’ and I was like, ’Isn’t this good?’ And he’s like, ‘Not for a first single.’”

“We’re notoriously wrong about each other’s songs,” Rodrigo said. “We’re just too close to it and can’t see the forest [for] the trees.”

They also debunked speculation about their personalities based on their songwriting. Rodrigo said, “I mean, you and I both write a lot of sad music, but I think maybe one misconception about us is that we’re actually very optimistic people. And super happy. Never a day without giggling, laughing.”

Why Justin and Hailey Bieber Skipped the 2025 MTV VMAs?

Justin Bieber recently dropped his first two albums in years, Swag and Swag II, and has a MTV VMA nomination for Best Pop Artist. Still, the singer and his wife, Hailey Bieber, opted not to attend tonight’s VMAs ceremony in Elmont, New York. The couple was last seen in New York City on September 5, celebrating the release of Swag II:

Justin kicked off his new music era in July, when he surprise-dropped his first full-length album since 2021, Swag. He released Swag II weeks later, on September 5.

He also had another special milestone: the first birthday of his son, Jack, on August 22.

His wife, Hailey, spoke to Vogue earlier this year about how parenthood changed her life and their relationship. She called her baby boy “my priority. He is the most important thing to me. [Motherhood has] been my biggest teacher so far, the biggest teacher in my relationship. You see your partner so differently. I think you empathize with your parents a lot more. There’s so much perspective that comes with it.”

Justin had glowing things to say about his family of three, telling the outlet in an email, “I’m walking in the days I always dreamed of.”

Hailey and Justin got married on Sept. 13, 2018. They will celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary very soon.

Justin hasn’t given an interview about his new albums yet, but he used multiple tracks to shut down divorce rumors. In “Daisies,” one of his most popular new songs, he sang about how he handles his time apart from Hailey.

The first verse and chorus go: “You leave me on read, babe, but I still get the message / Instead of a line, it’s three dots, but I can connect them / And if it ain’t right, babe, you know I respect it / But if you need time, just take your time / Honey, I get it, I get it, I get it / Way you got me all in my head / Think I’d rather you in my bed / Whatever it is, you know I can take it / I’m countin’ the days, how many days ’til I can see you again?”

Miley Cyrus Skips 2025 MTV VMAs!

Four nominations weren’t enough to summon Miley Cyrus to this evening’s MTV VMAs in Elmont, New York. The star wasn’t spotted on the red carpet and likely skipped due to her nods being in more minor categories, with the exception of the highly competitive Best Pop Artist award.

Cyrus is up for Best Pop Artist, Best Long Form Video (“Something Beautiful”), Best Art Direction (“End of the World”), and Best Cinematography (“Easy Lover”).

In July, Cyrus spoke to ELLE about her latest album Something Beautiful and why she finds beauty even in life’s darkest moments. “You can miss something or someone deeply, while still looking forward to what is to come next,” she said. “Like destruction, death, disappointment—they all can be looked at as an ending, but I’ve always seen them as the beginning of something new.”

Miley Cyrus last attended the VMAs in 2020
Miley Cyrus last attended the VMAs in 2020

She added that she is happy with the reception to her visual album, which she released in May. “It’s been a dream to create something and watch it live independently out in the world,” she said. “[It has] taught me a new sense of trust that everything happens in the way that was divinely planned, to learn to let go and to enjoy the process as much as success.”

Generally in life, “everything I do is at a 10,” she said. “I’ve always been that way. I run on passion and inspiration, and so no matter what it is, big or small, my heart has to be on fire to even entertain whatever it is.”

Why Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott Skipped the 2025 MTV VMAs

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott amicably co-parent their two children, Stormi and Aire. While Jenner has been to some of Scott’s shows since their split, she opted to skip this evening’s MTV VMAs, where he is nominated. Scott didn’t attend either and has kept a low profile this weekend.

Scott is up for three awards, including Best Hip-Hop Song (“4X4”). He also has two nods in the Best Afrobeats Song category: “Active” with Asake and “TaTaTa” with Burna Boy.

Kylie Jenner and Scott have kept their relationship almost completely private since they broke up in 2022. Though in April, sources told TMZ that the couple has “a great co-parenting relationship.”

Then in August 2024, Kylie Jenner told British Vogue a little about how they’re raising their kids together. “If I’m away, for example, if I’m here, they’re with their father,” she said, noting Stormi and Aire split their time between her California home and Scott’s Texas home.

Jenner is now dating Timothée Chalamet, and they’re in a serious relationship two years in. On August 21, a source told Us Weekly that they have “one of the healthiest” relationships that Jenner has ever had: “[He gives her] a sense of calm and stability that she hasn’t always had in the past.”

“[Timothée] lets Kylie just be herself, and there is no pressure from either of them,” the source continued. “They have the same sense of humor and understanding of their two different lives. It just works. Their ability to keep things low-key, even with their high-profile careers, has made the connection feel even more genuine.”

Why Demi Lovato Missed the 2025 MTV VMAs?

Demi Lovato skipped the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards tonight. She had no nominations, and she wasn’t a performer or presenter either, giving her no reason to attend.

The singer recently took the stage again, surprising audiences on August 10 at the Jonas Brothers concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. She joined Kevin, Nick, and Joe Jonas for some special songs. Lovato was introduced with clips from the Camp Rock movies before Joe sang his character Shane Gray’s song “Gotta Find You.” He then warmly welcomed Lovato to the stage. Together, they sang a medley of songs from the films, including “This Is Me.”

After their performance, Joe claimed they haven’t performed that particular song in “almost 10 years.” Lovato replied, “It might have been longer…crazy!”

Lovato and Joe previously dated in 2010, but have maintained a friendly relationship since. Lovato married her husband, Jordan “Jutes” Lutes, in May 2025, and he was in the audience at the New Jersey show. The musician shared a clip on his Instagram Stories of Lovato being met with applause as she came onstage, writing over it, “Couldn’t be more proud … I love u sooo much baby.”

After the show, Joe and Lovato kept the nostalgia train going, sharing a lip-syncing video to “Wouldn’t Change a Thing” in an Instagram Reel.

And then another—this time, to Disney star Debby Ryan’s “Sat Down with the President of Disney Channel” speech.

Why Heidi Gardner leaves ‘SNL’ after 8 seasons?

After being a regular on “Saturday Night Live” for the past eight seasons, actress-comedian Heidi Gardner will not be seen on Season 51.

According to reports, Heidi’s contract has not been renewed. “It’s time for a new cast,” an insider told a media outlet.

The development comes amid a major rejig at the NBC sketch comedy series. Earlier this week, Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim and Devon Walker exited the show just ahead of Season 51.

The makers of the series have announced five new cast members — Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska.

Gardner, 42, was the longest-serving female cast member of the series before her shocking exit. Her viral moments over the years include her cracking during a Ryan Gosling “Beavis and Butt-Head” sketch and playing Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend, “Abby.”

Her popular recurring characters on the show included Angel (every boxer’s girlfriend) and Gen Z movie critic Bailey Gismert.

Apart from “SNL,” Gardner has featured in “Shrinking” with Jason Segel, and in basketball movie “Hustle” with Adam Sandler.

Shehnaaz Gill’s ‘Ikk Kudi’ delayed due to Punjab floods?

The release of Shehnaaz Gill’s Punjabi social drama “Ikk Kudi” has been delayed due to the ongoing floods in Punjab.

Originally scheduled to be released on September 19, the film will now release on October 31.

Extending their support to the people of Punjab, the makers took to Instagram to announce the delay in the film’s release.

“The entire team of Ikk Kudi has decided to postpone the release of the film to 31st October 2025. Due to the unexpected and severe flood situation across several regions of Punjab, we feel it is our responsibility to stand with our people during these challenging times (sic).”

The crew of “Ikk Kudi” also shared that they have collaborated with several NGOs to extend a helping hand to Punjab during these challenging times.

The film also stars Nirmal Rishi, Harby Sangha, and Udaybir Sandhu and has been directed by Amarjit Singh Saron. With this project, Shehnaaz Gill is also debuting as a producer under her home banner, Shehnaaz Gill Production.

Earlier, the release of Ammy Virk and Sonam Bajwa’s much-awaited sequel, “Nikka Zaildar 4”, was also postponed due to the Punjab floods.