Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Lorde to Perform at 2021 MTV Video Music Awards

Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X and Lorde have been tapped to perform at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, which will air live from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on September 12th.

The initial performance lineup is also set to feature Camila Cabello and Machine Gun Kelly. MTV shared a few details about some of the performances as well, noting that Rodrigo will perform “Good For U,” Cabello will perform “Don’t Go Yet,” Machine Gun Kelly will play his new single “Papercuts” and Lorde will reportedly offer a “world premiere performance” of a song from her next album Solar Power. (No details on what Lil Nas X has in store were revealed).

Additional performers for the 2021 VMAs will be announced soon.

Rodrigo, Lil Nas X and Machine Gun Kelly are all up for VMAs this year. Rodrigo and Lil Nas X are up for five awards each, with the former picking up looks for Artist of the Year and Song of the Year (for “Drivers License”), and the latter vying for Video of the Year and Video for Good (both for “Montero”). Machine Gun Kelly, meanwhile, is up for Best Alternative Video for “My Ex’s Best Friend.”


Other top nominees at this year’s VMAs include Justin Bieber, who led all artists with seven, and Megan Thee Stallion, who picked up six. Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Drake, BTS and Giveon also received five each, along with Rodrigo and Lil Nas X.