Lady Gaga made a dramatic exit out of the 2025 MTV VMAs just moments after winning one of the night's biggest honors.
As she took to the stage to accept the award for Artist Of The Year, the singer, 39, told the cheering crowd that she had to urgently leave before the ceremony was over.
Gaga, who earned the first Moon Person of the night, explained that she was on her way to her sold-out show at NYC's Madison Square Garden, which is located 20 miles away from UBS Arena in Elmont, New York where the VMAs were being held.
'I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden,' she said to the audience. 'Love you. Thank you.'
She dedicated the honor to her fiancé Michael Polansky before ending her heartfelt speech.
She is set to wrap up two nights at MSG by the end of Sunday evening as part of her acclaimed Mayhem Ball tour -- just days after vocal strain prompted her last-minute cancellation in Miami.
The night before the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, Gaga pre-recorded her performance for the show during her Saturday night concert at MSG.
MTV aired footage of her performing her hit song Abracadabra and her new single Dead Dance from Netflix's Wednesday during Sunday's ceremony.
She is currently touring in support of her album Mayhem and hitting up multiple cities across United States and Canada before crossing the pond to tour in United Kingdom and across Europe.
Her attendance at the VMAs marked her long-awaited return to the award show after a five-year absence.
She was up for the most awards of the night with 12 nominations including top honor Video Of The Year for her duet with Bruno Mars titled Dying With A Smile.
She and her collaborator also received nods for Best Pop, Best Collaboration and Song of the Year for their duet.
Her album Mayhem was up for Best Album and her Abracadabra music video was up for Best Direction, Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography.
Gaga explained that she was on her way to her sold-out show at NYC's Madison Square Garden, which is located 20 minutes away from where the VMAs were being held
'I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden,' she said to the audience. 'Love you. Thank you'
The night before the awards ceremony, she pre-recorded her VMAs performance during her Saturday night concert at MSG
The award ceremony aired her already-filmed footage of her performing Abracadabra and her new single Dead Dance from Netflix's Wednesday
For her pre-recorded performance, she wore two vintage doll-inspired ensembles similar to her look in the Tim Burton-directed video for The Dead Dance
MTV Video Music Awards 2025 winners: AT A GLANCE
- Video of the Year: Ariana Grande - Brighter Days Ahead
- Best Pop: Ariana Grande - Brighter Days Ahead
- Artist of the Year: Lady Gaga
- Best Collaboration: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars - Die With a Smile
- Ariana Grande earned top honor Video of the Year for Brighter Days Ahead
- Best Album: Sabrina Carpenter - Short N Sweet
- Best Pop Artist: Sabrina Carpenter
- Song of the Year: Rosé & Bruno Mars - Apt
- Best New Artist: Alex Warren
- MTV Push Performance of the Year: Katseye - Touch
- MTV Video Vanguard Award: Mariah Carey
- Latin Icon Award: Ricky Martin
- Rock The Bells Visionary Award: Busta Rhymes
In total, Gaga took home four MTV VMA Awards at Sunday night's show -- Artist Of The Year, Best Collaboration for Die With A Smile featuring Bruno Mars, Best Direction and Best Art Direction for her Abracadabra video.
Gaga already has 18 VMA wins under her belt.
This year also marks the third time that Gaga led MTV's list of VMA nominees.
She previously topped the list with 13 nods in 2010 and again in 2020 tying for first with nine total nominations.
The Bad Romance hitmaker is followed by her collaborator Bruno Mars who has 11 nominations and Kendrick Lamar has the third most nominations with ten.
Taylor Swift did not release a single or album in the last year so she is only up for one award in the Artist Of The Year category.
MTV Video Music Awards 2025 winners in full
Video of the Year, Presented by Burger King®
- Ariana Grande - Brighter Days Ahead - WINNER
- Billie Eilish - Birds of a Feather
- Kendrick Lamar - Not Like Us
- Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars - Die With a Smile
- Rosé & Bruno Mars - Apt.
- Sabrina Carpenter - Manchild
- The Weeknd & Playboi Carti - Timeless
Artist of the Year
- Bad Bunny
- Beyoncé
- Kendrick Lamar
- Lady Gaga - WINNER
- Morgan Wallen
- Taylor Swift
- The Weeknd
Song of the Year
- Alex Warren - Ordinary
- Billie Eilish - Birds of a Feather
- Doechii - Anxiety
- Ed Sheeran - Sapphire
- Gracie Abrams - I Love You, I'm Sorry
- Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars - Die With a Smile
- Lorde - What Was That
- Rosé & Bruno Mars - Apt. - WINNER
- Tate McRae - Sports Car
- The Weeknd & Playboi Carti - Timeless
Best New Artist
- Alex Warren - WINNER
- Ella Langley
- Gigi Perez
- Lola Young
- Sombr
- The Marías
Best Pop Artist
- Ariana Grande
- Charli XCX
- Justin Bieber
- Lorde
- Miley Cyrus
- Sabrina Carpenter -WINNER
- Tate McRae
MTV Push Performance of the Year, Presented by Bacardí® Rum
- Ayra Starr - Last Heartbreak Song
- Damiano David - Next Summer
- Dasha - Bye Bye Bye
- Gigi Perez - Sailor Song
- Jordan Adetunji - Kehlani
- Katseye - Touch - WINNER
- Lay Bankz - Graveyard
- Leon Thomas - Yes It Is
- Livingston - Shadow
- Mark Ambor - Belong Together
- Role Model - Sally, When the Wine Runs Out
- Shaboozey - A Bar Song (Tipsy)
Best Collaboration, Presented by Under Armour
- Bail ey Zimmerman & Luke Combs - Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video) < li>Kendrick Lamar & SZA - Luther< li>Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars - Die With a Smile - WINNER< li>Post Malone Featuring Blake Shelton - Pour Me a Drink< li>Rosé & Bruno Mars - Apt.< li>Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco - Sunset Blvd < li>Lady Gaga earned four including Best Collaboration with Bruno Mars < ul>< li>Ariana Grande earned top honor Video of the Year for Brighter Days Ahead < li>Sabrina Carpenter earned three including Best Album for Short n’ Sweet < p>In total, Gaga took home four MTV VMA Awards at Sunday night's show -- Artist Of The Year, Best Collaboration for Die With A Smile featuring Bruno Mars, Best Direction and Best Art Direction for her Abracadabra video.< p>Gaga already has 18 VMA wins under her belt.< p>This year also marks the third time that Gaga led MTV's list of VMA nominees.< p>She previously topped the list with 13 nods in 2010 and again in 2020 tying for first with nine total nominations.< p>The Bad Romance hitmaker is followed by her collaborator Bruno Mars who has 11 nominations and Kendrick Lamar has the third most nominations with ten.< p>Taylor Swift did not release a single or album in the last year so she is only up for one award in the Artist Of The Year category.< h3>MTV Video Music Awards 2025 winners in full< h4>Video of the Year, Presented by Burger King®< ul><
- Ariana Grande - Brighter Days Ahead - WINNER<
Billie Eilish - Birds of a Feather <Kendrick Lamar - Not Like Us <Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars - Die With a Smile <Rosé & Bruno Mars - Apt. <Sabrina Carpenter - Manchild <The Weeknd & Playboi Carti - Timeless <
- <
- <
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|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|<|
|Alex Warren - WINNER|
|Ella Langley|
|Gigi Perez|
|Lola Young|
|Sombr|
|The Marías|
|<
/ul>|<
h4>|<
Best Pop Artist|
|<
ul>|<
li>Ariana Grande
- |< li>Char
- X< li>CJustin
- Bieber
- Lorde
- Miley
- Cyrus
- Sabrina
- Carpenter
- Tate
- M<
/ul>|<
h4>|<
MTV Push Performance of the Year,
Presented by Bacardí® Rum| |< ul>|< li>Ayra Starr - Last Heartbreak Song - D...
/ul>|<
h4>|<
Best Collaboration,
Presented by Under Armour| |< ul>|< li>Bail... /ul>|< p>Ariana Grande earned top honor Video of the Year for Brighter Days Ahead.|< p>Sabrina Carpenter earned three including Best Album for Short n’ Sweet.|< p>In total, Gaga took home four MTV VMA Awards at Sunday night's show -- Artist Of The Year, Best Collaboration for Die With A Smile featuring Bruno Mars, Best Direction and Best Art Direction for her Abracadabra video.|< p>Gaga already has 18 VMA wins under her belt.|< p>This year also marks the third time that Gaga led MTV's list of VMA nominees.|< p>She previously topped the list with 13 nods in 2010 and again in 2020 tying for first with nine total nominations.|< p>The Bad Romance hitmaker is followed by her collaborator Bruno Mars who has 11 nominations and Kendrick Lamar has the third most nominations with ten.|< p>Taylor Swift did not release a single or album in the last year so she is only up for one award in the Artist Of The Year category.|< h3>MTV Video Music Awards 2025 winners in full|< h4>Video of the Year, Presented by Burger King®|< ul>|< li>Ariana Grande - Brighter Days Ahead - WINNER - Billie Eilish - Birds of a Feather
- Kendrick Lamar - Not Like Us
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti - Timeless|
Presented by Bacardí® Rum|< ul>|< li>Ayra Starr - Last Heartbreak Song
Presented by Under Armour|< ul>|< li>Bail... /ul>|< p>Ariana Grande earned top honor Video of the Year for Brighter Days Ahead.|< p>Sabrina Carpenter earned three including Best Album for Short n’ Sweet.|< p>In total, Gaga took home four MTV VMA Awards at Sunday night's show -- Artist Of The Year, Best Collaboration for Die With A Smile featuring Bruno Mars, Best Direction and Best Art Direction for her Abracadabra video.|< p>Gaga already has 18 VMA wins under her belt.|< p>This year also marks the third time that Gaga led MTV's list of VMA nominees.|< p>She previously topped the list with 13 nods in 2010 and again in 2020 tying for first with nine total nominations.|< p>The Bad Romance hitmaker is followed by her collaborator Bruno Mars who has 11 nominations and Kendrick Lamar has the third most nominations with ten.|< p>Taylor Swift did not release a single or album in the last year so she is only up for one award in the Artist Of The Year category.|< h3>MTV Video Music Awards 2025 winners in full|< h4>Video of the Year, Presented by Burger King®|< ul>|< li>Ariana Grande - Brighter Days Ahead - WINNER
Presented by Bacardí® Rum|< ul>|< li>Ayra Starr - Last Heartbreak Song
Presented by Under Armour|< ul>|< li>Bail... /ul>|< p>Ariana Grande earned top honor Video of the Year for Brighter Days Ahead.|< p>Sabrina Carpenter earned three including Best Album for Short n’ Sweet.|< p>In total, Gaga took home four MTV VMA Awards at Sunday night's show -- Artist Of The Year, Best Collaboration for Die With A Smile featuring Bruno Mars, Best Direction and Best Art Direction for her Abracadabra video.|< p>Gaga already has 18 VMA wins under her belt.|< p>This year also marks the third time that Gaga led MTV's list of VMA nominees.|< p>She previously topped the list with 13 nods in 2010 and again in 2020 tying for first with nine total nominations.|< p>The Bad Romance hitmaker is followed by her collaborator Bruno Mars who has 11 nominations and Kendrick Lamar has the third most nominations with ten.|< p>Taylor Swift did not release a single or album in the last year so she is only up for one award in the Artist Of The Year category.|...