Taylor Swift made her hotly anticipated arrival at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night – but her new husband Travis Kelce was nowhere to be found.Despite riding solo, the 36-year-old Grammy winner, who is set to receive a special, first-ever honor, confidently hit the red carpet in a sexy two-toned gown.Swift’s dress consisted of a black sleeveless bodice with a mesh back to highlight her enviably trim waist and a sparkly silver skirt that hung off her hips.The Life Of Showgirl singer debuted shorter, wispier bangs, which she styled with sleek shoulder-length strands.As for accessories, Swift wore dangly earrings, her wedding band and her $550,000 engagement ring from Kelce, whom she wed in July after nearly three years of dating.While Swift was working her angles on the red carpet, her husband was spotted across the country with his NFL team the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami, Florida, where they played a football game against the Miami Dolphins earlier in the day. Taylor Swift made her hotly anticipated arrival at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night – but her new husband Travis Kelce was nowhere to be found Despite riding solo, the 36-year-old Grammy winner – who is set to receive a special, first-ever honor – confidently hit the red carpet in a sexy two-toned gownSwift’s appearance at this year’s VMAs comes just days after the release of The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore, a surprise deluxe version of her 2025 album.The new record includes four new songs from Swift, including a love anthem to Kelce titled Cleveland that critics dubbed a ‘dud’ despite the sentimental lyrics.The other three tracks – Pink Clouding, Babylon and Patient Zero – also failed to impress critics, as well as many of Swift’s diehard fans.Currently The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore has an abysmal score of 39 on Metacritic, which means it has received ‘generally unfavorable reviews.’ Swift had announced the deluxe album just days before its release, telling fans that she wrote the songs ‘out of pure gratitude’ for her Swifties’ exuberance for and celebration of’ The Life Of A Showgirl, which was released on Kelce’s birthday on October 3, 2025.’About a year ago, you guys did a truly unfathomable thing. Something that completely blew my mind… You gave The Life of a Showgirl the biggest first week for an album in history,’ she wrote of it success in a Tuesday Instagram post.’I took a trip to Sweden to celebrate with Max and Shellback, my two collaborators on this album. Really we just wanted to reflect and take in how grateful we were for the moment we were in, but there was a studio there and we did what we do when we feel anything at all: We wrote more songs.’I hope you love them, because they were born out of pure gratitude for your exuberance for and celebration of the album we made. The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore including four new songs is out on Friday and available to pre-order and save now,’ concluded Swift, who released the Encoure song Patient Zero as her latest single.The music video for the track is set to premiere during Sunday night’s VMAs before or after Swift accepts the inaugural Artist Director Honors. Swift’s dress consisted of a black sleeveless bodice with a mesh back to highlight her enviably trim waist and a sparkly silver skirt that hung off her hips The Life Of Showgirl singer debuted shorter, wispier bangs, which she styled with sleek shoulder-length strands She showed off her VMAs look from all angles during her red carpet stint As for accessories, Swift wore dangly earrings, her wedding band and her $550,000 engagement ring from Kelce, whom she wed in July after nearly three years of dating While Swift was working her angles on the red carpet, her husband was spotted across the country with his NFL team the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami, Florida, where they played a football game against the Miami Dolphins earlier in the dayWith the crowning, Swift will break her tie with Beyonce, 44, as the most decorated artists of the VMAs, as they each came into Sunday’s event with 30 gongs to their name.Inasmuch as Beyonce has no nominations this year, Swift will become the sole reigning record-holder.The MTV VMA Artist Director Honors celebrates a sustained and influential body of work from artists who have pushed creative boundaries and developed a clear directorial voice.Swift has utilized music videos as an extension of her songwriting as she has directed the visuals for her tracks: The Fate of Ophelia, Opalite, The Man, cardigan, willow, All Too Well: The Short Film, Anti-Hero, Bejeweled, Fortnight (feat. Post Malone), I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault), Karma (feat. Ice Spice) and Lavender Haze.Meanwhile, nominations were unveiled last month as it was Madonna who emerged as the artist with the most nods.Madonna, 68, is in competition for a staggering 11 prizes, narrowly beating out Swift, who has nods in nine categories.They will be vying against each other for the evening’s top honor, video of the year, with Swift up for The Fate of Ophelia and Madonna for Confessions II (The Film).Rounding out the category are the music videos for Hate That I Made You Love Me by Ariana Grande, Tears by Sabrina Carpenter, I Just Might by Bruno Mars and Storm by GENER8ION (starring Yung Lean). No doubt diehard Swifties will be watching the event with plenty of scrutiny as she released deluxe album The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore along with new single Patient Zero on Friday Madonna, 68, is in competition for a staggering 11 prizes, narrowly beating out Swift, who has nods in nine categories; seen in JuneMadonna famously performed at the first-ever VMAs in 1984, bursting from a gigantic wedding cake while dressed in a bridal gown for a rendition of Like a Virgin.She has emerged as a reliable engine of memorable moments at the extravaganza, where she ignited a fan frenzy in 2003 by kissing Britney Spears on the lips.Over the course of her more than four-decade career, Madonna has earned a total of 19 VMAs, meaning that in order to equal Swift and Beyonce’s current record she will have to triumph in every category in which she is nominated this year.Confessions II (The Film) is in the running to win best direction, best cinematography, best visual effects, best editing, best choreography, best art direction and dance video of the year.Trailing Madonna and Swift, Grande and Carpenter are tied for third place with seven nominations apiece, while Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson each have five.The artist of the year category is a face-off between Madonna, Swift, Grande, Carpenter, Mars and country music heartthrob Morgan Wallen.Madonna and Carpenter have landed a joint song of the year nomination for their duo Bring Your Love, the lead single of the former’s new album Confessions II.Their rivals are Ella Langley for Choosin’ Texas, BTS for Swim, Raye for Where Is My Husband, Olivia Dean for Man I Need and HUNTR/X for their Oscar-winning number Golden from the streaming sensation KPop Demon Hunters.Madonna’s Confessions II (The Film) is up for dance video of the year, against such competition as Aperture by Harry Styles, Runway by Lady Gaga and Doechii and New Religion by Bebe Rexha and Faithless.The other nominees in that category are Dance… by Slayyyter, Stateside by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson and Nobody’s Girl by Tate McRae.Madonna and Carpenter could also win best collaboration, for which they would have to beat out Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice for Chains & Whips as well as Shakira and Burna Boy for Dai Dai.Also in that category are Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye’s Hard Part, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson’s Stateside and French Montana and Max B’s Ever Since U Left Me.Best pop video has emerged as a contest between Hate That I Made You Love Me, The Fate of Ophelia and Nobody’s Girl, as well as Dream by the Blackpink breakout Lisa, SS26 by Charli XCX, Drop Dead by Olivia Rodrigo and House Tour by Carpenter. They will be vying against each other for the evening’s top honor, video of the year, with Swift up for The Fate of Ophelia (pictured) and Madonna for Confessions II – The Film Confessions II (The Film) is in the running to win best best direction, best cinematography, best visual effects, best editing, best choreography, best art direction and moreMadonna’s VMAs coup comes after she earned a burst of critical acclaim and fan adoration for her latest album Confessions II, which was released July 3 and serves as a sequel to her 2005 smash hit Confessions on a Dance Floor.During the promotions for Confessions II, Madonna went viral for describing John F Kennedy Jr as one of the best lovers she ever had.Madonna was asked to reveal her ‘best f***,’ and after insisting she would ‘only name dead people,’ whispered: ‘John Kennedy Jr.’The Queen of Pop indulged in a dalliance with ‘America’s Prince’ in the 1980s, to the purported dismay of his mother Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.Madonna paid her compliments to JFK Jr’s bedroom skills while appearing in a video for the gay hookup app Grindr, with which she had launched a Pride month partnership as an advertisement for Confessions II.Meanwhile, the fever-pitch publicity around Swift reached a zenith this summer with her Madison Square Garden wedding to NFL star Travis Kelce on July 3. MTV Video Music Awards 2026 NOMINEES VIDEO OF THE YEARAriana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love MeBruno Mars – I Just MightGener8ion (starring Yung Lean – StormMadonna – Confessions II (The Film)Sabrina Carpenter – TearsTaylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia ARTIST OF THE YEARAriana GrandeBruno MarsMadonnaMorgan WallenSabrina CarpenterTaylor Swift Madonna has the most nominations of the year with 11 SONG OF THE YEARBTS – SwimElla Langley – Choosin’ TexasHuntr/x – GoldenMadonna and Sabrina Carpenter – Bring Your LoveOlivia Dean – Man I NeedRaye – Where Is My Husband BEST NEW ARTISTBella KayCortisMagnus FerrellMalcolm ToddMyles SmithSienna SpiroStella LeftyBEST COLLABORATIONClipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice – Chains & WhipsFrench Montana and Max B – Ever Since U Left MeMadonna and Sabrina CarpenterPinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – StatesideShakira and Burna Boy – Dai DaiTeyana Taylor and Lucky Daye – Hard PartBEST POPAriana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love MeCharli XCX – SS26Lisa – DreamOlivia Rodrigo – Drop DeadSabrina Carpenter – House TourTate McRae – Nobody’s GirlTaylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia Taylor Swift is trailing just behind the Queen of Pop with nine nods to her name BEST HIP-HOPCardi B featuring Kehlani – SafeDon Toliver – E85Drake – Janice STFUMegan Thee Stallion – Lover GirlTravis Scott – DumboTyler, The Creator – Sugar on My Tongue BEST R&BBruno Mars – I Just MightChris Brown – It Depends/ObviousDave & Tems – RaindanceJustin Bieber – YukonKehlani – FoldedMariah The Scientist and Kali Uchis – Is It a Crime BEST ALTERNATIVEGeese – TaxesMGK and Fred Durst – Fix Ur FaceNoah Kahan – The Great DivideOlivia Rodrigo – The CureSombr – HomewreckerTame Impala – DraculaTwenty One Pilots – Drag Path BEST DANCEBebe Rexha and Faithless – New ReligionHarry Styles – ApertureLady Gaga and Doechii – RunwayMadonna – Confessions II (The Film)PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – StatesideSlayyyter – Dance…Tate McRae – Nobody’s Girl BEST LATINAnitta and Shakira – Choka ChokaBad Bunny – NUEVAYoLFuerza Regida – Tu SanchoKarol G – PapasitoRosalía – La PerlaRyan Castro, Kapo and Gangsta – La VillaShakira and Burna Boy – Dai Dai Ariana Grande has landed a total of seven nominations BEST K-POPBlackpink – JumpBTS – SwimCortis – RedredKatseye – Pinky UpLe Sserafim – SpaghettiLisa – Dream BEST COUNTRYElla Langley – Choosin’ TexasKacey Musgraves – Dry SpellLainey Wilson – Somewhere over LaredoLuke Combs – Back in the SaddleShaboozey – CowgirlStella Lefty – BostonTucker Wetmore – Brunette BEST DIRECTIONAriana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love meBruno Mars – I Just MightGener8ion – StormMadonna – Confessions II (The Film)Sabrina Carpenter – House TourTaylor Swift – Opalite Sabrina Carpenter is tied with Grande, having scored seven nodsBEST CINEMATOGRAPHYAriana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love MeA$AP Rocky – Punk RockyLisa – DreamMadonna – Confessions II (The Film)Shaboozey – CowgirlTaylor Swift – The Fate of OpheliaBEST EDITINGAriana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love MeBruno Mars – I Just MightLisa – DreamMadonna – Confessions II (The Film)Sabrina Carpenter – House TourTaylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia BEST CHOREOGRAPHYGener8ion – StormHarry Styles – Dance No MoreKatseye – Pinky UpMadonna – Confessions II (The Film)Tate McRae – Nobody’s GirlTaylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia BEST VISUAL EFFECTSAriana Grande – Hate That I Made You Love MeJisoo and Zayn – Eyes ClosedMadonna – Confessions II (The Film)PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – StatesideRaye – Click Clack SymphonyTaylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia BEST ART DIRECTIONCharli XCX – SS26Lady Gaga and Doechii – RunwayMadonna – Confessions II (The Film)PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson – StatesideSombr – My Body Isn’t ReadyTaylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia Swift has a chance this year to break her dead heat with Beyonce, with whom she is tied for most VMAs ever at 30