By winning the inaugural Artist Director Honors tonight, Taylor Swift is officially the most awarded artist in VMA history, surpassing Beyoncé, with whom she was previously tied.
“In her work, Swift has brought an increasingly expansive approach to storytelling, creating interconnected narratives, cinematic worlds and recurring details that invite audiences to immerse themselves more deeply in each project,” reads a press release for Swift’s major prize. “The inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors recognizes this body of work, while also highlighting the growing role artists play in how their music is brought to life on screen.”
Executive producer Bruce Gillmer told The Associated Press on Friday that the award was an “extension” of the Video Vanguard Award, which this year will go to Nirvana. This award is a lifetime achievement honor given to musicians and directors who have made a significant impact on the music video art form.
Gillmer added that “the core of the idea” for the new artistic director awards “came from outside.”
He said the VMA team put a lot of work into “developing and thinking about what this could be, how important it could be, (and) launching something as big or bigger than Vanguard.”
Swift, who has directed several of her own music videos, did not receive the Vanguard award.
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