The 2024 VMAs is no ordinary ceremony; it celebrates 40 years of honouring the boldest and most influential names in music. As with previous editions of the awards show, it stands out by way of emphasising outrageous and maximalist performances and red carpet looks. Think Britney Spears’ 2001 rumble in the jungle and Lady Gaga‘s raw meat gown at the 2010 iteration of the VMAs, as well as her bloody masquerade ball-themed “Paparazzi” performance the year before.
The 2024 VMAs is no different, with a diverse cornucopia of veterans and newcomers set to win a Moon Man. Rapper Megan Thee Stallion is both a host and headliner, and the performance lineup includes both VMAs returnees and newcomers such as Chappell Roan. Lisa makes her solo VMAs debut after appearing with the rest of Blackpink at the 2022 VMAs.
In true VMAs fashion, the Vogue Singapore team rounds up this year’s most striking looks to grace the black carpet.
1 / 9
Sabrina Carpenter
With tight, tousled curls and a deep pink Cupid’s bow, Sabrina’s look is a loving tribute to Madonna’s Old Hollywood-inspired era from the late ’80s and early ’90s. Don’t write it off as mere cosplay though, because she adds her personal touch by retaining her wispy parted fringe, voluminous long hair and in true Sabrina fashion, bright pink blush all over her cheeks.
2 / 9
Halle Bailey
This year’s VMAs plays host to a plethora of dark tones on the black carpet, and Halle Bailey’s is no exception. However, she makes them her own by adding interest with warm browns with burgundy undertones at the crease, and a rosy coral-pink blush on the highest point of her cheekbones for a sun-kissed look during the cooler months. Tying the look together is a darker brown lipliner buoying a brick-red lip.
3 / 9
Halsey
’90s alternative rocker is the name of the game for Halsey’s black carpet look this year. She keeps the rest of the make-up simple to highlight the most striking elements of her look: her glossy nude lip colour and her stick-straight cherry-red hair. The subtle layering at the bottom and the dark crimson roots are the icing on the cake for this modern interpretation.
4 / 9
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion is no stranger to dramatic winged cut-crease eyeshadow, but as a host and a headliner, she switches it up by opting for brown nudes either slightly darker or lighter than her skin tone. This dialed-down colour palette helps retain the edginess of the look while allowing her razor-sharp bob wig and statement burgundy lips do the talking.
5 / 9
Cyndi Lauper
You can always count on Cyndi Lauper to always deliver a statement cut and colour. Here, she goes the punk route by way of a spiked crop with haphazard layers and equally sharp tendrils framing her face. To top it off, she opts for a striking pastel cyan shade for extra new wave-style pizzazz.
6 / 9
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift doesn’t typically deviate much from her usual red lips and bare face, but when she does, she makes sure her look tells a story. This year, she trades her winged eyeliner for black smokey eyes that wouldn’t look out of place in her Reputation era. She keeps the rest of her face monochromatic but striking, by way of a coral matte lip.
7 / 9
Doechii
Simply because an outfit is a predominantly achromatic suit-and-tie combo doesn’t mean that the make-up has to strictly match, or that it must be plain. In fact, the small pop of frosty light blue on her inner corners of her eyes accentuates Doechii’s prep-meets-punk aesthetic without taking the attention away from her meticulously-done braids.
8 / 9
Chappell Roan
Equal parts Victorian-era porcelain doll and fairytale witch, Chappell Roan delivers a refined but still flamboyant eyeshadow look with complementary colours and plenty of gold shimmer. The ultra-thin eyebrows give the eyes extra expressiveness while putting them on the forefront, and the pale base, hollowed out cheekbones and matching ponytail and lip give it a gothic edge to a colourful look.
9 / 9
Lisa
In line with the Y2K aesthetic of her current era, Lisa opts for a simple but elegant take on the decade’s beauty staples, such as glossy pink lips with no glitter, soft pink blush around the centre of her cheeks and a shiny, forehead-obscuring fringe with a slight curl at the bottom. Simplifying the make-up allows her to place emphasis on her most striking beauty go-to: circle lenses closer to her natural eye colour.
