She’s back! Taylor Swift is set to perform at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, the network announced on Wednesday, August 7.
The August 26 performance at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, will mark the first time that the pop star, 29, has taken the VMA stage since 2015. At that ceremony, she performed “Bad Blood” as part of a medley with Nicki Minaj, who wowed the audience with “Trini Dem Girls” and “The Night Is Still Young.”
It will also be Swift’s first major televised performance on the heels of the August 23 release of her highly anticipated seventh studio album, Lover. She has released three songs from the record so far: “Me!” featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco on April 26, “You Need to Calm Down” on June 14 and “The Archer” on July 23.
This year, the former country singer is tied with Ariana Grande for the most VMA nominations. They each have a whopping 10 nods, including Video of the Year and Song of the Year for Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” and Grande’s “Thank U, Next.”
Swift is also up for Best Collaboration (“Me!”), Best Pop Video (“You Need to Calm Down”), Video for Good (“You Need to Calm Down”), Best Direction (“You Need to Calm Down”), Best Visual Effects (“Me!”), Best Editing (“You Need to Calm Down”), Best Art Direction (“You Need to Calm Down”) and Best Cinematography (“Me!”).
The 10-time Grammy winner already has seven VMAs to her name, including one Video of the Year trophy for “Bad Blood.” “You Need to Calm Down” is now her second most-nominated song at the MTV awards show, topping “Bad Blood,” which had eight in 2015.
2019 is already shaping up to be Swift’s banner year. In addition to the upcoming release of Lover, she is starring in the movie adaptation of Cats, which hits theaters on December 20.
Hosted by Sebastian Maniscalco, the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards air on MTV Monday, August 26, at 8 p.m. ET.
