2024 MTV EMAs, Mattel links adult site on 'Wicked' dolls

2024 MTV Europe Music Awards: Winners and Highlights

Last night, the highly-anticipated 2024 MTV European Music Awards took place at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, UK. It was a night of unforgettable performances, showcasing and recognizing talent from various acts worldwide. Here are some of its highlights:  

The event was hosted by singer-songwriter Rita Ora, who decided to pay an old friend, Liam Payne, a tribute. “I just want to take a moment to remember someone very, very dear to us. We lost him recently and he was a big part of the MTV world and my world.”

“Liam Payne was one of the kindest people that I knew. He had the biggest heart and was always the first person to offer help in any way that he could. He brought so much joy to every room he walked into and he left such a mark on the world,” she tearfully added.

Afterward, the winners of the different categories were announced. Taylor Swift dominated the night, walking in with seven nominations and winning four of them, taking home the awards for Best Video (“Fortnight), Best Live, Best US Act, and Best Artist.

A rising artist, however, came in close second in terms of the number of awards. South African singer Tyla bagged the trophies for Best Afrobeats, Best R&B, and Best African Act.

Several Asian artists have made significant waves in various categories. For example, the P-Pop girl group BINI has been taking the global music scene by storm, making history as the first Filipino act to win Best Asian Act at the MTV EMAs and bringing immense pride to the Philippines.

Another standout group, the Korean girl band LE SSERAFIM, claimed the Best Push award. The members–Sakura, Chaewon, Yunjin, Kazuha, and Eun-chae–captivated the MTV stage with electrifying performances of their new tracks, "Chasing Lightning" and "CRAZY."

Meanwhile, BTS Jimin, despite currently being on active military duty, had secured the spot for Best Kpop with his hit single “Who.” BLACKPINK LISA also won two awards: Best Collaboration for her iconic song, New Woman ft. Rosalia, and the Biggest Fans award.

Two acts were given special honors by MTV. Rapper Busta Rhymes was hailed as the Global Icon for his outstanding contribution to hip-hop music. “Thirty-four years of professionally recording, this is the first time I’m getting an award from MTV,” he remarked. “And it feels f*cking incredible, yo!”

On the other hand, the Pet Shop Boys–consisting of Neil Tennant and Chirs Lowe–received the first-ever Pop Pioneers Award for “their contribution to the world of pop music, including the groundbreaking sonic and visual spectacles they create for their fans.”

See the complete list of winners here.

Mattel links adult site on 'Wicked' dolls packaging, issues an apology

Mattel Inc. released a statement after mistakenly printing the link to a pornographic site on the packaging of their new Wicked dolls collection.

Instead of inputting “WickedMovie.com,” the toy manufacturer erroneously printed “Wicked.com.” Upon clicking, the link directs the user to a landing page that restricts access to “adults (18+) only” and a warning that the site “displays sexually-oriented, including explicit, material of a pornographic nature.”

“Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the US, which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page,” explained the company. “We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this.“

The toy manufacturer then advised the parents and guardians who availed of the dolls to either “discard the product packaging” or “obscure the link” therein. “The misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children,” they asserted.

The dolls are reportedly no longer available for sale at Target. They are also no longer listed on Amazon’s website.

The More You Know

• HBO has released a first look at LISA’s acting debut in Season 3 of The White Lotus. The pop icon will be working alongside big Hollywood names like Patrick Schwarzeneger, Jason Isaacs, Aimee Lou Weed, Parker Posey, and more. This much-awaited season is set to air in 2025.

• Oscar nominee Andra Day is poised to join the cast of Percy Jackson and the Olympians in its second season. The announcement came via an Instagram post with the caption, “The original wise girl has a message for you.” Day expressed her excitement, sharing that she’s “thrilled to be joining the amazing cast” as the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Athena.

• TWICE unveils upcoming collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion in their new single, “STRATEGY.” It will be released on December 6 at 2 PM KST.

• Chappell Roan has reportedly cut ties with her management team, State of the Art. While neither side has confirmed or denied the split, fans noticed a possible hint: State of the Art’s Instagram congratulatory post listed all of their Grammy-nominated artists, with no mention of the singer, despite her six nominations.

• HBO promptly denied rumors of hit show Euphoria’s cancellation: “[It] is going into production in 2025. Nothing has changed.”

— Bea Bertuldo

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