Katy Perry is set to receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. The award, which is the MTV VMAs equivalent of a lifetime achievement award, was first awarded to The Beatles in 1984 and has subsequently been won by artists including David Byrne, Madonna and Jackson himself. The award was renamed in Jackson’s honor in 1991.
Perry, 39, has previously won five VMAs, including Video of the Year for 2011’s “Firework.” The star will also perform at this year’s event, which is scheduled to take place on September 11 at the UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York. In a statement, Paramount’s President of Music Bruce Gillmer said: “Katy is a musical powerhouse and true pop culture icon.
“With her game changing creative vision, she has become a global phenomenon and taken over the world’s biggest stages. Katy’s prowess will be on full display LIVE on the VMAs with a can’t-miss, career-encompassing performance celebrating her biggest moments and chart-topping hits.” Earlier this week, the show was moved back a day to avoid clashing with a presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
The VMAs will now air nine days ahead of the release of Perry’s new album, 143 . The rollout of the album has been beset with difficulties, with the singer under investigation in Spain over her video for “Lifetimes.” Some beach sequences in the video were filmed at the dunes of S’Espalmad.