Lady Gaga accepting the Artist of the Year award onstage during the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 7, 2025 in Elmont, New York.
Getty Images for MTV
Lady Gaga gave her applause to some special people during her acceptance speech for Artist of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Gaga was briefly present at the MTV VMAs on Sunday, hosted by LL Cool J. At the start of the awards show, following Doja Cat and Kenny G’s performance of “Jealous Type,” fellow musician Lenny Kravitz presented Gaga with the first trophy of the night.
“Getting ready for this show, I thought how much it would mean to me to win this award tonight, and I cannot begin to tell you what this means to me,” Gaga said as she read a prepared speech onstage at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. “I thought about what it means to be rewarded for being an artist, being rewarded for something that is already so rewarding.”
“Being an artist is an attempt to connect the souls of people all over the world,” the “Abracadabra” singer continued. “Being an artist is a discipline, a craft meant for reaching into someone’s heart where it grows its roots, and reminding them to dream. Being an artist is a responsibility to make the audience smile, dance, cry, release at any turn. It is a method of building understanding and celebrating community.”
Lady Gaga posing backstage at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for MTV
Gaga won the fan-voted award over Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd. She was also the most-nominated artist at this year’s VMAs with 12 total nods. In her speech, she delivered some words of encouragement for her fans.
“I hope as you navigate through the mayhem of daily life, you are reminded of the importance of the art of your life, that you can count on yourself and your simple skills to keep you whole,” she said. “Your rehearsal, your discipline, your craft deserves to be rewarded for its passion. The way you move through your life is iconic and rare – it is entirely yours.”
“I dedicate this award to the audience,” Gaga added. “You, you very much deserve a stage to shine on, and I give you all my applause. Thank you, Little Monsters, my fans, for always supporting me and always supporting the monster in me.”
Before wrapping up her speech, Gaga gave a shout-out to her fiancé Michael Polansky, whom she’s been engaged 2024. Polansky is credited as an executive producer and writer on Gaga’s Mayhem album, released in March.
“For my partner in all things, Michael, creating this year with you was a beautiful, beautiful dream, and you have been my partner every step of the way,” she said. “I dedicate this to you, too, my love.”
“I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances, but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden,” Gaga concluded, referring to her concert tonight at the New York City arena as part of her Mayhem Ball tour.
Although Gaga didn’t stick around for the remainder of the VMAs, she also performed “Abracadabra” and her recently-released track “The Dead Dance” during a segment that was pre-taped at MSG. “The Dead Dance” is featured on the soundtrack for season two of Netflix’s hit series Wednesday, in which Gaga also plays a new character named Rosaline Rotwood.