Ariana Grande Snags MTV’s Top Prize—But What Secret Did She Just Hint At During Her Emotional VMAs Speech?
Added on September 8, 2025 inMusic News Cards
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Picture this: it’s a night thick with Virgo precision—plans scrutinized, eyeliner sharp enough to slice through a chartreuse aura—when Ariana Grande, pop’s own Persephone, breaks free from a four-year VMAs slumber to grab the Video of the Year moon man for “Brighter Days Ahead.” Maybe the stars really did have their hands in the envelope—Mercury was retrograde, after all, and who among us isn’t just replaying past relationships in elaborate prosthetics? If astrology (or Ariana’s real-life dad weeping for her in a music video) has taught me anything, it’s that transformation is inevitable, a little messy and, frankly, more than deserving of a standing ovation. Could it be that the universe wanted to remind us healing can be just as cinematic as a pop superstar covered in old-age makeup, dancing through the footprints of her trauma? If so, mission accomplished. Click for the full winners’ list, Loving shoutouts (hi, therapists and gay people!), and plenty of “brighter days ahead.” LEARN MORE.
Ariana Grande won the top prize of video of the year for “Brighter Days Ahead” at the 2025 Video Music Awards on Sunday night.
Grande took to the stage with the music video’s director, Christian Breslauer, to accept the award. “I want to start off again with my fans, thank you so so so much. I love you with all my heart. I have since I was a teenager, since we first crossed paths and I will for my whole life. Art has been a safe space for me since I was a kid,” she said. “I’m so grateful that I get to do this with my life and to have such fiercely loving and supportive fans. Thank you for growing with me and being so supportive of me as a human being, navigating in real time which creative itch needs to be scratched next, whether it’s acting, music, musical theater or a little bit of tour.”
The “We Can’t Be Friends” singer continued: “This project is about the hard work that is healing all different kinds of trauma and coming home to our young selves and creating safety in our own lives, which is a lifelong process and a daily exercise. If you’re on that journey, please continue onward, because I promise there are brighter days ahead.”
The 2025 VMAs also marked Grande’s first time back since 2020. She beat out fellow video of the year nominees Billie Eilish with “Birds of a Feather,” Kendrick Lamar with “Not Like Us,” Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars with “Die With a Smile,” Rosé and Bruno Mars with “Apt.,” Sabrina Carpenter with “Manchild,” and The Weeknd and Playboi Carti with “Timeless.”
The prize is known as the most coveted award at the VMAs. In the music video, Grande is covered in prosthetic makeup to play an elderly woman named Peaches who uses a procedure to erase a relationship from her mind and has to revisit four other major memories from her life. However, she experiences a memory from her father’s perspective of him grieving her death. Grande’s real dad, Edward Butera, stars in the video alongside her.
Earlier in the night, the Wicked star also won a moon man trophy for best pop artist, where she said, “Thank you to my therapists and gay people, I love you!,” in her speech.
Other notable wins of the night included Sabrina Carpenter for album of the year, Lady Gaga for artist of the year and Alex Warren for best new artist.
Next up for Grande, she will portray Glinda the good witch again in Wicked: For Good, which is set to release in theaters Nov. 21. As far as music, she is making her grand return to touring after seven years for the Eternal Sunshine tour beginning June 6, 2026.
LL Cool J hosted the 2025 VMAs, held at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. Find the complete winners list here and the red carpet looks here.
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