All the deets — Here’s who is in the spotlight at tonight’s MTV Video Music Awards

Tonight’s MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) feature half-South African Doja Cat with five nominations, and for the first time ever an Afrobeats awards category has been added, where Polokwane’s Musa Keys has earned a co-nomination with Nigerian singer-songwriter Davido for his feature on the hit track Unavailable.

Davido ft. Musa Keys are nominated together in the Best Afrobeats category and are competing against Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Fireboy DML & Asake, Libianca, Rema & Selena Gomez and Wizkid ft. Ayra Starr.

Doja Cat, who is in New York for New York Fashion Week, is nominated for Artist of the Year, Video of the Year for Attention, Best Collaboration for I Like You (A Happier Song) along with Post Malone, Best Direction for Attention and Best Art Direction for Attention.

Both Musa Keys and Doja Cat are scheduled to attend tonight’s ceremony.

The awards, which will be taking place live at the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey in the US, will be broadcast in South Africa on September 13 at 1am WAT on MTV (DStv Channel 130) and MTV Base (DStv Channel 322).

Monde Twala, senior vice-president and general manager for Paramount Africa and Lead for BET International said: “I am thrilled to see such a diverse and talented group of artists recognised in this year's VMAs nominations. These nominations reflect the incredible affect these musicians have had on the global music landscape over the past year. The 2023 VMAs promises to be a celebration of creativity, innovation and cultural influence”.

Taylor Swift leads the VMAs with eight nominations, followed by Sza with six, and Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Sam Smith, and Kim Petras with five.

Fans will have the opportunity to cast their votes across 15 gender-neutral categories, including Best Afrobeats, Video of the Year and Artist of the Year.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Beyoncé — Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records

Doja Cat — Kemosabe Records / RCA Records

KAROL G — Interscope Records

Nicki Minaj — Republic Records

Shakira — Sony Music US Latin

Taylor Swift — Republic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR

Miley Cyrus — Flowers — Columbia Records

Olivia Rodrigo — vampire — Geffen Records

Rema & Selena Gomez — Calm Down — Maven Global Holdings Ltd/Jonzing World Entertainment/SMG Music/Interscope Records

Sam Smith, Kim Petras — Unholy — Capitol Records

Steve Lacy — Bad Habit — L-M Records/RCA Records

SZA — Kill Bill — Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records Records

Taylor Swift — Anti-Hero — Republic Records.

BEST NEW ARTIST

Gorilla — CMG/Interscope Records

Ice Spice — 10K Projects/Capitol Records

Kaliii — Atlantic Records

Peso Pluma — Double P Records

PinkPantheress — 300 Entertainment

Reneé Rapp — Interscope Records

BEST HIP-HOP

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami — Gotta Move On — Motown Records

DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby — STAYING ALIVE — We The Best/ pic Records

Gorilla & Cardi B — Tomorrow 2 — CMG/Interscope Records

Lil Uzi Vert — Just Wanna Rock — Atlantic Records/Generation Now

Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX — Kant Nobody — Young Money Records

Metro Boomin ft Future — Superhero (Heroes and Villains) — Boominati/Republic Records

Nicki Minaj — Super Freaky Gir” — Republic Records

For complete list click here.