Taylor Swift had a historic night Sunday during the MTV Video Music Awards, surpassing Beyoncé as the most decorated solo artist in VMAs history. Swift, now with 32 Moon Person statues, showed her thanks during the ceremony by debuting the music video for her new single, “Patient Zero.”
The ceremony was broadcast on MTV and CBS from the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
The video, the latest that Swift wrote and directed herself, stars Dakota Johnson, Colin Farrell, Cara Delevingne and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. In a post following the video’s debut, Swift thanked her friends and collaborators.
“I want to thank Dakota and Colin for trusting me with their time, taste, and talent (Giggling with your friend because you’re twinning for an entire shoot was a new and truly delightful experience),” she wrote in an X post. “And Colin’s turn as a villain is even more impressive when you get to be around him. He’s an absolute light and as kind as they come. Cara, thank you for agreeing to play the lusty other woman. That’s what friends are for?”
The video begins with Johnson at a grave site. Swift approaches, beginning a story about being involved with a man “with the devil on his shoulder/under his halo.” The next scene introduces Farrell as the villain in this story. Swift offers her comfort to Johnson, who is revealed to be his latest victim.
“If you’re sick of him, I got you/I was patient zero,” Swift sings, as the video shows a steady decline in the health of Johnson’s character, Farrell’s character gaslighting his beloved and the contentious arc of his previous relationship with Swift. “Patient Zero” eventually reveals a headline about the death of an heiress, contextualizing Swift’s mysterious omnipresence in the couple’s lives. (Spoiler alert: She’s a ghost!)
In her post after the video’s airing, Swift also expressed gratitude for the work of three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (“Gravity”) and two frequent collaborators, production designer Ethan Tobman and editor Chancler Haynes.
“Patient Zero” is one of four bonus tracks off of Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore,” released Thursday.
The new video debuted after Johnson awarded her the MTV VMA Artist Director Honors. The songstress’ “The Fate of Ophelia” won video of the year and “Opalite” won for direction.
Madonna kicked off the festivities with Sabrina Carpenter on “Bring Your Love,” which won the night’s best collaboration award, one of several bestowed upon the 68-year-old grand dame of pop music, including artist of the year, dance, cinematography and choreography for “Confessions II — The Film,” as well as long form video and album from the ceremony’s “social categories.”
Other winners from the ceremony, which was hosted by Snoop Dogg, included: New artist, Sienna Spiro Pop, Lisa for “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” Song of the year, BTS for “Swim” Hip-hop, Cardi B feat. Kehlani for “Safe” R&B, Bruno Mars for “I Just Might” Alternative, Olivia Rodrigo for “The Cure” Latin, Bad Bunny for “Nuevayol” K-pop, BTS for “Swim” Country, Ella Langley for “Choosin’ Texas” Art direction, PinkPantheress for “Stateside + Zara Larsson” Editing, Sabrina Carpenter for “House Tour” Visual effects, Ariana Grande for “Hate That I Made You Love Me” Group (social category), BTS Song of summer (social category), Ariana Grande for “Hate That I Made You Love Me” Video vanguard, Nirvana
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