VMAs 2026: Blackpink's Lisa wins Best Pop, beats Taylor Swift: 'All those late night dreams brought me here'
Blackpink star tops Taylor Swift as Sawadika signals a bold new solo era
Lisa opened the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with a win, taking home the first trophy of the night for Best Pop at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 27.
The Blackpink member was visibly emotional as she accepted the award from Oscar-nominated actress and singer Teyana Taylor, and she was in tears through much of her speech. "All those late night dreams brought me here today," she told the audience. Lisa claimed the category over a competitive field that included Ariana Grande ("Hate That I Made You Love Me"), Olivia Rodrigo ("Drop Dead") and Taylor Swift ("The Fate of Ophelia").
Later in the evening, Lisa gave the live debut of her new single, Sawadika. Drawing on the boxing theme of the song's music video, the performance paired high-energy choreography with a staging that blended a boxing ring with a nightclub atmosphere. At one point, she rode a moving platform across the stage before climbing on top of it.
Sawadika marks a return to Lisa's rap roots and showcases the sharp delivery she is known for. The track was produced by Thom Bridges, whose credits include Katseye and John Summit, alongside songwriting and production duo Ojivolta. It serves as the first preview of her upcoming EP, Press Play, due October 23 via LLOUD Co./RCA Records.
The single has already made an impact on the charts. Earlier this month, "Sawadika" debuted at No. 69 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Lisa's highest-charting solo single to date. It also reached No. 7 on Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart, giving her a fourth top 10 on that ranking.
MTV VMAs 2026
Snoop Dogg hosted the ceremony, which returned to the West Coast for the first time in nearly a decade. Madonna opened the show with her first VMAs performance in 23 years and entered the evening as the most-nominated artist, with Taylor Swift close behind.
Madonna won for "Confessions II – The Film" in the revived Best Dance category, which returned for the first time in seven years. Swift received the inaugural Artist Director Honors and premiered her Patient Zero video, while Nirvana was honoured with the Video Vanguard Award.
The night also featured tributes to Dolly Parton, performed by Kacey Musgraves, and George Michael, performed by Raye, Sombr and Teddy Swims.
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