\n<\/p>\n
\n\tIt\u2019s the year of Mayhem<\/em>, and it\u2019s only fitting that Lady Gaga<\/a> made an appearance<\/a> at this year\u2019s MTV Video Music Awards<\/a>. Performing live from her show at Madison Square Garden (though she had stopped by the VMA\u2019s UBS Arena<\/a> in Queens earlier to accept the Artist of the Year award), Gaga joined the broadcast for a performance of \u201cAbracadabra\u201d and \u201cThe Dead Dance.<\/a>\u201c<\/p>\n \n\tHer MSG stage was designed to resemble a gothic ballroom, filled floor to ceiling with dancers, with Gaga positioned near the top of what we can only describe as a human birdcage of a gown. From there, she performed \u201cAbracadabra,\u201d and when she descended to the bottom, she had seemingly managed a full costume and makeup change for a rendition of \u201cDead Dance.\u201d The track is featured both on the soundtrack for the second season of Netflix hit Wednesday, on which she is a guest star<\/a>, and the reissue of her latest album, Mayhem.<\/em><\/p>\n \n\tGaga earned the most nominations this year with a total of 12 to her name. Gaga is up for Artist of the Year, while \u201cDie With a Smile<\/a>,\u201d her duet with Bruno Mars, is up for Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop, and Best Collaboration. Mayhem <\/em>is also up for Best Album. The video for \u201cAbracadabra\u201d is up for all six professional categories as well.<\/p>\n \n\tWhile accepting the Artist of the Year award earlier in the night, Gaga spoke about the importance of artistry. \u201cBeing an artist is an attempt to connect the souls of people all over the world. Being an artist is a discipline, a craft meant for reaching into someone\u2019s heart, where it grows its roots and reminding them to dream,\u201d she says. \u201cBeing 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. 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, your rehearsal, your discipline, your craft, deserves to be rewarded for its passion.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tA VMAs veteran, Gaga has won 18 awards since first being nominated in 2009, when she won Best New Artist. She won the coveted Video of the Year trophy in 2010 for \u201cBad Romance<\/a>\u201d and received the Tricon Award and Artist of the Year award during her last appearance in 2020. Gaga\u2019s last performance at the VMAs came in 2020 when she did a medley of Chromatica <\/em>songs<\/a> and was joined by Ariana Grande for \u201cRain on Me.\u201d<\/p>\n