Shakira received this year’s Video Vanguard Award at the 2023 MTV VMAs, and she made sure to leave a lasting impression. During the awards show on September 12, she delivered a ten-minute medley of career-spanning hits.
The performance featured songs like “She Wolf,” “Te felicito/TQG,” “Objection (Tango),” “Ojos así/Whenever, Wherever,” “Hips Don’t Lie,” and “BZRP Music Sessions #53.” Shakira’s performance incorporated striking set pieces and even included a moment of crowd-surfing towards the end.
HUUUGE CONGRATS to a global legend, cultural icon, and our 2023 #VMA Vanguard recipient, @Shakira!! pic.twitter.com/JaWfPu94aM
— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 13, 2023
In addition to her performance, Shakira also took a moment to accept the Video Vanguard Award. In her two-minute speech, she expressed gratitude to those who helped bring her music videos to life, her label Sony Music, and her sons Milan and Sasha, whom she thanked “for making me happy and making me feel that mom can do anything.”
She concluded her speech by thanking her fans, acknowledging their role as her support system and source of inspiration. In Spanish, she said, “This is for you, my people… Thank you for inspiring me and for injecting me with so much strength and so much desire to keep going.”
.@SHAKIRA 👏 DID 👏 THAT 👏
— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 13, 2023
She lit the #VMAs stage on 🔥🔥🔥 with her Vanguard performance!! pic.twitter.com/RgaXbHkmId
Shakira’s outstanding performance and heartfelt acceptance speech left a significant mark on the 2023 MTV VMAs.