Beyoncé has been nominated for Artist Of The Year in the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. This nomination arrives despite Beyoncé not releasing any visuals for her culture shifting album, “Renaissance.” Beyoncé released a teaser for the visuals back in 2023. The trailer featured various cuts from what looked to be a visual album but the actual work has yet to materialize. A date for the visuals has also not been revealed.
More Black Women Nominated
Other Black women received a handful of nominations in various categories in the 2023 VMAs.
In the video of the year category, recently controversial rapper Doja Cat was nominated for “Attention”, while Nicki Minaj scored a nomination for “Super Freaky Girl.” Sza also received a nomination for “Kill Bill”, her number one single off her 2022 album “SOS.” In the artist of the year category, Doja Cat and Nicki Minaj joins Beyoncé on the nominations list.
SZA becomes the only Black woman to be nominated in the Song of The Year category also for Kill Bill.
On the Best New Artist list, PinkPantheress, fast rising rapper Glorilla, and New York rap drill princess Ice Spice all received nominations. Meanwhile in the PUSH Performance of The Year category, rapper Flomilli, Ice Spice and UK girl group Flo scored nominations.
For Best R&B, Alicia Keys received a nomination for “Stay” featuring Lucky Daye, Chlöe Bailey for “How Does It Feel” featuring Chris Brown, SZA for “Shirt” and Nicki Minaj for her feature on Yung Bleu’s “Love In The Way”.
The VMAs also introduced a new category for Afrobeats, the fast rising global sound from West Africa. This inaugural category is populated with Black female artists as well. Nigeria’s Ayra Starr receives double nominations for her song “Rush” and her feature on Wizkid’s “2 Sugar”. Cameroonian-American singer Libianca received a nomination for her wildly popular hit, “People”.
Votings are now open and the 2023 VMAs will take place on September 13.