Lady Gaga's dramatic exit from 2025 MTV awards sparks buzz
Lady Gaga stunned fans at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) when she made a dramatic exit from the ceremony moments after winning one of the evening’s biggest honours.
The 39-year-old superstar took the stage at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, to accept the Artist of the Year award but surprised the audience by revealing she had to urgently leave.
Gaga explained she was heading back to Manhattan for her sold-out Madison Square Garden concert, part of her ongoing Mayhem Ball Tour.
“I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances, but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden,” she told the cheering crowd. “Love you. Thank you.”
Before leaving the stage, Gaga dedicated her award to her fiancé, businessman Michael Polansky, calling him her 'greatest support'.
She then exited quickly, leaving fans and fellow artists buzzing about her whirlwind appearance.
The moment capped off a busy weekend for Gaga. Just 24 hours earlier, she had pre-recorded her VMAs performance during her Madison Square Garden show.
MTV later aired the footage during Sunday’s broadcast, featuring her high-energy renditions of her hit single Abracadabra and Dead Dance, her latest release tied to Netflix’s Wednesday.
The award marked Gaga’s return to the VMAs after a five-year absence. She was the night’s most-nominated artist with 12 nods, including Video of the Year for her duet with Bruno Mars, Dying With A Smile.
The collaboration also scored nominations for Best Pop, Best Collaboration, and Song of the Year, while her album Mayhem competed in the Best Album category. Her Abracadabra video earned nominations for Best Direction, Best Art Direction, and Best Cinematography.
Gaga’s Mayhem Ball Tour has been making headlines as one of her most ambitious live productions. The tour, which faced a brief hiccup after vocal strain forced her to cancel a Miami date, continues across major U.S. and Canadian cities before expanding to the United Kingdom and Europe later this year.