Shawn Mendes dominates MTV EMAs ceremony

Written by . Published: November 13 2017

Shawn Mendes was the big winner at the 2017 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) in London on Sunday (12Nov17), taking home three major prizes.


The Canadian musician followed up his success at last year's (16) ceremony, when he dethroned Justin Bieber as Best Male, with wins in the Best Song, Biggest Fans, and Best Artist categories.

The 19-year-old also thrilled those in attendance at The SSE Arena, Wembley by performing There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back, the track that won him the Best Song award.

Eminem opened the show with the first ever performance of his comeback track, Walk on Water, with the song's co-writer Skylar Grey filling in for Beyonce, who features on the newly-released single. The rapper later took home the Best Hip Hop prize.

Irish rockers U2 were named the winners of the Global Icon Award ahead of the bash, and celebrated by playing a huge free concert in London's Trafalgar Square on Saturday (11Nov17), on the eve of the prizegiving.

Shawn wasn't the only big winner at the event - Ed Sheeran took home Best Live act, Camila Cabello earned Best Pop, Coldplay scored the Best Rock prize, and David Guetta triumphed in the Best Electronic category.

Kendrick Lamar's HUMBLE claimed the Best Video accolade, Dua Lipa was named Best New act, and Jared Leto's band Thirty Seconds to Mars won in the Best Alternative category.

Meanwhile, Zayn was awarded the Best Look prize, and his old One Direction bandmate Louis Tomlinson was named the Best U.K. & Ireland act.

The ceremony was hosted by Rita Ora, who began the show dressed in a bathrobe-style dress and went through a whopping 150 outfits during the evening, as she introduced performers including Demi Lovato, The Killers, Liam Payne, Travis Scott, Camila Cabello, London rapper Stormzy.

Rita brought the evening to a close by introducing a video of the late George Michael performing his hit Freedom at the first ever MTV EMAs in 1994.

Despite going into the ceremony with six nominations, the most of any artist, Taylor Swift failed to win any major awards.

The main list of EMA winners is:

Best Video - Kendrick Lamar, HUMBLE

Best New - Dua Lipa

Best Artist - Shawn Mendes

Best Look - Zayn

Best Live - Ed Sheeran

Biggest Fans - Shawn Mendes

Best World Stage - The Chainsmokers

Best Hip Hop - Eminem

Best Pop - Camila Cabello

Best Song - Shawn Mendes, Nothing Holdin' Me Back

Best Electronic - David Guetta

Best Rock - Coldplay

Best Alternative - Thirty Seconds to Mars

Global Icon Award - U2

Best Push - Hailee Steinfeld

Power of Music Award - Artists for Grenfell