Taylor Swift Calls Reunited NSYNC ‘Pop Personified’ At VMAs

*NSYNC reunited at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards stage Tuesday (September 12) night to present Taylor Swift with the award for best pop video. The "Anti-Hero" singer, 33, revealed to the crowd and former boy band that she had been a longtime fan of the legendary boy band. Swift accepted the first award of the night in front of all the original members: Joey Fatone, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, and Chris Kirkpatrick. She was visibly flustered.

When the boy band was introduced on stage together by host Nicki Minaj, Swift's reaction was captured by cameras, showing her excitement for the long-awaited reunion. "Hello VMAs. Over 20 years ago, we were just kids when we won best pop video for 'Bye Bye Bye,'" Timberlake, 42, said to the roaring audience. "It was our first VMA, and it meant the world to us — that award validated our hard work." After awarding Swift, the band took part in an Eras Tour tradition -- gifting the musician beaded friendship bracelets.

Swift, who leads the VMAs this year with eight nominations, began her acceptance speech by saying that she was having a difficult time processing the reunion and the award at the same time. "I'm not doing well pivoting from this to this," she said, then fangirled to the group. "I had your dolls! Like, are you doing something? What's going to happen now... They're going to do something, and I need to know what it is. You're pop personified, so to receive this from your golden pop hands is really -- it's too much." Making sure to thank her fans, who have followed her over the years as she spanned across music genres, she concluded her speech by saying, "I really love making pop music, so thank you so, so much."

In March, Fatone teased the possibility of *NSYNC reuniting. He told People at the time, "It's amazing, the whole *NSYNC phenomenon when you think about it. After 25 years, people are still wanting it and listening to it when we haven't done anything as a group." He added, "I mean, I'm 46 years old. You got to look at New Kids — half of them are in their 50s, and they're still doing it. Which means there is hope for us old people. There's hope for old people that can do things like this. We can only pray. Doing this and listening to *NSYNC for 25 years is crazy."

The 2023 MTV VMAs took place at Newark, New Jersey's Prudential Center Tuesday (September 12) night. Nicki Minaj returns to "host" and perform, marking the second time the "Barbie World" rapper will take the stage. According to a source at MTV familiar with the awards show, no one can labeled as a "host" because of the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes. In addition to Minaj's emceeing duties, she'll also perform her newest single, "Last Time I Saw You" for the very first time.

Sean “Diddy” Combs will be honored with the Global Icon Award and perform his greatest hits. The artist will receive the third-ever Global Icon Award, which MTV says "celebrates an artist or band whose unparalleled career and continued influence have achieved a unique level of global success in music and beyond." Shakira will receive the Video Vanguard Award and will also perform at the awards show for the first time since 2006. Performances by Olivia Rodrigo, Demi Lovato, Doja Cat, Karol G, Kelsea Ballerini, Fall Out Boy, Måneskin and K-Pop boy band Stray Kids are among the artists set to take the stage.

Taylor Swift leads the nominations this year with eight nods altogether, followed by six for SZA. For the coveted Video of the Year, Swift's "Anti-Hero" will face off against SZA’s “Kill Bill,” Doja Cat’s “Attention,” Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl,” Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” and Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy.”

The 39th annual awards show begins at 8 p.m. ET, broadcast simultaneously on VH1, MTV2, Comedy Central, CMT, BET, BET Her, Paramount Network, and Nickelodeon. Those who use streams can tune in live on DirecTV and Paramount+ apps. The first MTV Video Music Awards show took place on September 14, 1984
and was hosted by Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Take a look below at the hottest looks of the VMA red carpet.