# Ed Sheeran wins best artist as MTV Europe Music Awards returns to live format Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-11-15 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Ed Sheeran wins big at MTV EMAs in Budapest amid LGBTQ+ Meta Description: Read about Ed Sheeran, BTS, Kim Petras, Lil Nas X, Måneskin, and more winners at the EMAs 2021 in Budapest. Stand up for LGBTQ+ rights and celebrate music! URL: https://financedigest.com/ed-sheeran-wins-best-artist-as-mtv-europe-music-awards-returns-to-live-formathtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2021-11-14t222426z1lynxmpehad0byrtroptp4awards-mtv-emas-1736837355112-compressed.jpg) BUDAPEST (Reuters) – English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran won best artist and best song for “Bad Habits”, while K-pop stars BTS snatched four awards at MTV’s Europe Music Awards, which returned as an in-person event after a virtual 2020 edition due to the pandemic. MTV said Sunday’s EMAs, hosted in Budapest, would go ahead to show solidarity with Hungary’s LGBTQ+ community following a June law banning the “display and promotion of homosexuality” among under-18s. It said the 2021 EMAs, held at the Papp Laszlo Budapest Sport arena, would be “a global celebration of music for all audiences around the world”. “I am so excited, I am very grateful to MTV. I think censorship of any kind of love sucks, and this is kind of a stand against that,” international pop star Kim Petras, the first transgender performer at the EMAs, said on the red carpet. Some gay couples arriving at the show were kissing on the [red carpet and others were dressed in rainbow-coloured clothes in a show of support for LGBTQ+ people](https://www.financedigest.com/the-man-who-evacuated-200-people-from-mariupol-in-a-battered-red-van.html "The man who evacuated 200 people from Mariupol in a battered red van"). Lil Nas X was awarded best video for “MONTERO (Call Me By Your [Name),” while Korean band BTS won the most awards](https://www.financedigest.com/praxity-named-association-of-year-at-iab-awards.html "Praxity named Association of Year at IAB Awards") with four including best pop, best K-pop, best group, and biggest fans. First-time EMA [winners Måneskin took home](https://www.financedigest.com/home-hunting-millennials-are-onto-a-winner-at-woodberry-down.html "Home Hunting Millennials Are Onto A Winner At Woodberry Down") best rock, while show host and performer Saweetie won best new. Nicki Minaj earned a [top award](https://www.financedigest.com/europes-top-innovators-celebrated-at-the-corporate-entrepreneur-awards.html "Europe’s top innovators celebrated at the Corporate Entrepreneur Awards ") for best hip-hop, Olivia Rodrigo was awarded best push, Maluma won best Latin, and YUNGBLUD snagged the award for best alternative. For the first time, the [“MTV EMA Generation Change Award”](https://www.financedigest.com/johnny-depp-makes-surprise-appearance-at-mtvs-video-music-awards.html "Johnny Depp makes surprise appearance at MTV’s Video Music Awards") winners were recognised during the EMAs main show, honouring five young people promoting equality while fighting against anti-LGBTQ+ policies. Viktoria Radvanyi, a Hungarian [board member](https://www.financedigest.com/bottlenecks-supply-problems-improving-at-abb-robotics-division-board-member.html "Bottlenecks, supply problems improving at ABB robotics division – board member") of Budapest Pride, accepted the award on behalf of the winners. ANXIETY Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who [faces a tough 2022 election](https://www.financedigest.com/estonias-pro-kyiv-government-faces-election-test-amid-cost-of-living-crisis.html "Estonia’s pro-Kyiv government faces election test amid cost of living crisis"), says the June law is aimed at protecting children. European [Union leaders say](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-will-not-cut-jobs-in-italy-unions-say-after-meeting.html "Amazon will not cut jobs in Italy, unions say after meeting") it discriminates against gay and transgender people and goes against EU values. The law has caused anxiety in the LGBT community under Orban’s government, which has stepped up its campaign against LGBT people ahead of [next year’s](https://www.financedigest.com/novartis-to-spin-off-generics-business-sandoz-next-year.html "Novartis to spin off generics business Sandoz next year") ballot. As Budapest prepared to host the EMAs, Orban was re-elected chairman of the ruling Fidesz party unopposed. The anti-LGBT line featured strongly on the agenda at his party congress, with several speakers [pledging to protect what they see as Hungary’s](https://www.financedigest.com/hungary-pledges-legal-changes-to-secure-eu-recovery-funding-govt.html "Hungary pledges legal changes to secure EU recovery funding – govt") traditional Christian values. Orban’s opposition challenger, Peter Marki-Zay, an energetic political outsider, has said he would scrap the anti-LGBTQ law if elected. He has said same-sex couples should be allowed to marry and deserve equal rights. The show derived inspiration from Budapest’s popular thermal spas and the Danube River, which runs through the capital, with stages that appeared to be floating. Grammy award-winning Sheeran [opened the night surrounded by neon graffiti to perform his latest](https://www.financedigest.com/tomorrows-finance-the-latest-innovations-in-open-banking.html "Tomorrow’s Finance: The Latest Innovations in Open Banking") single, “Overpass Graffiti.” Later he performed his chart-topping hit “Shivers. Imagine Dragons [returned to the EMAs for the debut of their new single “Enemy.” Bathed in laser lights](https://www.financedigest.com/prague-christmas-market-returns-after-covid-but-with-fewer-lights.html "Prague Christmas market returns after COVID but with fewer lights"), the best-selling band rocked the stage alongside Grammy-nominated rapper and artist J.I.D and a squad of dancers. Multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter and best [alternative award winner YUNGBLUD closed](https://www.financedigest.com/closing-the-funding-gap-how-alternative-lenders-the-secret-to-sme-survival-in-europe.html "Closing the funding gap: How alternative lenders the secret to SME survival in Europe") the night with a pyrotechnics-filled performance of his latest single “fleabag. (Reporting by Gergely Szakacs; Editing by Hugh Lawson) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---