Why Olivia Rodrigo Was Rushed Off Stage During MTV VMAs Performance
Olivia Rodrigo's 2023 MTV Video Music Awards performance seemed to get a little dicey, with the star escorted off stage. But it turns out, there was no reason to worry!
The singer went all out for her performance of her hit song "Vampire," re-creating what happens in the iconic music video, stage malfunctions and all.
In the original music video, Rodrigo sits on a patch of grass as moody fog rolls by, before the vision is interrupted by a stage light falling and hitting the star, revealing that it was all happening on a stage.
Rodrigo recovers, picks up the microphone and attempts to finish her performance, but people who look like security usher her off stage.
A stagehand directs Olivia Rodrigo off stage during her MTV #VMAs performance. https://t.co/mLNbmLXyoC pic.twitter.com/QBklzJTry0
— Variety (@Variety) September 13, 2023
At the VMAs, Rodrigo started by sitting down on a similar set as the beginning of the music video, but as soon as she started walking around, the stage started falling apart, with firework explosions and props falling over.
Eventually, a stagehand—or more likely, an actor—directed her backstage, serving as a transition to Rodrigo's performance of "Get Him Back!"
For people who hadn't seen the popular music video, it was all a little confusing and concerning, but fans assured everyone it was scripted.
One person joked in response to Variety's post in which the account appeared to think it was an unplanned situation, "Say you haven’t seen the video without saying you haven’t seen the video."
"y’all it was a recreation of the scene in her vampire music video it was supposed to happen," said another.
For her part, Rodrigo put on a great performance of two of her hit songs from her new album GUTS, which came out on Sept. 8.
The 20-year-old also released a new music video on the same day as the VMAs, on Sept. 12, for the second song featured in the performance, "Get Him Back!"
Next: Check Out the Best Looks From the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards