From Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry’s PDA moment to Sabrina Carpenter making out with a dancer dressed as an alien, the MTV Video Music Awards in New York on Wednesday night witnessed moments bristling with nostalgia and eccentricity. Here are five moments from the show that caught our fancy.

Sabrina Carpenter locks lips with an alien

Remember how Britney Spears encountered an alien in her 2000 music video of Oops!..I Did It Again? Taking inspiration from the song, Carpenter took the eccentricity a notch higher to create a risque moment onstage at her debut live performance at the VMAs as she locked lips with a performer who dressed up as an alien. She transitioned smoothly between her recent hits Please Please Please, Taste and Espresso. Dressed in a sparkling white bodysuit, Carpenter sat on a diamond-shaped seat and performed Please Please Please before energetically moving through her other record-breaking tracks.

Halsey performs her new single Ego in a garage setup

Halsey took fans on a nostalgic trip to the early 2000s with a pop-rock version of her latest single Ego in a garage setup onstage. The singer came out with an electric guitar and was joined by a band featuring Måneskin bassist Victoria De Angelis. Sporting a sleeveless collared shirt, a black tie and baggy denim shorts, Halsey perfectly matched the retro vibes of her set. Ego, which delves into Halsey’s struggles with mental health and her public perception, is also a track from her upcoming album The Great Impersonator.

Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom’s PDA moment

Orlando Bloom came onstage to present her longtime partner Katy Perry, who made a comeback to the music scene this year, and referred to their first meeting. “You fell in love with her as Katy Perry. I fell in love with her as Katheryn Hudson,” he told the audience to thunderous applause. Before accepting her VMA for Best Iconic Performance for Roar, Perry dazzled the audience with a medley of her hit songs like Teenage Dream, I Kissed a Girl and Firework. Both Bloom and Perry hugged each other and kissed onstage following the latter’s performance.

Taylor Swift’s shout-out to boyfriend Travis Kelce

Taylor Swift gave a shout out to her boyfriend Travis Kelce in her acceptance speech after receiving the Video of the Year award for Fortnight. She recalled how Kelce would cheer them on during the shoot of the video. “Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic,” she said as her face lit up, adding, “So, I want to thank him for adding that to our shoot, because I’ll always remember that.” The pop singer stole the spotlight with an impressive haul of seven trophies, taking her all-time total trophy wins at the annual event to 30.

Shawn Mendes makes a comeback to the VMA stage

Shawn Mendes last performed on the VMA stage in 2021 with Tainy and hasn’t released an album since 2020’s Wonder. He postponed his 2022 to focus on his mental health. On Wednesday, however, Mendes returned to the music scene and performed an acoustic version of a new song, Nobody Knows, from his upcoming album Shawn, which is expected to release in October. Netizens were quick to speculate that the song alluded to his ex-girlfriend Camila Cabello, who also performed at the VMAs.