Kane Brown Reps Country Music at 2021 MTV VMAs With One Nomination
Kane Brown could be taking home an MTV Moon Person this fall. The country star is a nominee at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, the television network announced on Wednesday (Aug. 11).
Brown's 2021 MTV VMA nomination comes in the Video for Good category, for his "Worldwide Beautiful" music video, per Billboard. The song, released during the summer of 2020, is a timely call for racial justice and mutual respect, and its music video doubles down on those themes, and features the singer's baby daughter, Kingsley Rose Brown. Some of the proceeds from sales and streams of the song have been donated to the Boys and Girls Club of America.
Brown is the lone country artist nominated in the VMAs' Video for Good category, and at the awards show as a whole. His competition in the category includes videos from Billie Eilish, Demi Lovato, H.E.R., Lil Nas X and Pharrell Williams with Jay Z.
This nomination is Brown's first ever at the MTV Video Music Awards. Country artists rarely receive nominations at the show, though in 2019, country-turned-pop superstar Taylor Swift won the Video for Good award with her "You Need to Calm Down" music video.
Swift has four nominations at the 2021 MTV VMAs, while "Old Town Road" singer Lil Nas X has five. Justin Bieber earned the most nominations this year (seven), while Megan Thee Stallion has six.
The MTV Video Music Awards are a fan-voted show. The awards show is set for Sept. 12, at 8PM ET, at Brooklyn, N.Y.'s Barclays Center, and will be simulcast on CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1 and the CW.
Currently, fans will be allowed to attend the 2021 MTV VMAs, making it one of the first awards shows to include a large audience since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020, per MTV. As of Aug. 16, those looking to dine out, work out at a gym or attend a live event in New York City will be required to show proof that they have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
"The health and safety of artists, fans, staff and partners remain the number one priority," reads a statement from MTV, "and MTV and Barclays Center are working closely with state and local officials to implement best practices in order to safely bring together music fans from around the globe."
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