Lady Gaga Wears Massive Dress for Surprise 2025 MTV VMAs Appearance

Lady Gaga‘s appearance at the 2025 MTV VMAs performance may have been brief, but she still made it a fashion moment to remember.

On Sunday, Sept. 7, the singer, 39, stopped by the ceremony at the UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., to accept the coveted Artist of the Year Award before dashing off to Madison Square Garden for her Mayhem Ball concert.

Gaga opted for a massive black gown by Marc Jacobs from the designer’s fall 2025 collection. The look featured floral lace embroidery, voluminous sleeves and a mermaid silhouette. The 14-time Grammy winner also wore a red floral headpiece in her updo with baby bangs.

She sported a dramatic makeup look with bleached brows and bold red lipstick.

The star, who is up for 12 VMAs tonight, pre-taped her performances for the star-studded awards show during her Saturday, Sept. 6, show at New York’s Madison Square Garden. However, she surprised fans by showing up for the awards ceremony, even though it was taking place at the same night as her concert. (She told fans on her Instagram Stories that she’d hit the stage at 9:30 — later than her previous shows.)

The star accepted the Moon Person for Artist of the Year at the top of the show before heading back to MSG. She gave a passionate speech, describing her commitment to being an artist and dedicating her award to the audience.

“Being an artist is a discipline, a craft meant for reaching into someone’s heart, where it grows its roots, and reminding them to dream. Being an artist is a responsibility to make the audience smile, dance, cry, and release at any turn,” she said in part.

“It is a method of building understanding and celebrating community. I hope as you navigate through the mayhem of daily life, you are reminded of the importance of the art of your life, that you can count on yourself and your simple skills to keep you whole, your rehearsal, your discipline, your craft deserves to be rewarded for its passion. The way you move through your life is iconic and rare. It is entirely yours.”

Added Gaga: “I dedicate this award to the audience. You very much deserve a stage to shine one, and I give you all my applause. Thank you, little monsters, my fans, for always supporting me and always supporting the monster in me.”

“I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances, but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden.” Gaga concluded her speech.

Gaga is currently touring in support of her album Mayhem, which she released in March with stops in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago and several cities in Europe.

Mayhem is up for Best Album. Meanwhile, the “Abracadabra” music video is up for Best Direction, Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography. Gaga herself took home the award for Best Artist.

She and collaborator Bruno Mars are nominated together for Best Pop, Best Collaboration, Song of the Year and Video of the Year thanks to their duet “Die with a Smile.”

The 2025 MTV VMAs air live from New York’s UBS Arena on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and MTV. The ceremony will also stream on Paramount+.