LOS ANGELES - Taylor Swift will be the first recipient of the MTV Video Music Awards artist-director honours at this year’s awards ceremony, a newly created award recognizing musicians whose work behind the camera has contributed to music video production and visual storytelling, CBS and MTV said on Monday. The television networks said the honour for the 14-time Grammy winner “celebrates a sustained and influential body of work from artists who have pushed creative boundaries and developed a clear directorial voice.” The MTV Video Music Awards, hosted by Snoop Dogg, will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday on CBS and MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the United States. The ceremony will be available internationally on Paramount+ and MTV the following day. The singer-songwriter, a seven-time VMA Best Director nominee and four-time winner, has earned recognition for videos and films including “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Opalite,” and “Anti-Hero.” Beyond her directing work, the “Bad Blood” singer has won four Grammy album of the year awards. Her latest release, “The Life of a Showgirl,” sold more copies than any other album in the modern era during its first week of release, according to Billboard, citing data from Luminate, a firm that tracks music sales. Reporting by Danielle Broadway; Editing by Cynthia Osterman
