Taylor Swift's MTV VMAs 2019 Performance Made the Equality Act the Real Star

The 2019 MTV VMAs got off to an energetic start with Taylor Swift opening the show. This is the first time Taylor has performed on live television since the release of her seventh studio album, Lover. As such, Taylor went all out during the opening performance of Monday night's big show.

For her grand opening number, Taylor brought her previously released "You Need to Calm Down" video to life. Joined by a cast of drag queens, some of which who performed with Miley Cyrus at the 2015 VMAs, Taylor was supported by a colorful backdrop that featured larger-than-life lyrics, including a written nod to the Equality Act. The singer has been a frequent and outspoken supporter of the legislation, which if passed, would protect LGBTQ+ people in the United States from discrimination.

Following the energetic opener, she chose to go with just a guitar, which was adorned with the word "Lover," to perform, you guessed it, "Lover." Throughout the performance, the camera panned through the crowd, catching a number of famous faces, including besties Gigi Hadid and Camila Cabello dancing along.

Taylor's opening performance has helped to set the stage for a potentially major night for her. This is the first awards show where Taylor's songs from Lover have been nominated and she is in a strong position to scoop them up. Heading into the VMAs, she has earned 10 nominations across categories including Video of the Year, Song of the Year, and Video for Good for the "ME!" and "You Need to Calm Down" lead singles. This is the second VMAs where she's earned 10 nominations in one night. The last time it happened, it was 2015 and she's earned 10 nods which were split between "Bad Blood" and "Blank Space" off of her album 1989.

Historically, the VMAs have been a bit touch-and-go for Taylor, with as many highs as there have been lows. The 2009 VMAs will forever be remembered for the time Kanye West hopped on the stage while Taylor was accepting the award for Best Female Music Video for "You Belong With Me" after she beat out Beyoncé. But with the lows come the highs, like when Taylor premiered the music video for "Look What You Made Me Do" from her album Reputation — a song which indirectly comments on that infamous Kanye moment from 2009 and the residual conflict she's allegedly had with him in the years since — the 2017 VMAs.

All things considered, tonight will be a big night for Taylor no matter what. She's already killed it with this opening performance. Fingers crossed she can keep the good times rolling by scooping up some Lover-related awards.

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue