Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free
No Beyonce. No Rihanna. No Lady Gaga.
The red carpet at the MTV VMAs would have been one of the most boring spectacles of recent awards show history were it not for one unlikely couple.
Katy Perry dragged “Bono with cornrows” rapper Riff Raff to pay entirely random homage to Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake circa 2001 in a quadruple denim his-and-hers corseted dress and suit combination.
The pair’s arrival quickly trended on Twitter, as viewers fell over themselves to comment on the pop star’s shock sartorial decision.
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in picturesShow all 35 1 /35MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Miley Cyrus Singer Miley Cyrus attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Jessie J Jessie J arrives at the MTV VMAs ahead of her opening performance with Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Taylor Swift Singer Taylor Swift attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Kim Kardashian TV personality Kim Kardashian attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Nicki Minaj Recording artist Nicki Minaj attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Angel Haze and Ireland Baldwin Angel Haze and Ireland Baldwin attend the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Charli XCX Singer Charli XCX goes wild at the MTV VMAs 2014
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Jennifer Lopez Singer Jennifer Lopez attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Rita Ora Rita Ora attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Kesha Singer Kesha arrives with rainbow hair for the MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum in California
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Iggy Azalea Recording artist Iggy Azalea attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Amber Rose Model Amber Rose takes the chain and not much else approach
Getty Imagse
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Julianne Hough Actress/dancer Julianne Hough attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Jeremy Scott Fashion designer Jeremy Scott turns some heads in lairy yellow on the VMAs red carpet
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures 5 Seconds of Summer Ashton Irwin, Calum Hood, Luke Hemmings, and Michael Clifford of 5 Seconds of Summer on the MTV VMAs red carpet
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Ariana Grande Ariana Grande opts for the leather look on the MTV VMAs red carpet
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Lucy Hale Actress Lucy Hale attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Nick Jonas Nick Jonas looks dapper on the red carpet ahead of this year's MTV VMAs
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Alexandra Shipp Actress Alexandra Shipp attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Gwen Stefani Gwen Stefani attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Jillian Rose Reed Actress Jillian Rose Reed looks colourful on the VMAs red carpet
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Brandi Cyrus Actress Brandi Cyrus attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Becky G Recording artist Becky G attends the MTV VMAs
Getty Images
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Jourdan Dunn Model Jourdan Dunn attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Laverne Cox Actress Laverne Cox attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Arden Cho Actress Arden Cho attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Ed Sheeran Singer Ed Sheeran attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Award
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Keltie Knight Keltie Knight arrives on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Jordin Sparks Recording artist Jordin Sparks attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Camille Guaty Actress Camille Guaty attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Michelle Williams Recording artist Michelle Williams attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Kelly Rowland Recording artist Kelly Rowland attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Demi Lovato Singer Demi Lovato attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Kylie Jenner TV personality Kylie Jenner attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
MTV VMAs 2014 red carpet in pictures Chris Brown Recording artist Chris Brown attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Getty
Not that it stopped her from achieving awards success – Perry beat Beyonce, Lorde and Iggy Azalea to win the Best Female Video award for her controversial “Dark Horse” .
The music video caused much controversy when it was initially released in February.
An online petition signed by more than 50,000 Muslims demanded it was pulled from YouTube because of an offending scene, which shows an Islamic necklace burned by lightning shot from Perry’s fingers.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies