Taylor Swift fangirled during the NSYNC reunion at the 2023 VMAs, as the iconic group presented the “Anti-Hero” singer with a moonperson for best pop.
“I’m not doing well pivoting from this [watching the NSYNC reunion] to this [ accepting an award],” Swift said while accepting the award. “Like, I had your dolls!”
Witnessing the reunion happening in full force without an announced performance or album, Swift asked the group if they had any bigger plans for an official reunion, saying “Are you doing something? What’s gonna happen now?”
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“There’s something they’re going to do — they’re going to do something and I need to know what it is!” the “Cruel Summer” singer continued. “You guys — you’re pop personified so to receive this from your golden pop hands really it’s too much.”
Swift also thanked NSYNC member Lance Bass for the friendship bracelet he handed her when she came on stage.
“I love making pop music — I love making pop music videos — I also loved making country. I love slinking around different genres,” Swift continued in her first acceptance speech of the night. “The only reason I’m allowed to do that is because you, the fans, gave me the opportunity to do that. It’s all just one big adventure and it’s so much fun to challenge myself to make music that’s different than what I made last and I just love you for it. But I really love making pop music so thank you so so so much.”
The “Midnights” singer first expressed her joy at the reunion when NSYNC took the stage at the start of the MTV-hosted awards ceremony, without announcing any impending performance, reunion tour or anything of the sort.
“A lot has changed over the last two decades, but one thing remains constant: a creative boundary pushing video leaves a lasting mark for decades,” Bass said during the awards. “Now we just wanted to say thank you MTV and especially all of you guys.”