Gaga Fever Tops Bieber Mania

Lady Gaga fever gripped the voters harder than Justin Bieber mania as the flamboyant female performer dominated the MTV Europe Music Awards by collecting four prizes.

She won best song, best video, best female and biggest fanbase while Bieber had to settle for best male and best pop act. The ceremony was at Belfast’s Odyssey Arena Nov. 6.

Both Gaga and Bieber caused a media frenzy in the Northern Irish city, which reportedly spent £1 million on securing the bash in the hope of seeing a £10 million return.

It’s the smallest city to have hosted the annual prize-giving and many of the acts applauded the fact Belfast was given a chance to put its politically troubled past behind it.

For 10 years the city tried to host the MTV Awards but previously thought it didn’t have the infrastructure to cope with a show that requires 39 separate hotels to house personnel ranging from production crews to celebrity entourages.

“Very often Northern Ireland in the past has been in the news for other reasons and this is a really, really amazingly positive reason to be in the news,” said Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody, whose act later played a free show to 15,000 at Belfast City Hall.

About 1,000 Red Hot Chili Peppers fans were lucky enough to see the rockers deliver a more intimate performance at the city’s historic Ulster Hall.

“For many of us, the MTV awards are an indication that we really and truly have arrived,” said Belfast Lord Mayor Niall O Donnghaile, during the lead up to the ceremony.

Apart from being a huge plug for the once troubled city, the awards were remarkable for Gaga’s outlandish costumes.
When actor David Hasselhoff presented her with the best female trophy, he was puzzled how she’d reach beyond the oversized silver dress and satellite dish hat to accept the trophy.

“I was trying to find her hand but I ended up having to hold the award,” he said.

R&B singer Bruno Mars also won two awards, collecting best new male act and best push, while 30 Seconds To Mars took best alternative act and best world stage act.

Korean boy band Bigbang were the surprise winners of the night, beating several better-fancied rivals to land the “best worldwide” category.

Other winners included Queen (global icon), Eminem (best hip-hop), Katy Perry (best live) and Linkin Park (best rock).