Taylor Swift winning new VMAs award sparks theory after producer confirms where the idea came from
Taylor Swift’s brand-new MTV VMA has raised a few eyebrows online after the executive producer behind the awards revealed that the idea for the new honour came from somewhere 'external'.
Swift became the first recipient of the inaugural Artist Director Honors at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday (27 September), during the ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
The show, which was hosted by Snoop Dogg, saw Swift break a new record as the most awarded artist in VMA history. She also picked up Video of the Year for 'The Fate of Ophelia' and Best Direction for 'Opalite'.
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But it was the origins of her new award that caught the internet’s attention.
Speaking to AP Entertainment ahead of the ceremony, VMAs executive producer Bruce Gillmer was asked about the creation of the Artist Director Honors.
"The Artist Director Honor really is an extension of the [Video] Vanguard [Award]," Gillmer told AP Entertainment. "And in many ways, even larger in stature because it was an idea that, quite frankly, the kernel of the idea came from external. I’ll leave it at that."
Gillmer explained that the VMAs team then worked on 'crafting and thinking about what this could be, the importance of it, [and] launching something as big or bigger than Vanguard'.
"Right away, you see Taylor," he added, pointing to Swift’s record as a seven-time Best Director nominee and four-time winner.
The new honour was announced by MTV as a recognition of artists whose work behind the camera has expanded the possibilities of music video and visual storytelling.
Swift was named its inaugural recipient before Sunday’s ceremony.
There’s no suggestion from Gillmer that Swift herself requested or funded the award, and he did not identify what he meant by 'external'.
Social media users have been quick to speculate about what 'external' could mean, with some jokingly suggesting the mysterious influence was Swift herself.
"'External', aka Taylor," penned one X user.
A second compared the situation to another high-profile award moment, writing: "The VMAs just did for Taylor what FIFA did for Trump. How egotistical can you be?!? Isn’t being a billionaire enough?"
Another suggested the new honour was created because Swift otherwise would not have had a major moment at the ceremony: "It's cause she wouldn’t have won anything otherwise lol so she couldn’t make an announcement or show her music video."
Others went even further with the speculation: "So she funded her own award?"
There is no evidence that Swift funded the award, and Gillmer’s comments do not say that she did. His only explanation was that the original 'kernel' of the idea came from 'external', before the VMAs team developed the concept.
The honour itself is designed to recognise the creative work artists do behind the camera, rather than the music videos themselves.
Swift has increasingly taken on directing duties throughout her career, including 'The Man', 'cardigan', 'willow', 'All Too Well: The Short Film', 'Anti-Hero', 'Bejeweled' and 'Fortnight'.
Tyla has reached out to the VMAs and Taylor Swift's representatives for comment.
Topics: Taylor Swift, Celebrity, Music, VMAs
Rhiannon Ingle