‘Mortified’ producer issues statement after being spotted wearing earplugs during Katy Perry’s performance at VMAs

A well known producer has been accused of putting in earplugs during Katy Perry's iconic VMA's performance.

Perry, who received the highest honour at the awards ceremony - the Video Vanguard Award - performed a 10-minute medley of all of her best known hits.

Although the majority of us understood that it was a clearly iconic display - some fans have slammed a producer for putting in a pair of earplugs during the show.

Footage that panned to the crowd during Perry's performance showed Taylor Swift dancing along to the bops, joined by Margaret Qualley and producer Jack Antonoff.

Antonoff is then shown bending down to the floor and retrieving earplugs and placing them in his ears.

The producer, who has worked with Swift and Lana Del Rey, has since taken to X to poke fun at the allegations.

He wrote: "I would like to tell you directly from me that I did in fact use earplugs the other night. They were blue ‘hearos’ brand and I'm mortified to admit that I’ve been using them for a long time as well as buying them in bulk. I would also like to be honest and get ahead of that fact...

"That I do not only use them when in 100 plus DB environments. It is humiliating to admit that I use them on planes and every night while sleep. There is nothing left to do but apologize and thank those who have covered this story because although it’s an embarrassment to my...

"Family and I, I do believe that this was a very important and pressing issue that needed to be exposed. I’m sorry to those I let down and today I will not being going to work and instead thinking about my earplug use and everyone that has been affected by it.

"The band and I have decided to keep all dates as scheduled."

Fair enough.

After collecting the Video Vanguard Award, Perry thanked her fans and family.

She said: "Thank you so much to MTV for believing in my weirdness from day one. There are so many things that have to align to have a long and successful career as an artist. There are no decades-long accidents."

The singer then went on to shoutout her fans and her family.

Perry said: "My Katy Cats, you stood by me for a lifetime and the LGBTQ community who I recognise I would not be here without.

"You showed me that you can be both kind and snatched. Thank you to Orlando for keeping me grounded, celebrated and doing the dishes. And lastly, for my Daisy, the only flower I'll ever need."