Dove Cameron, Saucy Santana, and Yung Gravy weren’t shy about starting the party early at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, where they each took the mic to perform at the red carpet pre-show ahead of the big night. Each artist made the set their own, with Saucy Santana — TikTok’s viral “Material Girl” and MTV’s current Global PUSH Artist — bringing “Booty” to the stage (Chanel boots optional) to kick things off at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Next up, Yung Gravy and his sleek white suit hit the VMA pre-show stage to get the audience grooving to “Betty (Get Money),” which samples Rick Astley’s inescapable 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” and is the rapper’s first Billboard Hot 100 single.

Last but certainly not least, prepare yourself for Best New Artist nominee Dove Cameron’s show-stopping “Boyfriend” with a twist. “I wrote ‘Boyfriend’ not ever thinking that anybody would ever hear it,” she shared on the red carpet, adding that fans’ positive reaction to the single has been “mind-bending” for her. For this performance, she incorporated hints of “Breakfast,” then ended with a fiery call to action to vote.

The 2022 VMAs aired live on MTV from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Find the complete list of winners right here and keep up with all of the night's biggest VMA moments.