MTV‘s 2023 Europe Music Awards (EMAs), set to take place in Paris on November 5, are cancelled as the conflict in the Middle East continues.
That’s according to a statement posted to the show’s social media on Thursday (overnight in Australia).
“Given the volatility of world events, we have decided not to move forward with the 2023 MTV EMAs out of an abundance of caution for the thousands of employees, crew members, artists, fans, and partners who travel from all corners of the world to bring the show to life,” the network said in a statement.
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“The MTV EMAs are an annual celebration of global music,” the statement continued.
“As we watch the devastating events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, this does not feel like a moment for a global celebration. With thousands of lives already lost, it is a moment of mourning.”
Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, Måneskin, Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj are among the event’s most-nominated artists this year.
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There are also 26 first-time nominees, including Ice Spice, BTS’s Jung Kook, and Reneé Rapp.
Swift leads with seven nominations, with Rodrigo and SZA right behind her with six nods each. All three are nominated for best artist, best song and best video.
The fan-voted show was set to debut a brand new category honouring the best afrobeats, with Ayra Star and Burna Boy, among others, landing nominations in the new category.
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Jung Kook, Rapp, 30 Seconds to Mars, Ozuna and Sabrina Carpenter are a few of the artists announced on Tuesday that were slated to perform during the ceremony.
MTV noted that voting for the 2023 show will continue through the end of the month, and the “winning artists” will still receive their MTV EMA awards.