Despite the success of her latest album, Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé missed this year’s VMAs in Elmont, New York. She received three nominations: Song of the Year for “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Best Trending Video, and Most Iconic Performance for “Love on Top.”

Even though Beyoncé didn’t attend, her album has been making waves globally. Notably, she has only released a lyric video for “Texas Hold ‘Em,” featuring bold red text against a stark backdrop. Despite this, she garnered significant recognition.

The VMAs saw competition from other nominees for Song of the Year, including Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Teddy Swims, Jack Harlow, and Sabrina Carpenter.

In a pre-VMAs interview with GQ, Beyoncé spoke about her career and public persona. She acknowledged the pressures of fame but emphasized that creating music for Cowboy Carter has been liberating, not burdensome. Beyoncé revealed that her absence from red carpets is a deliberate choice to focus on her art and personal growth, rather than perfectionism.