LISA Breaks Down in Tears After Making MTV VMA History as the First K-Pop Soloist to Win Best Pop
BLACKPINK's LISA became the first K-pop solo artist to win Best Pop with her song “Dream,” featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi. Overwhelmed by the achievement, she thanked her collaborators and her fans, the Lilies, for their love and support during an emotional acceptance speech. Read on for more details!
BLACKPINK's LISA made music history at the 2026 MTV VMAs. Not only did she manage to combine an emotional award and acceptance speech with a stunning visual performance, but she also celebrated her identity and achievement as a growing solo artist, showing off how much she has developed since first appearing on the show as part of BLACKPINK in 2022.
What Did LISA Win?
LISA took home the Best Pop award for “Dream,” featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi, adding another major achievement to her solo career portfolio. On top of this award, LISA was also nominated under four solo categories at the 2026 MTV VMAs, making the Best Pop win an important moment for LISA as a solo artist.
Why Was LISA So Emotional?
It was clear that LISA became emotional while accepting the Best Pop award for “Dream,” taking a moment to thank the people who supported her journey. Fans have also been speculating online about her reaction, wondering if it perhaps meant a moment of reflection for LISA, or just how meaningful the award and achievement really were.
For any star winning the Best Pop award, it is a massive moment in their career, and an award that only a handful of talented artists are lucky enough to be presented with.
Her Performance
LISA also performed at this year's show, and LISA performed her new track “SaWaDiKa” for the first time live at the VMAs. LISA was seen showing off her signature high-energy choreography with Thai-inspired elements, paying tribute to her heritage.
LISA also added in other Thai elements to her performance by showing off striking visuals, martial-arts-inspired movements, and a tuk-tuk. Could you get more Thai than this?
LISA: 2022 vs 2026
LISA has, of course, appeared on the VMAs before, back in 2022, when she appeared with fellow BLACKPINK members. This year, however, she appeared as a solo artist being recognized for “LALISA.”
It is really impressive to see the transformation since 2022, and how far LISA has come as an artist. She has gained a lot of confidence, being able to take centre stage and perform by herself, bagging yet another VMA win.
Fan Reactions
Fans worldwide quickly filled social media with clips and reactions to LISA's performance, mostly praising her high energy, choreography and visual performances. Most fans were thrilled to see her tie in elements from her Thai heritage, and so, this concept also became a major talking point online amongst fans.
Some eagle-eyed fans, however, felt like the camera work at this year's VMAs did not really fully capture LISA's performance, due to the upbeat and fast-paced style. However, the majority of her fans still think that this was her strongest performance to date as a solo artist.
Final Thoughts
For the Dojeon Media team, seeing LISA at the 2026 MTV VMAs allowed us to see into the brand-new chapter of LISA's career, compared to her rookie appearance in 2022. For LISA and her fans, this year's VMA appearance was more than just a performance; it was about branding and her own identity on one of the world's biggest music stages, while being awarded an emotional acceptance speech.
We look forward to what the rest of this year has to bring for LISA! What did you think about LISAs VMA performance? Comment below!
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