1D's VMA Debut Has Fans Swooning, Even Katy Perry
One Directionsold out an arena tour in minutes, shifted millions of copies of their debut album in less than a year, built one of the most profitable musical brands in the business and shut down the Justin Bieber's Belieber army in a digital arms race for the Rihanna, Katy Perry — who'd clearly fallen under their spell (and who could blame her?) — singing along to the chorus, eyes closed, nuzzling into pal RiRi's shoulder.
K-Pez even planted a smacker on the lads when presenting them with the Best Pop Video accolade - making Katy the envy of avid 1D fans across the world.
For a fivesome so massively popular that major airports can't handle their security detail (or the thousands of screaming Directioners who show up to the gate), the boys were laidback and unflappable as always, cheering, smiling and winking with the same casual confidence and absence of ego most people reserve for walking down a familiar street on a random Tuesday.
After working the crowd with five separate but equally perfect portions of kittenish quirk and adorable earnestness (and five superlative heads of hair, if we're being honest), One Direction finished their VMA performance the same way they started it — on an elevated stage that, once again, lifted them high above the star-struck crowd.
For five boys who've traveled and conquered the globe, it's fitting that Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson ended their VMA performance high above the crowd, since they're already on top of the world.
