In terms of both performances and onstage drama, the Video Music Awards tend to offer up a very mixed bag.
Part of the problem is that the show is always so heavily-hyped that it"s virtually impossible to live up to fan expectations every year.
Add to that the fact that MTV"s signature award show has served as the backdrop for some of the most memorable pop cultural moments of the past several decades, and it"s not hard to see why the ceremony so often disappoints.
The 2017 VMAs were loaded with the potential to go down in history, what with the tension surrounding rivalries between Taylor Swift and … well, everyone.
But despite some memorable moments (Kendrick Lamar"s performance was one for the ages.) the proceedings felt oddly lifeless.
And for many fans, the surprisingly blasé tone of the night was perfectly encapsulated by Lorde"s seemingly apathetic performance of "Homemade Dynamite", a track from her sophomore studio album.
The Kiwi songstress didn"t sing the song, or even lip sync along with it, opting instead for an interpretive dance routing that left many fans confused (and maybe even concerned).
Of course, the 20-year-old had good reason for keeping quiet and deserves all the credit in the world for getting on stage, having revealed before the show that she was suffering from such a bad case of the flu that she needed an IV.
It"s a very good explanation for a very admirable (albeit odd) performance, but don"t go using that excuse in your own life.
"Sorry, boss, I"m a little under the weather. Gonna have to interpretive dance my way through this presentation."
There are many things Lorde can pull off, that the rest of us simply cannot.
Check out her much talked-about performance below:
