Bruno Mars and Rosé’s chart-topping collaboration APT. took home the Song of the Year award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, marking a historic win.
Rosé, 28, accepted the award solo during the September 7 ceremony at UBS Arena in New York, becoming the first K-pop artist to ever win in the category.
While Mars, 39, was absent, Rosé made sure to acknowledge him, calling the Grammy winner an “incredible teacher.”
She also expressed gratitude to her fellow BLACKPINK members Jisoo, Jennie and Lisa, before delivering an emotional speech that struck a personal note.
“Someone asked me the other day what my fear in life was and I was quite shocked at my own response. I had no idea how deeply personal this journey has been for me,” she shared.
“I told them I feared that somewhere along the way of this journey of pursuing my dreams I might hit a wall and possibly disappoint my 16-year-old self who grew up always an oddball among society that wished someday she too could be herself and equally pursue her dreams just as well as anyone else I saw on television.”
Rosé dedicated the win to her younger self, adding, “This is a really big moment for 16-year-old me and anyone else who has dreamed of being accepted equally for their hard work.”
APT. was one of ten tracks up for the award, competing against songs like Billie Eilish’s Birds of a Feather, Ed Sheeran’s Sapphire, The Weeknd and Playboi Carti’s Timeless, and Lady Gaga and Mars’ Die With a Smile.
The collaboration also earned six other nominations, including Video of the Year, Best Pop and Best Collaboration.
Outside of the VMAs spotlight, Mars has continued to poke fun at the long-running internet joke about his rumored gambling debt during his Las Vegas residency.
Reports once claimed he owed $50 million, but MGM Resorts denied the speculation, praising their partnership with the 16-time Grammy winner.
Mars, however, has leaned into the rumour with humour.
After making a surprise cameo at BLACKPINK’s Rosé DEADLINE concert in Los Angeles, he shared a video on Instagram joking, “Almost out of debt BehhhhhBehhhhh!!! Preciate You ROSAAAAYYYYYY!!!!.”
The playful comment followed his earlier tongue-in-cheek plea to fans to keep streaming his music so he could be “out of debt in no time.”
