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Milan — Pop singer Justin Bieber dominated the MTV EMAs with five European music awards on Sunday night, including for best male performer, best collaboration and best look.
"It's been a long couple of years. I just feel it's awesome to be recognized for my music," Bieber, who was up for six awards, told the crowd.
Clad in a boyish red ensemble, Bieber performed his single What Do You Mean? for screaming fans inside the Mediolanum Center in Italy's fashion capital of Milan.
As he picked up his award for best collaboration, Bieber said "it's been a pretty good night." By the time he took the fifth award, for best look, he just said "Wow."
"I don't know what to say, I got these looks from my mamma," Bieber added.
He also won the worldwide act: North America category.
The rest of the categories:
Host Ed Sheeran had a busy night, keeping the show going with co-host Ruby Rose, performing with Rudimental on their hit Lay It On Me, and taking home two awards himself, for best live act and best world stage.
Taylor Swift, who led all artists with nine nominations, took just one prize, best song, for Bad Blood, featuring Kendrick Lamar. Rihanna won best female performer while Nicki Minaj took best hip hop. One Direction won for best pop group, preventing Bieber from sweeping all the awards for which he was nominated.
None of those acts were on hand to accept, and only Minaj sent along a "thank you" video.
Best video went to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, who opened the show with their award-winning song Downtown, with Eric Nally flying against a full moon backdrop. They thanked fans for supporting their music without the backing of a big label.
Pharrell Williams closed out the ceremony, singing a rousing rendition of his anthem Freedom with dancers in brightly coloured swing skirts.
As the broadcast wrapped up, cameras cut to the Piazza Duomo in Milan's center, where fans unfurled a huge "Freedom" banner to raise awareness about Europe's refugee crisis.
New Wave rockers Duran Duran were honoured with the first-ever MTV video visionary award honouring music video pioneers.
"Music lovers around the world, when we started, there was us and MTV, and we blazed a trail and we were there for each other," Simon Le Bon told the crowd.
Global categories:
Conceived as an alternative to the MTV Video Music Awards aimed at international fans, North American stars nonetheless have often dominated the European edition, whose venue changes each year.
Andrea Bocelli made his MTV EMA debut, lulling the Italian crowd into a sing-along of his hit Con te partiro before singing a duet with best newcomer nominee Tori Kelly.
"It's been such an honour just to be around him and just see how he works and it's really cool to see his wife and kids," Kelly said on the red carpet.
ALSO CHECK OUT: MTV EMAs 2015 in 36 pictures
Here is the full list of winners:
Best Song: Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar, Bad Blood
Best Video: Macklemore & Ryan Lewi, Downtown
Best Female: Rihanna
Best Male: Justin Bieber
Best New Act: Shawn Mendes
Best Pop: One Direction
Best Electronic: Martin Garrix
Best Rock: Coldplay
Best Alternative: Lana Del Rey
Best Hip Hop: Nicki Minaj
Best Live Act: Ed Sheeran
Best World Stage: Ed Sheeran V Festival, Hylands Park, UK 2014
Best Push: Shawn Mendes
Biggest Fans: Justin Bieber
Best Look: Justin Bieber
Best Collaboration: Justin Bieber, Skrillex & Diplo, "Where Are Ü Now"
Video Visionary Award: Duran Duran
Best U.S. Act: Taylor Swift
Best Canadian Act: Justin Bieber
Best UK & Ireland Act: Little Mix
Best North America Act: Taylor Swift
Check out some of the best tweets from the 2015 MTV EMA's here:
(Photos: AP Photos)
