Taylor Swift officially broke her tie with Beyoncé and on Sunday became the most awarded artist at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The “Patient Zero” singer, who was up for nine awards, won the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors when she overtook Beyoncé.
Both artists claimed an astounding 30 VMA trophies each before Swift’s latest win, which brought her to 31.
She later brought her total to 32, when she took home Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia” at the end of the show. Swift dedicated her last award to the “ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton.”
The Artist Director Honors is, as described by MTV, “a new award recognizing groundbreaking music artists whose work behind the camera has expanded the possibilities of music video and advanced the art of visual storytelling.”
Actor Dakota Johnson introduced her longtime friend at Sunday’s show, calling her a “storyteller.”
“She is an architect of emotional landscapes filled with the most intimate and intricate detail,” Johnson said.
“She captures universal feelings with a style and endowment that is entirely and singularly her own,” the actor said, explaining that Swift “does it in her writing, her performing, and her work behind the camera as a director.”
“Taylor has spent the majority of her life on set, telling tales and building worlds,” Johnson shared.
“She isn’t just one of the most decorated artists in the history of the VMAs, she is the single most recognized video director in this show’s history. She is a visionary with a relentless strive for perfection in everything she does and still holds the artistry and the cardinal virtue to never lose sight of the ineffable magic spark at the center of it all.”