The 2016 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) were poised to be another major moment for Kanye West, who was scheduled to debut a new music video. However, the world was left stunned when the star of the show wasn’t West, but singer, dancer, and actress Teyana Taylor, whose breathtaking, hyper-athletic performance instantly cemented the music video as a cultural phenomenon. Kanye West dropped a video, but the world was stunned when Teyana Taylor stole the show at the VMAs with her breathtakingly hot choreography.
The Debut and the Dynamo
On August 28, 2016, following one of his famously lengthy speeches, Kanye West premiered the visual for his 2016 single, “Fade,” from his album The Life of Pablo. The song took a definitive backseat to the visual spectacle starring Teyana Taylor.
In the video, directed by Eli Russell Linnetz, Taylor is featured alone in a gym, clad in only a sports bra and thong. Dripping in sweat and baby oil, she executes a relentlessly vigorous and sensual dance routine. The choreography—a fusion of hip-hop, Voguing, and Dancehall, with clear visual allusions to the 1983 film Flashdance—was an immediate cultural flashpoint. Choreographer Jae Blaze confirmed that Kanye West was heavily involved, specifically pushing for the incorporation of the gritty Jamaican Dancehall style known as “bruk back.”
The Viral Sensation and the Body Goals
Teyana Taylor’s performance was lauded not just for its flawless execution but for its timing. At 25 years old, she had given birth to her daughter, Junie, only months earlier. Her sculpted physique was a testament to her dedication, and the sequence transcended the standard music video experience, becoming an instant source of inspiration, particularly for fitness and body-positivity advocates. Social media exploded with praise for Taylor, who successfully eclipsed West’s own headline-making appearance.
Data Points and Choreography Accolades
The impact of Taylor’s unforgettable performance was not just anecdotal; it was formally recognized:
-
VMA Win: Teyana Taylor, alongside the choreographers (Jae Blaze, Guapo, and Derek “Bentley” Watkins), was awarded the MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography in 2017 for her work on “Fade.”
-
Family Inclusion: The video became notable for its intimate ending, featuring a steamy post-workout shower scene with her then-fiancé, NBA star Iman Shumpert, and their baby daughter, Junie, concluding with a surreal shot of Taylor as a feline figure surrounded by sheep, which the choreographer stated symbolized her “fierceness” and status as a protector.
The Beyoncé Connection
Adding another layer of mystique to the “Fade” choreography is a fascinating backstory. Taylor revealed that the core of the dynamic routine was actually choreography she had originally created for another music icon: Beyoncé. Taylor had developed the complex moves years earlier for Beyoncé’s 2011 single, “End of Time,” but the physically demanding routine was impractical at the time due to Beyoncé’s pregnancy. The choreography sat unused until Taylor repurposed it for Kanye West, proving that some artistic works are simply too powerful to stay on the shelf and are destined for their own moment in the spotlight.
Teyana Taylor’s electrifying turn in the “Fade” video did more than launch a song; it launched a new phase of her career, reminding the world that even in a superstar’s production, true talent and undeniable choreography can command the entire spotlight.