Lorde goes formal for VMAs

Lorde arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards. Photo / AP

The Video Music Awards have kicked off in California and our very own Lorde is there with a whole new look.

The Green Light hitmaker appeared on the red carpet in a beautiful, floor-length, lavender ball gown, ditching her usual style which, in the past has largely consisted of flared pants, crop tops and blazers.

The Kiwi songstress will perform at the awards, which honours the best music video clips in the business. She is also nominated for two awards: Artist of the Year and Best Editing for her hit Green Light.

Lorde's pal and the musician who helped her make her hit album Melodrama, Jack Antonoff also made headlines from the red carpet when he posed with a group of transgender military service members before taking the stage during the MTV VMAs pre-show.

Six transgender soldiers and veterans walked the carpet Sunday in an effort to highlight their service amid President Donald Trump's recent policy to ban transgender recruits.
Antonoff says it would be "absolutely insane not to" support transgender members of the military.

He says of the policy change, "It's absolutely heartbreaking; a massive step backwards, as is every day with Trump."

Rapper Kendrick Lamar leads the pack with eight nods, while Katy Perry and The Weeknd each got five.

The full list of nominees is as follows:

Video of the Year
Kendrick Lamar - Humble
Bruno Mars - 24K Magic
Alessia Cara - Scars To Your Beautiful
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller - Wild Thoughts
The Weeknd - Reminder

Artist of the Year
Bruno Mars
Kendrick Lamar
Ed Sheeran
Ariana Grande
The Weeknd
Lorde

Best New Artist
Khalid
Kodak Black
SZA
Young M.A
Julia Michaels
Noah Cyrus

Best Collaboration
Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez - We Don't Talk Anymore
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller - Wild Thoughts
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty - Broccoli
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey - Closer
Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean - Feels
Zayn & Taylor Swift - I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)

Best Pop
Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You
Harry Styles - Sign Of The Times
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane - Down
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley - Chained To The Rhythm
Miley Cyrus - Malibu

Best Hip-Hop
Kendrick Lamar - Humble
Big Sean - Bounce Back
Chance the Rapper - Same Drugs
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty - Broccoli
Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert - Bad & Boujee
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne - I'm The One

Best Dance
Zedd and Alessia Cara - Stay
Kygo x Selena Gomez - It Ain't Me
Calvin Harris - My Way
Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ - Cold Water
Afrojack ft. Ty Dolla $ign - Gone

Best Rock
Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams
Fall Out Boy - Young And Menace
Twenty One Pilots - Heavydirtysoul
Green Day - Bang Bang
Foo Fighters - Run

Best Fight Against the System
Logic ft. Damian Lemar Hudson - Black SpiderMan
The Hamilton Mixtape - Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)
Big Sean - Light
Alessia Cara - Scars To Your Beautiful
Taboo ft. Shailene Woodley - Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL
John Legend - Surefire

Best Cinematography
Kendrick Lamar - Humble
Imagine Dragons - Thunder
Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill
DJ Shadow ft. Run The Jewels - Nobody Speak
Halsey - Now or Never

Best Direction
Kendrick Lamar - Humble
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley - Chained To The Rhythm
Bruno Mars - 24K Magic
Alessia Cara - Scars To Your Beautiful
The Weeknd - Reminder

Best Art Direction
Kendrick Lamar - Humble
Bruno Mars - 24K Magic
Katy Perry ft. Migos - Bon Appetit
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller - Wild Thoughts
The Weeknd - Reminder

Best Visual Effects
Kendrick Lamar - Humble
A Tribe Called Quest - Dis Generation
KYLE ft. Lil Yachty - iSpy
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley - Chained To The Rhythm
Harry Styles - Sign Of The Times

Best Choreography
Kanye West - Fade
Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj - Side To Side
Kendrick Lamar - Humble
Sia - The Greatest
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane - Down

Best Editing
Future - Mask Off
Young Thug - Wyclef Jean
Lorde - Green Light
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey - Closer
The Weeknd - Reminder