While most artists kept politics out of the MTV Video Music Awards, Puerto Rican singer Lenny Tavárez made immigration the focus of his appearance.
His red carpet look, a custom Manuel Tiscareño suit embroidered with the words “No Human Is Illegal,” called out the Trump administration’s harsh deportation tactics.
Lenny Tavárez’s Red Carpet Protest
Walking the red carpet in a custom Manuel Tiscareño suit titled Unbroken Chains, Tavárez wore embroidered chains reading “No Human Is Illegal.” The design symbolized freedom while denouncing the Trump administration’s deportation tactics. “The red carpet is a great opportunity to say something with fashion,” Tavárez told Rolling Stone.
Behind the Design
The outfit took more than 100 hours to complete, with 60 devoted to handcrafting silver chains. Designer Tiscareño, a Mexican American, said the piece was deeply personal: “This suit was personal to me. I wanted to touch on the humanity of immigrants.”
Onstage Performance
Tavárez performed with J Balvin and Justin Quiles, who has publicly backed Donald Trump. Tavárez said he didn’t clear his protest look with his collaborators but later received their support.
“May our differences never break what unites us. Humanity should have no borders,” he later wrote on Instagram.
Message Through Music and Fashion
Tavárez used both fashion and performance to spotlight immigration struggles, reminding audiences that “music, art, and fashion have the power to shout what is sometimes meant to be silenced.”
For more shiny star headlines, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.