Anitta Sings a Mix of Hits — and an Unreleased Song! — at the 2023 MTV VMAs

Last year, Anitta made history as the first Brazilian artist to take home a Moon Person trophy

Anitta performs onstage during the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards
Anitta performing at the 2023 MTV VMAs. Photo:

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Anitta brought the heat with her performance at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards!

At Tuesday's show, held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., the Brazilian pop star took the stage to perform a medley of hits, including an unreleased track, before taking home the Moon Person trophy for best Latin video for "Funk Rave."

After an introduction from Outer Banks star Madelyn Cline, Anitta kicked things off with a rousing rendition of her new hit "Used to Be." The singer, 30, wore a pair of sparkly black shorts and a multi-patterned leotard as she danced amid a group of equally colorfully dressed back-up dancers.

The star later went into "Funk Rave" and also sang the unreleased song "Grip," which is expected on her upcoming funk album. At the end of her performance, she laughed and smiled as she blew a kiss to the adoring crowd.

The "Envolver" singer made made history with her first VMA win last year, becoming the only Brazilian to ever take home an MTV Moon Person. She looks to repeat her win in the best Latin category this year.

The star has been on a hot streak this year. In February, she opened up to PEOPLE about her first-ever Grammy nomination, for Best New Artist.

"I'm so happy. I've said it a lot because it means a lot," Anitta said at the time. "It's been half a century. Fifty years that Brazil is not here in a main category. So, for me, we're making history. My whole country is watching in Brazil, waiting for this. I'm really happy. For me, the victory is to be here tonight, to be honest."

Check out PEOPLE's full MTV VMAs coverage to get the latest news on music’s big night.

"I hope with my presence here I can open room for more artists from Brazil to come here, so we don't have to wait for 50 years," she added. "I'm really happy and it's a really long journey."

She also expressed the importance of not giving up on your dreams while speaking to PEOPLE at WSJ. Magazine's 12th annual Innovator Awards in November.

Anitta attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

"I would say to not care about what people, in general, are saying like friends in school and things like that," Anitta told PEOPLE. "I would say just be yourself, just try to find something that represents what you want to be and what you are when you look at yourself and not project you on other people, you know."

The 2023 MTV VMAs are airing live from The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Tuesday, Sept. 12 on CBS and BET, BET Her, VH1, Comedy Central, CMT, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon and Paramount Network. Viewers can also catch the show through an MTV.com live stream or on Paramount+.

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