Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga draw fans at MTV awards in Belfast

Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga. AP photo

LONDON—The American band Thirty Seconds to Mars won best alternative act at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Sunday night.

The show features headliners Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Coldplay and others at the annual awards ceremony, a highlight of the European entertainment calendar.

Chris Martin, Coldplay frontman, joked that the band was just “warming everyone up for Justin” on his way into the awards ceremony, which is being hosted by Bieber’s girlfriend, the actress and singer Selena Gomez.

She admitted she was nervous about her performance while being photographed on the red carpet just before the show.

Gaga, who has enjoyed a year of sustained commercial success, leads the way with six nominations, while Mars and Katy Perry have four each.

Singer Adele, who lost out on the Mercury Prize, has been nominated for the best female award and best video and best song for her hit “Rolling In The Deep.”

The awards, which were set up in 1994, have previously featured performances by stars including U2, Paul McCartney, Take That, Beyonce and Jay-Z.

Sunday’s show marked the first time the MTV awards have been held in Belfast, a city long known for its vibrant music scene.