August 28, 2016 8:18 PM EDT
T he show hasn’t even begun , but resident showstopper Beyoncé has already made a splash. On Sunday night, the superstar singer hit the MTV Video Music Awards red carpet (or white carpet, as the case may be) with an unexpected date in tow: her 4 1/2-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.
The duo turned heads (Beyoncé was bedecked in feathers, after all), but the singer chose to make an even bigger statement by bringing along a team of further plus-ones, all of whom made appearances in her Lemonade visual album . Actress Quvenzhané Wallis, model Winnie Harlow, and the mothers of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown were among the women on the red carpet alongside Beyoncé.
MTV announced earlier Sunday that the Lemonade star would be performing at the show—a surprise addition to the stacked performance lineup. She’s nominated for 11 awards.
VMAs 2016: See Celebrities on the Red Carpet Beyoncé attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Nicki Minaj attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Kim Kardashian and Kanye West attend the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Britney Spears attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Nick Jonas attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Amber Rose attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Heidi Klum attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Michael Phelps and Nicole Johnson attend the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Future attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Rita Ora attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Jaden Smith attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys attend the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Sean Combs attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Nicholas Hunt—Getty Images Ariana Grande attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images DJ Khaled attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images Naomi Campbell attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Rupaul's Drag Race All Stars attend the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Angela Weiss—AFP/Getty Images 2 Chainz attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Halsey attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Fashion designer Jeremy Scott and model Stella Maxwell attend the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Nicholas Hunt—Getty Images Lance Bass attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Baddie Winkle attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Jay Pharoah attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Chance the Rapper attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Nicholas Hunt—Getty Images Fabolous attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Tinashe attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy—Getty Images Cassie attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Nicholas Hunt—Getty Images Ty Dolla Sign attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Nicholas Hunt—Getty Images Flo Rida attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Desiigner attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Nicholas Hunt—Getty Images Farrah Abraham attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Hailey Baldwin attends the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2016 in New York City. Nicholas Hunt—Getty Images More Must-Reads from TIME