Swift, Jepsen clinch prizes at MTV Europe Music Awards

US pop phenomenon Taylor Swift and Canada's Carly Rae Jepsen scooped prizes Sunday as the 19th annual MTV Europe Music Awards kicked off in the western German city of Frankfurt. Swift claimed the gong for best female act from fellow American pop star Lana Del Rey as the show got under way. "This is my very first EMA -- I'm so excited," the 22-year-old blonde behind "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" said, dedicating the prize to the fans who voted for her. "This was our first European tour -- thank you for giving me one more amazing reason to come back and see you." Best song went to Jepsen for the catchy "Call Me Maybe", which she collected from US reality show star Kim Kardashian. "All I can say is I was not expecting this," she said as she hoisted the statuette, a globe topped with a wobbling MTV logo on a spring. Jepsen, 26, thanked fellow Canadian Justin Bieber, who set her song on its trajectory by promoting it online. The 18-year-old Bieber later clinched the best male act award for the third year in a row. German-born supermodel Heidi Klum, 39, hosted the show, and made her entrance at the century-old Festhalle, decorated for a circus tent theme, in a sexy bridal gown and jaunty black top hat. She sat perched on a trapeze as the prize handout began. Kardashian had a minor wardrobe malfunction when she came on stage as a spike heel got caught in the train of her low-cut black gown, leading her to stumble. The MTV Europe Awards are held each year in a different European city, with past hosts including Belfast in 2011, Madrid in 2010 and Berlin in 2009. The show featured a few innovations this year, with "Knight Rider" and "Baywatch" star David "The Hoff" Hasselhoff serving as the show's "social media correspondent" and offering live commentary on Twitter. The night featured performances by US indie band fun, No Doubt, Jepsen and Alicia Keys with Swift, The Killers and South Korean pop sensation Psy also slated to hit the stage later on.