Beyonce nets three prizes at MTV awards in Berlin

By Sarah Marsh and Brian Rohan

BERLIN (Reuters) - American singer Beyonce scooped three prizes at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Thursday at a ceremony in Berlin marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall that once divided the city.

She received prizes for best female, best song ("Halo") and best video ("Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It") on one of pop music's biggest nights outside the United States.

"I have to dedicate this award to all the other beautiful artists," Beyonce said after being named best female, the second of her three prizes. "Thank you MTV for this wonderful honour."

To coincide with MTV's awards show, Irish rockers U2 treated 10,000 fans to a free concert in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, where the music channel's first Europe Music Awards were held in 1994.

Lead singer Bono performed hits such as "One," "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Beautiful Day" during a 30-minute set and greeted the crowd in German with the words: "Berlin, Du bist wunderbar."

Hours later he was at the O2 World concert venue to pick up the best live act award on behalf of the band.

Beyonce's husband, hip hop star Jay-Z, was also a winner on the night, topping the best urban act category.

Wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses, he referred to the theme of the Berlin Wall, saying: "I look forward to the day when all those walls come down."