Every Music Star on Your Spotify Wrapped Was at This Met Gala After-Party—Which Went on Till 5 A.M.

Cipriani South Street was still hopping ’til 5 a.m., as music’s biggest names rewarded New York’s best-dressed night owls with a well-attended all-out rager after the Met Gala. While Richie Akiva’s hotly-anticipated 10th annual ‘The After’ bash managed to have a slightly earlier curtain call than last year’s installment at The Box, hopeful invitees were still rolling up to the landmark Battery Maritime Building as late as 4.30 a.m. to get in on the action.

And who could blame them? Akiva is arguably the most connected nightlife figure in a city that takes its parties and VIP guest lists very seriously. It’s telling when Doja Cat is one of the earliest to show face, arriving in an entirely sheer number with her new partner in crime, Guram Gvasalia of Vetements, moments before 2 a.m. Flanking them were Sam Smith and Christian Cowan, who’d made their red carpet debut at The Met hours previous, as well as Amelia Gray and runway regular Lola Bahia.

Even Cardi B, who was booked and busy throwing her own party uptown, wasn’t going to miss out. Dressed in custom Revolve, the rapper burst in the doors hand-in-hand with Offset—it’s back on!—cementing everyone’s decision to stay for another drink. Ditto with Usher, who’d been on hosting duty earlier in the night in Times Square.

Within the venue’s Great Hall, you could barely see where the dance floor ended, and the perimeter of the room began, as DJs including Zack Bia, Hank, Kaytranada, Tunez, and Uncle Waffles kept the crowd energized. Tennis icons Serena and Venus Williams showcased their athlete-level stamina as they threw shapes and caught up with friends, including Lewis Hamilton and Lena Waith, under the purple-hued lights. Sza and Lizzo, meanwhile, got down on the dancefloor with none other than Baz Luhrmann (is there a secret project we should know about?!) as a velvet-suit-clad Usher kicked off a dance circle with Lil Nas X elsewhere in the room, prompting everyone to join in. As the party kept reaching a crescendo, those behind the decks played more and more hits from Cardi B, Sza, and Usher—consider it the best round of group karaoke with the stars you’ve ever witnessed.

The party, which was powered by Ray-Ban, also welcomed Ray-Ban heir Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio and his fiancée Jessica Serfaty, in Dolce & Gabbana, who had attended the Met Gala for the first time together this year.

Spotted hanging out were Camilla Cabello, Lana Del Rey, Irina Shayk, Teyana Taylor, Justine Skye, Winnie Harlow, Emily Ratajkowski, Jodie Turner-Smith, Dove Cameron, Ivy Getty, Precious Lee, Imaan Hammam, Alton Mason, Gabrielle Union, Dwayne Wade, Frida Aasen, Jaden Smith, FKA Twigs, Odell Beckham Jr, Joan Smalls,  every ‘New York 10’ you’ve stalked on Instagram lately, and, of course, Mayor Eric Adams. Plus! No, you weren’t seeing things: Janelle Monaé’s trippy dress really was covered in hundreds of googly eyes staring back at you. By the time we saw that, it was a sure sign to get some shut-eye of our own. ‘Til next year!