Doja Cat shows off her impressive flexibility in ’80s-inspired number to kick off 2025 MTV VMAs performances

Doja Cat kicked off the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards in style with a performance of her latest single Jealous Type that featured plenty of style direct from the 1980s.

The 29-year-old rapper and singer put on a sizzling display that showcased her shockingly flexible figure as she performed at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.

At one point, Doja (real name: Amala Dlamini) writhed about on the stage floor as she bent her leg back directly over her head in a particularly sultry display. 

The hitmaker heavily leaned on ’80s references at the start of her performance, which she introduced in a glitchy video inspired by Max Headroom that lived up to its hacker influences by interrupting the host, LL Cool J.

Doja wore a rubbery black suit with a white shirt and slim black tie, and she wore a wig of plastic-like wavy hair inspired by Matt Frewer’s original look as the computer-generated host.

Immediately after the introduction, as the first notes of Jealous Type began to play, she brought out another figure who rose to prominence in the ’80s: the controversial smooth jazz icon Kenny G. 

He embellished the melody on his soprano saxophone as Doja descended from the heavens on a curving hot pink chaise longue. 

The performer showcased her stellar figure in a white crop top that revealed her toned midriff. She paired it with baggy black pants and sleek black vans sneakers. 

As backup dancers joined her on the black-and-white checkerboard stage, Doja showed off her best robotic dance moves. 

The evening’s second performance belonged to rising star Lola Young.

The English singer channeled Amy Winehouse with a soulful rendition of her 2024 Messy, which eschewed a large production in favor of a relaxed performance with her band. 

She favored casual streetwear, including a baggy jacket decorated with the Union Jack and dark relaxed-fit jeans. 

Ricky Martin follower her up with a medley of some of his most popular tunes before he was honored with the Latin Icon Award. 

He kicked off his mini set with his iconic mega-hit Livin’ La Vida Loca.  

He towered above the stage at first in a dangling cage while rocking a white sport coat with peaked lapels and a satin scarf tied around his throat and contrasting baggy pants. 

As he transitioned into performances of Vente Pa’ Ca, Maria and La Copa de La Vida, Martin tossed off his jacket to reveal his black tank top and rippling biceps.

Tate McRae was dressed in little more than white underwear when she took to the stage for a performance that began with a slow, sultry version of her single Revolving Door. 

She wore a white bra top that looked as if it was made of strips of bandages, as well as a matching set of slim bottoms that highlighted her toned limbs and taut tummy. 

The rising star included a medley of her songs What Would You Do? and Sports Car while nearly nude male dancers in black underwear posed like bodybuilders and flung sand from a giant sand pit placed on stage.

McRae took a page out of Doja Cat’s book by showing off her own flexible figure as she pulled her leg back so that it was nearly perpendicular with her torso.

One of the VMAs’ most high-profile performances belonged to Busta Rhymes.

The rap icon was being honored as the first-ever recipient of the Rock the Bells Visionary Award.

He performed a triumphant medley with some of his most iconic songs, including Gimme Some More, Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See, Touch It, Pass the Courvoisier Part II — which was recently sampled by Tyler, the Creator — and A Tribe Called Quest’s Scenario, which was a breakout moment for Rhymes, who was only 19 when he appeared on the track.

Joining him on stage were his regular sidekick, DJ Scratch, and GloRilla.

Next up was Sabrina Carpenter, who promoted her new album Man’s Best Friend by performing its single Tears.

She showed off her sense of humor by emerging from a manhole cover labeled ‘SABRINA’ onto a stage designed to look like a charmingly dirty New York City alley populated by drag queens and voguing backup dancers.

The hitmaker, who mostly sauntered across the stage while her backup dancers kept the energy up, departed from the formula for a ‘dance break’ at the end in which sprinklers rained down on her as she joined the ensemble.

Carpenter ripped off her tiered and tasseled top to reveal a shimmering bra decorated with dangling strands of beads and jewels as she gyrated in the rain. 

The VMAs threw a bone to country music fans when the show took a break to broadcast Post Malone and Jelly Roll’s performance of Losers from a joint concert in Germany.

The rappers-turned-pop country stars played to an open-air stadium full of fans as fireworks lit up the night sky.

The VMAs stayed on the country pop theme for the next performance from country singer Bailey Zimmerman, who was joined by The Kid Laroi on supporting vocals.

Zimmerman’s led a brief performance with a full band while rocking a white leather vest and matching leather pants, while The Kid Laroi favored a white suit and black pants. 

Mariah Carey went on to add a touch of glamour to the performances.

She was introduced by a fellow diva, Ariana Grande, before launching into a medley of her career-defining tunes, including Honey, We Belong Together and her massively popular Fantasy, which was performed in the remixed version.

No doubt all eyes will be on Lady Gaga as she makes her long-awaited return to the award show after a five-year absence. 

The 39-year-old music superstar is up for the most awards of the night as she was nominated for 12 including top honor Video Of The Year for her duet with Bruno Mars titled Dying With A Smile. 

Gaga already has 18 VMA wins under her belt and her fans are anticipating her to add even more accolades this year. 

This year also marks the third time that Gaga led MTV’s list of VMA nominees. 

She previously topped the list with 13 nods in 2010 and again in 2020 tying for first with nine total nominations.

The Bad Romance hitmaker is followed by her collaborator Bruno Mars who has 11 nominations and Kendrick Lamar has the third most nominations with ten. 

Taylor Swift did not release a single or album in the last year so she is only up for one award in the Artist Of The Year category. 

Last week Gaga — born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta — announced that she would also be returning to the stage for a performance.

She will be joining the highly anticipated lineup, including Doja Cat, Mariah Carey, Jelly Roll, Sabrina Carpenter, Post Malone, Tate McRae, J Balvin and many more. 

The last time Gaga performed at the VMAs, she took the stage with Ariana Grande to perform their chart-topping dance-pop collaboration, Rain On Me, in 2020. 

Presenters for the event include Ciara, Ashlee Simpson Ross, Drew Barrymore, Jessica Simpson, Nikki Glaser, Paris Hilton, Livvy Dunne and Ice Spice. 

Rapper and actor LL Cool J is host of the event which will air for the first time on major network CBS. The show will also stream on the premium tier of Paramount+ and be simulcast on MTV.