Related Articles
Doja Cat, an artist whose visuals are as important as her music, staged yet another mind-bending, eye-popping performance Tuesday night during the MTV Video Music Awards. She performed “Attention,” “Paint the Town Red,” and “Demons” off her highly anticipated upcoming album, Scarlet, which is set to come out Sept. 22.
The rapper opened the performance in an outfit that channeled an annoyed librarian with pencils in her hair for “Attention,” then began stripping down before heading into “Paint the Town Red.” All the while, two dozen bloodied replicas of her Scarlet alter ego trailed her around the stage. Doja let her hair down for “Demons,” rapping with full force under fluorescent yellow lights.
Doja Cat has previously received 23 VMA nominations, and this year she’s earned five, including Artist of the Year, and three awards for “Attention”: Best Video of the Year, Best Direction, and Best Art Direction. She’s also up for Best Collaboration for “I Like You (A Happier Song)” with Post Malone. Taylor Swift leads this year’s nominations with eight nods, followed by SZA with six.
She previously hosted the VMAs in 2021, where she also performed “Been Like This” and “You Right” while floating high in the air. She won two awards that year: Best Collaboration for “Kiss Me More” with SZA and Best Art Direction for Saweetie’s “Best Friend,” which she appeared in. She won in 2022 for Best Choreography for “Woman.”
Doja Cat will be embarking on her first-ever North American tour in support of Scarlet this fall with support from Ice Spice and Doechii on select dates. The tour kicks off in San Francisco on Halloween and runs through December. So far, Doja has teased Scarlet with “Attention” and “Paint the Town Red.”
Other performers at the VMAs this year include Anitta, Olivia Rodrigo Demi Lovato, Karol G, Kelsea Ballerini, Måneskin, Stray Kids, Tomorrow x Together, along with Shakira, who’s being honored with the Video Vanguard Award, and Diddy, who earned the Global Icon title.
The MTV Video Music Awards are airing live on MTV from the Prudential Center in New Jersey.
