Doja Cat doubled down on the 1980s theming of her latest single, “Jealous Type,” at the 2025 MTV VMAs on Sunday, packing out her performance with a plethora of visual references to music and style of the decade that gave the world Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Prince.
All three pop legends were referenced throughout the performance, which kicked off with a sax intro from Kenny G (does anyone else Doja’s age even realize how much of a flex that is?), and featured an extended dance breakdown, with Doja popping and locking like a member of the Rock Steady Crew. Along the way, headset mikes, keytars, teased hair, leather ensembles with massive shoulder pads, and tons of neon art deco decor made appearances, all while Doja showed off every one of her hyphens, dancing, singing, and rapping with all her usual flair and panache. There’s a Morris Day and the Time-inspired stage walk that is just… Mwah. Chef’s kiss.
The song will appear on Doja’s upcoming album, Vie, which is due for release on September 26. Doja also managed to pick up a Moon Person, despite her relatively quiet 2024, thanks to her feature on Lisa’s “Born Again” with RAYE, which earned them all an award for Best K-Pop.
Watch Doja Cat’s MTV VMAs performance of “Jealous Type” above.
