2023 VMAs: Doja Cat Gets Demonic for her Standout Performance

Doja Cat took the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards stage on Tuesday (Sept. 12) ready to “Paint the Town Red” — and that she did.

The star took the stage at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., in a teacher-inspired outfit surrounded by red-toned, devilish dancers as she performed a medley of tracks including her Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers “Red” and “Attention,” as well as new single “Demons.” The songs are set to be featured on her fourth studio album, Scarlet, which will arrive on Sept. 22.

“Paint the Town Red” rose from No. 3 to No. 1 in its fifth week on the Hot 100 this week. It becomes the rapper-singer’s second career leader, following “Say So” featuring Nicki Minaj in 2020. The achievement marks the first rap Hot 100 No. 1 in over a year, ending the longest break for the genre atop the chart since 2001.

Doja Cat has been teasing the release of her new album in recent weeks; it comes out September 22. The rapper is known for her concept albums, and Scarlet so far has a decidedly darker tone, at least visually, than her previous promotional rollouts, for 2019’s Hot Pink and 2021’s Planet Her. There’s been a lot of blood, tarantulas, devil cosplay, and Christina Ricci music-video cameos.

Doja Cat’s presence at the MTV VMAs comes fresh off her attending events for New York Fashion Week. She joined fellow musicians Hayley Williams and Ice Spice in celebrating the collaborations between Jean Paul Gaultier and Knwls, which launched on Friday.

She’s currently promoting her “Scarlet” album’s latest single “Paint the Town Red,” which debuted on Aug. 4.

This summer, Doja Cat has been rolling out singles from her follow-up to 2021’s Planet Her, beginning with “Attention” in June. She’s more recently released “Paint the Town Red,” which samples Dionne Warwick, and “Demons.” In August, Doja Cat released and revoked an album cover that resembled an LP by a German metal band. Though both spider-themed covers were completed by the same designer, the Doja Cat replaced hers with new artwork.

There is an art to the quintessential VMA performance and, sadly, not everyone is delivering it. It makes sense: the music industry just isn’t what it used to be and I’m sure record companies are not shelling out the money for flashy performances like they did in days gone by. But in this new era of the VMAs, I’m glad to see that Doja Cat has taken up the mantle of what it means to craft a moment that outlasts the runtime of the telecast.

Read more

Sarah H

Also on site :

• Immunotherapy Offers Cancer Patients Less Invasive Treatment Options
• Major study links ultraprocessed food to increased risk of early death.
• Cosmetic and household chemical exposure linked to 350,000 annual deaths, experts warn