By: Isaac Villegas, Staff Writer
On September 7, 2025, MTV hosted their annual Video Music Awards (“VMA’s” for short) and wowed audiences around the world with performances from various classic and upcoming artists. Here are the key parts of each one of the thirteen main shows that kept everyone’s eyes glued to the screen.
Doja Cat and Kenny G:
At the start of the VMA’s, rapper and host LL Cool J’s opening was interrupted by rapper/singer Doja Cat, who spoke about her album “Vie” coming out on September 26. After, she performed her latest single “Jealous Type” alongside saxophonist and composer Kenny G with a brilliant stage production reminiscent of 80’s funk. The show consisted of Cat breakdancing to the modern 80’s beat in her song and was overall an excellent opening to this year’s VMA’s.
Ricky Martin:
Introduced by reggaeton artist J Balvin, iconic singer Ricky Martin performed the Latin Icon Medley, which consisted of his hit songs “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” “Pégate,” “Vente Pa’ Ca,” “María,” and “The Cup of Life.” Starting with a surprise by descending from the ceiling in a small cage, Martin kept a consistently entertaining show for nearly six minutes before accepting the very first Latin Icon Award for his various contributions to Latin music.
Tate McRae:
Ranked as the best performance of the 2025 VMA’s by Billboard, rising star Tate McRae performed “Revolving door” and “Sports car” after being introduced by comedian Nikki Glaser. This ranking seems to be quite valid, seeing as how McRae stunned the audience with her eccentric dance moves in the sand along with her artistic choice in being able to incorporate her dancers as part of the production value too.
Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star, Joyner Lucas, Papoose, and GloRilla:
After being presented by Cool J himself, rap artists Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star, Joyner Lucas, Papoose, and GloRilla all joined forces to perform “Break Ya Neck,” “Gimme Some More, ” “Scenario,” “Touch It – Remix,” “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See,” and “Pass the Courvoisier.” This performance in particular was titled the Rock The Bells Visionary Medley in honor of Rhymes receiving the Rock the Bells Visionary Award, and it hyped viewers up by giving them a throwback to 2000’s hip-hop and rap.
Sabrina Carpenter:
Perhaps one of the most memorable performances of the night, popular singer/songwriter Sabrina Carpenter performed her newest single “Tears” by first emerging from a sewer drain and then dancing in the rain towards the end of her song. Carpenter also received both lots of criticism and praise for choosing to have drag queens as her backup dancers holding pro-trans signs that read encouraging messages such as “PROTECT TRANS RIGHTS” and “SUPPORT LOCAL DRAG.”
Post Malone and Jelly Roll:
Actor Luke Grimes introduced singers Post Malone and Jelly Roll to perform their collaborative hit song “Losers.” While named the 2025 VMA’s worst performance by Billboard, the two artists still tugged at the heartstrings of many through their clear display of friendly affection for one another, never shown to be unsmiling throughout the entire song.
Mariah Carey:
Presented as the Video Vanguard Medley by famous singer Ariana Grande, the iconic artist Mariah Carey sang her tracks “Sugar Sweet,” “Fantasy (feat. O.D.B.),” “Honey,” “Heartbreaker,” “Obsessed,” “Its Like That,” and “We Belong Together.” Carey captivated the audience, but to no surprise, by showing off her continuous ability to hit all the high notes in her songs, and she was awarded the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award afterwards.
Lady Gaga:
Presented by Rosé, a member of the girl group BLACKPINK, renowned artist Lady Gaga did an electric performance of her songs “Abracadabra” and “The Dead Dance.” Stunning viewers with her haunting outfit and amazing choreography, Gaga went on to perform for approximately six and a half minutes. This event was pre-recorded at Madison Square Garden, and yet, it is still one of the most talked about shows from the whole night.
Alex Warren:
Rising artist Alex Warren was introduced by actresses Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman, and he performed his songs “Eternity” and “Ordinary.” With a gorgeous orchestra and a stage reminiscent of an enchanted forest, Warren was able to successfully captivate his watchers for around four minutes.
Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Nuno Bettencour, and Yungblud:
In a heartfelt tribute to the legendary heavy metal artist Ozzy Osbourne, his son, Jack Osbourne, introduced Aerosmith’s members Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Extreme’s member Nuno Bettencourt, and artist Yungblud to perform “Crazy Train,” “Changes, ” and “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” Deemed as one of the best performances by many fans, this lively show full of love and energy demonstrated that heavy metal will always be emotionally moving, and that the genre would not be what it is today if it weren’t for the great influence of the recently deceased Osbourne.
DJ Snake, J Balvin, Justin Quiles, and Lenny Tavárez:
Introduced by rapper GloRilla, producer DJ Snake and Latin singers J Balvin, Justin Quiles, and Lenny Tavárez teamed up to perform “Zun Zun” and “Noventa.” While Balvin and the others performed fantastically, the most eye-catching part of the show may have been the vibrant and colorful stage production, which successfully entranced the audience for the entire performance.
Sombr:
Perhaps one of the most popular growing artists of 2025, Sombr was introduced by comedian Megan Stalter and he performed his songs “back to friends” and “12 to 12.” This charming, almost seductive performance included sombr being sensually eyed and making physical contact with his female dancers, though nothing too crazy.
Conan Gray:
Introduced by the girl group KATSEYE, singer/songwriter Conan Gray performed his song “Vodka Cranberry.” Aside from his performance incorporating a unique twist on the story of Romeo and Juliet, more so one about Romeo and Romeo instead, Gray also shocked viewers when he successfully hit the high note on the bridge of his song.
