TGJ Roundtable: 2025 MTV Video Music Awards Review

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Over the years, That Grape Juice has established a distinguished voice that – whether loved or loathed – sparks discussion, debate, and on occasion drama!

Though comprised of seasoned writers who share a similar outlook on Urban Pop culture, the idiosyncrasies of the TGJ team members often lend to quite heated debates “behind the scenes” about the hottest topics.

Now, we give you a front-row seat to the show. TGJ editors – Sam, Rashad, and Joe – get real in a very candid way.

Today’s roundtable topic asks each anchor about their thoughts on the…

2025 MTV VMAs

Sam

The VMAs have long had a history of culture-defining moments. As such, each year, expectations tower tall.

For yours truly, while the latest edition of the show wasn’t stacked with jaw-dropping moments, it still managed to sufficiently satisfy with a generous helping of star power, solid performances, deserved wins, and subtle yet noticeable tweaks of the format.

Let’s get into it!

Doja Cat, for me, served as the night’s undeniable MVP.

Her captivating performance of ’Jealous Type’ had me spellbound. From the 80s themed concept to the choreography to her execution of both…incredible. Rather oddly, despite the enormity of her hit catalog and status as a bona fide stage blazer, there remains an air of “if you know, you know” when it comes to just how epic a performer she is. Perhaps, the ‘Vie’ era will cement her world-class abilities to the global masses.

I digress.

Gaga, as ever, embodied what the VMAs have championed: dramatic theatrics. And while it was clear that some TV wizardry went into having her simultaneously perform on the broadcast and at her ‘Mayhem Ball,’ I appreciate the effort that went into delivering her joint showing of ‘Abracadabra’ and ’The Dead Dance.’

Elsewhere, I equally appreciated the show’s fresh embrace of seasoned artists. For so long, more youth-oriented vehicles like the VMAs have been unapologetic in their pursuit of young audiences. Yet, this year especially, it felt like there was a purposeful push to diversify the talent pool. And thankfully so, because the likes of Busta Rhymes and Ricky Martin rocked the house with two of the resonating performances of the night.

Speaking of veterans, it goes without saying that Mariah Carey has been long overdue for her flowers. So, that Michael Jackson Video Vanguard honor was oh-so-deserved. Thankfully, I managed my expectations accordingly on the performance front, so…. it was what it was. I will say, though, I wish she’d let the spectacle happen around her even more than she’s renowned for. Because this seeming “need” to “work” the stage had the opposite effect to whatever it was for. Still, the medley mix was cool, and one can’t go wrong with a ’We Belong Together’ climax.

Another tricky one for me was Tate McRae. The talent is unquestionably there. She is a bona fide star on stage. But the material doesn’t match the mega-wattage she brings to her performances. Watched on “mute,” she’d have had the performance of the night. With the volume up, the seductive coos didn’t quite lure me in. I “want” to be on board, but can someone give her a collection of undeniable bops?

On the winner front, it was a fair shake. Ariana Grande may have opted to focus on her film career of late, but her cinematic ‘eternal sunshine’ visuals were deserving of their wins as were the likes of Gaga and Tyla for their respective Moonpeople.

All in all, the VMAs served up a lil’ something for everyone.

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Rashad

The first-time tag-team with CBS must’ve been exactly what the doctor ordered for the ailing MTV VMAs. Admittedly, the last few years have seen the show go from being one of the most anticipated music award shows of the year to a hit-or-miss production depending on who was performing. And while the 2025 iteration didn’t exactly pack the star power, they more than made up for it with over-the-top performances, awesome stage design, and major award show triumphs and upsets that still have fans talking the next day.

From where I stood, the night’s MVP was Doja Cat – a tall task given she was the show’s opener. The precision of her dance moves was almost Olympian, reiterating herself as a clear leader in the performance category of her generation. Doubling down on the hotness of ‘Jealous Type,’ the set was drenched in 80’s themes and even tapped the legendary instrumentalist Kenny G to further enhance the sentiment. Not only was it great to see him trending on X (formerly known as Twitter), the intro and shout-out from Doja was so cool to introduce him to a new generation.

Elsewhere, standout performers were Lady Gaga, Tate McRae, and Sabrina Carpenter. Vocally, the latter delivered a bunch of nothing but she certainly gets a pass for the improvement of her performing style overall. Her dancing seemed more natural, and it’s great to see her continue to tap into the theatrical. What she lacks in “umph,” she always makes up for in presentation. Conversely, Tate brought pure fire to the stage – easily the night’s most high-octane showing. Yet, the presentation was messy in part, and – without an equally hot song to support – her performance didn’t deliver as much impact as it could’ve.

Finally, there’s Mariah. In the shady words of Christina Aguilera, “oh…Mariah.”

For the bar Mimi has set with her performance ability over the last ten years, I’ll admit the VMAs were overall a win. The setlist was chef’s kiss, and I’m glad she very intentionally kept it to her more upbeat numbers and avoided her iconic ballads (given the audience). Yet, I’d argue a ballad here or there would’ve served as a great distraction from her…umm…immobility? Beyond that abysmal “Bianca” slap miss, I would say anyone harshly judging what she gave last night for lack of energy, choreography, or pizzazz clearly hasn’t paid much attention over the last decade.

She gave a great Mariah performance if you asked me. That’s not to say it didn’t lack opportunity, but it is to say that she gave her fans something they could be proud of.

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Joe

To be honest, this pretty much sums up my initial excitement for this year’s festivities. It felt more like an afterthought than a proper celebration, which is pretty dramatic.

At the risk of sounding like a nostalgic millennial (which I am): Is this what having YouTube as the de facto medium for music videos has brought us?

The year’s most iconic ceremony was not even broadcast on its namesake network?

But I digress.

For what it’s worth, the show was good. A very different set-up than usual, with some very strong performances.
Sabrina Carpenter’s short and sweet performance of her new single ‘Tears’ finally got me on board with the song.

Tate McRae put her gymnastic skills to good use for one of her best televised performances.

The ever-youthful and vibrant Ricky Martin bodied his medley of timeless hits, which can’t really be said about Mariah Carey. Once again, the spectacle around her was grade A, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for her agility. A good showing nonetheless, and a great acceptance speech too.

Doja Cat delivered another highlight of the night with her Janet Jackson-inspired performance of ‘Type Dangerous’ featuring the legendary Kenny G, and it was great seeing Busta Rhymes turn it all the way up with songs that sound as edgy today as they did decades ago. Talk about timeless!

All in all, it was a good ceremony—one that had what it takes to make it to the main channel. Maybe next year.

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Do you agree with our picks? Who was spot on? Let us know your thoughts on the latest TGJ Roundtable and your thoughts on the 2025 MTV VMAs.

Your thoughts?

[Photo credit: MTV / Getty]