Doja Cat stunned photographers and drew a flurry of social media reaction Sunday night when she appeared to bite into and eat a tube of red lipstick on the red carpet for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.
The 29-year-old Grammy winner arrived at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, in an 80s-inspired off-the-shoulder Balmain gown and voluminous blonde curls. While applying red lipstick in front of cameras, she suddenly appeared to take a bite out of the product and continued posing with the half-eaten tube as photographers shot her image.
Video and photos of the moment circulated quickly on X, where some users expressed disgust and concern while others praised the stunt as provocative performance art. One post that circulated read, "THE WAY SHE ATE THE LIPSTICK OMG." Other posts speculated about whether the item was a real lipstick or an edible prop; some users warned against attempting the act at home. Supportive fans framed the gesture as an "iconic" fashion moment or a tease for a rumored single titled "Lipstain," a theory that spread on social platforms following the clip.
Doja Cat was among a lineup of performers and nominees at the VMAs. Her red-lipstick moment occurred before the ceremony, during which artists including Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Mariah Carey, Post Malone, and others were scheduled to appear. Lady Gaga led nominations this year with 12 nods and was set to return to the VMA stage after a five-year absence.
Doja’s outfit included a diamond-print dress with pink lining, Pleaser heels and a bedazzled clutch shaped like a tube of red lipstick, details that underscored the theatricality of her red-carpet appearance. The singer is one of the night’s A-list performers and a contender in categories across the show’s genre and video awards.
The VMAs this year were hosted by LL Cool J and aired on CBS for the first time while streaming on the premium tier of Paramount+ and simulcasting on MTV. The ceremony took place amid broad industry attention on nominees and live performances; Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar followed Gaga among the artists with the most nominations.
Red-carpet stunts have been a recurring feature of awards shows, where artists often blend fashion, publicity and performance. In this instance, the quick spread of video and reaction on social media amplified the moment beyond the red carpet, prompting both criticism and celebration in near real time.
Representatives for Doja Cat did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The VMAs ceremony proceeded with scheduled programming and performances following the red-carpet arrivals and pre-show events.