1. Doja has come a long way from her 2018 show at Beauty Bar. As I waited in line to get my pockets checked by T-Mobile Arena security, I couldn’t ignore the massive LED screen hanging above my head, illuminating a blurred yet recognizable photo of Doja Cat along with bold red lettering detailing the night’s event. I thought back to the first time I saw this internet-born legend at Beauty Bar (RIP) and how I attended the gig only to see her play her meme worthy track “Mooo!” and leave early. It’s surreal to think back to how unserious she and her music were taken, and seeing her a few miles from where that small stage once stood felt like a full-circle moment. Her early fan base seemed keen to her power early on, and this past Friday night, she presented a more refined and confident version of herself. She surely doesn't need to rely on gimmicks or just a sultry stage performance to get the crowd going.
2. Not all global pop stars need wardrobe changes. One of the best things about Doja Cat is her style evolution and willingness to play with aesthetics. We’ve seen her grow from her colorful e-girl era to wearing cat ears on the red carpet and even buzzing her hair down and encrusting her body with Swarovski crystals in the name of fashion. So it was a bit surprising to see her take the Vegas stage in a white baby tee, an Ice Spice-coded patched mini skirt, motocross-esque gloves and a pair of silver sneaker boots. There were moments that she’d exit and re-emerge on stage which heightened the hopes of a new outfit, but it never came. She did however shout out Kim Kardashian for a small accessory—the newest Skims bra with built-in nipples. Regardless of the fit, she is undeniably captivating.
3. Satanic panic 2.0? As mentioned, this slick-mouthed raptress is no stranger to switching up styles and causing a virtual stir. Her latest album Scarlet did just that with its demon-heavy influences and drew fans and critics to either hate or love her new edgelord persona. She wasn’t afraid to address the controversy and casually slid Easter eggs into her set. One red-robed backup dancer had “This is not a ritual” etched onto the back of his costume, the staging for the song “Shutcho” was fashioned after a Catholic cathedral, and she even shared a dance number with her blood-drenched demon doppelganger. Doja uses the backlash to her advantage and finds strength behind this dark alter ego.
4. That mic was definitely on. Throughout her career Doja’s singing capabilities have been showcased in varied ways. From bubbly, radio-friendly tunes to more seductive tracks and sh*t-talking rhymes, we’ve seen her chameleon her way through it all with ease, without sacrificing her notable tone. This show fully displayed her vocal talent and she delivered riveting performances during the heart-stopping song “Tia Tamera '' and tapped into her softer side during the love professing track “Can’t Wait.” And although the audience singalong was overwhelming, it never outshined her powerful voice.
5. Serious stagecraft. This is Ms. Cat’s first-ever headlining stadium tour and it looks like she and her design team were up for the challenge of capturing her absolute essence. The concert was broken up into five acts and although they were meant to be distinguished from each other, the overarching sinister theme never really took a backseat. A giant mechanical spider loomed over the stage during “Demons,” haunted video graphics weaved between tracks, and a larger-than-life detached eyeball followed Doja around stage like a lost child while she rapped “Paint The Town Red.” But there were moments that harkened back to her former guise—a cutesy kiss cam scanned the crowd for lovers during the song “Kiss Me More” and gave the audience a moment of lightheartedness.
