Doja Cat’s ’80s-Inspired VMA Performance: A Strategic Nostalgic Throwback

Doja Cat’s neon-soaked MTV VMA performance of “Jealous Type” represents more than a showcase of her new single. It’s a calculated throwback to the glam, sax, and synth of the 1980s. Tapping nostalgia is one of pop’s smartest strategies, and Doja isn’t alone. From The Weeknd to Bruno Mars, history shows that borrowing from past decades often leads to career-defining eras.

There are several ways in which a nostalgic throwback might offer an artist a fresh boost of creative juice. There is the simple visual novelty of tapping into a bygone era, whether it’s ’70s disco dancefloors or the big hair of ’80s glam metal. More importantly, musically, it potentially offers the full package in terms of an artistic reinvention.

Doja Cat – “Jealous Type”

Sunday evening’s MTV Video Music Awards featured its fair share of exciting moments, including an all-star medley in tribute to late rock legend Ozzy Osbourne​​​. However, Doja Cat arguably stole the show with her glammed-up performance of “Jealous Type”. From the neon-soaked stage design to the big hair of her backup performers, the performance was positively soaked in ’80s vibes.

VMAs host LL Cool J was speaking onstage when Doja Cat appeared on the screens behind him, decked out in full Max Headroom cosplay. It transitioned into an appearance by none other than ’80s “adult contemporary” icon Kenny G, his trademark curly hair billowing, as he performed the song’s intro on saxophone in his inimitable style.

The “Jealous Type“ performance drew upon an over-the-top pastiche of 1980s trademarks, equal parts Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. Doja Cat strutted confidently across a black-and-white checkered dancefloor, with fleuro-pink flourishes galore, her backup dancers brandishing keytars and star-spangled glam rock guitars.

The Weeknd – After Hours

The Weeknd leaned heavily into synthwave and neon-noir aesthetics on After Hours, resurrecting the sleek electronic sounds of the ’80s. The gamble paid off: “Blinding Lights” was the biggest-selling single of 2020, breaking Billboard records and cementing him as a global superstar. And ScreenRant recently named After Hours as The Weeknd’s finest musical achievement.

“The melancholic lyrics bleed through a sound production that mixes catchy throwback synths with moody instrumentals,” we said earlier this year. “The result is, by far, The Weeknd’s best album to date and one that continues to be hard to top.”

Bruno Mars – 24K Magic

Bruno Mars often effortlessly traverses the eras, but he put the ’90s in his sights on his 24K Magic Era ​​​​​​album. Channeling the swagger of that decade’s R&B and new jack swing, 24K Magic was a flat-out ’90s funk throwback. The title-track video sets the scene with a flashy assortment of gold chains, lightweight tracksuits, and billowing Versace silk shirts.

Harking back to that unforgettable era when hip-hop fused perfectly with soul, 24K Magic tips its hat to Babyface, Boyz II Men, and more. From the music videos to his fashion stylings, it was pure nostalgia marketing—and it earned him multiple Grammys, proving that retro can feel brand new.

Daft Punk — Random Access Memories

Arguably the standout musical throwback of the current era, Daft Punk delved deep into ’70s disco on their 2013 album, Random Access Memories, and they did not do things by halves. The album’s lead single, “Get Lucky,” channeled the mirrorball dancefloor sounds just perfectly, featuring disco legend Nile Rodgers and sonic genius Pharrell Williams.

However, the disco aesthetics of Random Access Memories went much further than that. The French duo holed up in a studio for years, preferring live instrumentation and analogue synths over the filtered French house that made them famous. One track even features an extended monologue from Giorgio Moroder, the legendary producer behind Donna Summer’s iconic “I Feel Love.”

Lana Del Rey – Norman F***ing Rockwell

Lana Del Rey built her entire persona on American nostalgia, but 2019’s Norman F***ing Rockwell! leaned hard into the Laurel Canyon folk-rock vibe of the 1970s. The warm, retro references were widely embraced by fans and critics alike, landing Del Rey on many a “best of the decade” list and the Rolling Stone “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”

Del Ray delves into ’70s psychedelic rock on “Venice Bitch,” an epic nine-minute tribute to icons like Led Zeppelin. She drops multiple references to ’70s stalwarts like Neil Young and Crosby, Stills & Nash. However, it’s her enigmatic presence and masterful grasp of Americana visuals that have kept her in the zeitgeist, out in full force on Norman F***ing Rockwell!

Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

Dua Lipa’s disco-infused Future Nostalgia delved into retro-futurism, turning the pandemic years into a glitterball dance party. Its throwback aesthetic felt fresh enough to dominate streaming charts and festivals (while we were otherwise all stuck at home in 2020), proving once again that nostalgia done right can redefine an artist’s career.

The disco references grew explicit when Lipa launched Studio 2054, an elaborate livestream concert adorned with the glittery fashion of the seminal nightclub referenced in the title. Hailed as a kaleidoscopic journey into mirror balls and roller discos, it drew an attendance of 5 million and nabbed a Guinness World Record for a paid livestream by a female artist.