Lady Gaga is back on the VMAs stage. Well, technically.
Videos by American Songwriter
After accepting the Artist of the Year award—which she dedicated to both her fans and her fiancé, Michael Polansky—Gaga told the crowd that she had to skedaddle.
It was for a good reason, though. Mother Monster was forced to head back to Madison Square Garden, where she’s performing the second of two shows as part of her latest tour, The Mayhem Ball.
As such, when it came time for Gaga to take the VMAs stage, she did so from MSG. The 2025 show marked her first VMAs performance in five years.
“Put your paws up, MTV,” Gaga proclaimed, before breaking into her song “Abracadabra.”
Gaga’s performance, which also included her track “Dead Dance,” included the singer’s signature wild costumes, hair, and sets.
The show gave fans at home a peek into Gaga’s Mayhem Ball, a theatrical show of epic proportions.
In addition to Gaga, stars including Doja Cat, Jelly Roll, Mariah Carey, Post Malone, and Sabrina Carpenter are scheduled to take the stage at the LL Cool J-hosted ceremony.
It’s not just the performance that’s making September 7 a big night for Gaga. The singer also leads the nominations for the evening, coming in with 12 nods.
Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With A Smile” is up for Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, and Best Pop.
Meanwhile, Gaga’s music video for “Abracadabra” is nominated in the Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and Best Visual Effects categories.
Gaga’s latest LP, Mayhem, is also nominated for Best Album. The singer herself is vying for the Artist of the Year trophy.
Lady Gaga’s New Music and Tour
Gaga’s busy VMAs night came after the release of her latest album, Mayhem. In a March interview with The New York Times, Gaga opened up about this phase of her career.
“My sound is an amalgamation of the music that helped me fall in love with music. So it’s got classic rock in it, disco, electronic music, 80s synth,” she said. “It’s sort of like picking and choosing my favorite fragments of songs that I loved throughout my childhood. It is everything I love about music but all in one place.”
This summer, Gaga has been on her latest tour, The Mayhem Ball. The shows kicked off in the U.S. in July. She has shows scheduled through the rest of the year, with plans to head to Canada, Europe, and Australia. In 2026, she’ll take The Mayhem Ball to Japan.
“We chose arenas this time to give me the opportunity to control the details of the show in a way you simply can’t in stadiums—and honestly, I can’t wait,” Gaga wrote on Instagram after announcing the tour. “This show is designed to be the kind of theatrical and electrifying experience that brings MAYHEM to life exactly how I envision it.”
Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation
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