Doja Cat Transports Manila Back To The ‘80s With Her ‘Ma Vie’ World Tour – Review

It’s high time that we give Doja Cat her flowers. 

Since bursting into the mainstream five years ago, Amala Diamini (better known by her stage name Doja Cat) has become one of the biggest musical superstars to emerge from the 2020s — dominating airwaves and social media conversations with her string of chart-topping hits that have become fixtures in modern-day pop culture. 

While she is still a reluctant celebrity (one who often plays by her own rules, rather than the industry’s), such evidence has nobody denying that Doja is a bona fide superstar of her own caliber. Her already impressive discography could already speak for itself, yet the experience of seeing her perform live and in person is what could easily prove her status as one of the most entertaining performers out there today.

To our benefit, Manila was one of the first stops of her highly anticipated ‘Ma Vie’ World Tour, which comes in celebration of her latest studio album, Vie. Through translating the ‘80s-inspired production and soundscapes of the record into the live setting, it’s as if we were transported right back into that specific time period — living vicariously through saxophone-infused renditions of her hits, with bright neon lighting and a colorful stage display (akin to an MTV music video) enveloping the Mall of Asia Arena.

Even while walking around the venue, members of the audience looked as if they walked straight out of a fashion lookbook from the past, clad in neon colors, zebra, and polka dot patterns, all of which channeled Doja’s visual iconography from the Vie era. Whether it was celebrity icons like Nadine Lustre or drag queens like Miss Jade So donning their best fits for the show, one could see that this was unlike your usual concert — instead, it was also a surprise fashion gathering for some of the local entertainment scene’s most prolific names.

Following an impressive opening performance by rising alternative R&B musician Sailorr (who electrified Philippine audiences on her birthday with “POOKIE’S REQUIEM” and “SOFT GIRL SUMMER”), the time had come for Doja to take the stage. As the lights in the arena shut off, all corners of the 20,000 capacity venue broke out into a sea of screams, which only halted upon the moment that Doja’s full band began to make their way on stage, one by one.

As the funky saxophone and trumpet notes emerged for the opening of “Cards,” the screens blasted a full display of the hitmaker’s silhouette, following her as she made her way up the stairs towards the elevated stage, where she positioned herself to sensually croon her heart out to the track. What came after was then unexpected, transforming her performance into a seamless and adrenaline-filled medley of her viral hits, with “Kiss Me More,” “Get Into It (Yuh),” and “Gorgeous” hitting the audience one after the other.

Though one would think that was exhilarating enough, Doja’s energy and onstage charisma was further amplified with the succeeding numbers, especially the dance-heavy “Take Me Dancing” and rap-infused “Woman,” which had the crowd singing along as best as they could. Yet to slow things down (with the energy still heated), Doja moved to the lower stage platform for more sultry performances to “Acts of Service” and ”Agora Hills,” with the latter especially delighting her avid and longtime fans. Even to my surprise, she cleverly integrated the underappreciated track “Make It Up” within the chorus of the former, giving it the attention it deserves so that more audiences could take note of its brilliance.

Given the visible and very evident enthusiasm from the crowd, Doja herself was delighted to see such energy, which she reciprocated with full force. Moving even closer to them at the extended stage, she thrilled the audience (particularly those in the barricade) with heavily choreographed performances of “All Mine,” “Ain’t Shit,” and her No. 1 chart-topping hit, “Paint The Town Red.” With every bar and flow that came from her, it was clear that Doja was having an absolute blast putting on a high-octane performance for the audience — a feat that was met with an even louder set of cheers and screams from the entirety of the arena.

Considering the ‘80s-esque production of Vie, it was also an absolute treat to see how the tracks from her prior records like Scarlet, Hot Pink, and Planet Her were reimagined with brand new arrangements that breathed new life into the music. What was once familiar was now revitalized, in the sense that it was like you were hearing them for the first time ever as a fan. “Silly! Fun!” lived up to its name, but “Juicy” and “Need To Know” (especially its impressive band outro) had Doja going full throttle with an intense gaze at the camera, and her choreographed movements feeling every beat of the track with an infectious finesse.

Still, she never veered far off from what had made these tracks resonate with Philippine audiences — particularly on passionate numbers like “Streets” and the pyrotechnics galore-segment of sleeper hits such as “Wet Vagina” and “WYM Freestyle,” which highlighted the more animated, if feral, performance style of Doja following a brief costume change. Such momentum would make you wonder where Doja was channeling all this energy from, especially when noting that all these performances had been done nonstop, without even taking a minute for a break.

On the other hand, performances like “Demons,” “Tia Tamera,” and “AAAHH MEN!” highlighted the more theatrical side of Doja, balancing her wide range of facial expressions, mime-like gestures, and an astounding display of live vocals that commanded the crowd’s full attention. Certain segments of these numbers even had her displaying her gymnastics skills on the platform, while also utilizing the microphone (and its wiring) as if it were a lasso of her own.

After covering the Spencer Davis Group’s “I’m A Man” (a number that was jarringly paired up with one of her breakout hits, “Boss Bitch”), Doja took a moment to conduct the audience for their participation in the track, “One More Time.” It was a fun and immersive moment that had us not merely sing along to the track but become a significant part of the show, bewildering the pop star herself, with her eyes widening upon hearing just how loud (and melodic!) everyone’s voices were. 

Of course, the sheer volume from the crowd was further amplified and soon became quite overwhelming once the first few notes to “Say So” began to play. Given just how beloved the hit song is in the country (akin to a second national anthem for Filipinos), Doja pointed the microphone in the direction of the audience in front of her, encouraging those nearby to sing along with her. To many, if not most of us present, this was a moment that had been five years in the making — one that she allowed us to fully enjoy to its finest. 

To kick off the night’s encore segment, she then ventured towards a more sentimental route with her amorous rendition of “Stranger,” a number that she dedicated to the audience present. Though even before she could sing the track’s first line, Doja was once again surprised by the enthusiasm from the crowd, with nearly all 20,000 fans present waving their phones’ lights up, swaying along to the sensual nature of the track. Even before she could say the lyrics properly, an audible whisper of “Wow” into her microphone reverberated across the arena, up until she got her bearings back to continue her performance of the track.

Met with an abundance of cheers, hurrahs, and enthusiastic screams from the audience, Doja and her band took the moment to deliver a final bow to those present. With the LED screens focusing solely on her face, anyone could note how her eyes were welling up with tears, and despite trying to muster a collection of words to address the crowd, she was left speechless — further heightening the applause from those across her. It was a sentimental moment for both the fans and Doja, yet she clearly didn’t want to leave it on such a bittersweet note.

In just a flash moment, Doja collected herself, channeling all her energy for her final performance of the night — a rousing rendition of the chart-topping hit (and a personal contender for song of the year), “Jealous Type.” Through playfully moving across the extended stage, to dancing with her live band, this was a number where Doja was definitely having the time of her life. To bear witness to her nonstop energy, rap prowess, melodic vocals, and high-intensity choreography (done in kitty heels!) was overstimulating in the best of ways, making it impossible for any of us to look away from what she was doing on stage. 

As the final chorus of the track began to play, Doja once again moved towards the audience — walking through a sea of confetti — to throw roses to the crowd in the floor standing section. Beckoning her farewell by blowing a series of kisses as well, it was more than enough to make anyone’s heart flutter, given all the exhilarating performances we’ve just experienced on a late Sunday evening.

In hindsight, it felt almost poetic that a night meant to give Doja her flowers concluded with her handing out flowers to us instead. After an evening defined by her virtuosity, stamina, and showmanship, that simple gesture transformed the Mall of Asia Arena into something far more intimate than a world-tour stop. It symbolized how, even as she rightfully receives her acclaim, Doja is equally intent on honoring the very people who have propelled her to this moment — inviting us into her artistic journey rather than merely performing it in front of us. Plus, in doing so, the concert became more than just a collection of excellent, immersive performances, but it also evolved into an emotional exchange between artist and audience — one that was punctuated by tears, laughter, disbelief, and an unfiltered sense of joy.

As those roses left her hands and landed in ours, so too did an unspoken promise linger in the air — one suggesting that this connection, newly strengthened and deeply felt, is far from over. For if anything, Doja Car’s heartfelt response to Manila’s overwhelming embrace made one thing clear: this will surely not be her last time performing in the country. Instead, it marks the beginning of an even stronger bond, and a future return that now feels not just possible, but is definitely inevitable.

Listen to Doja Cat’s latest album, Vie, in its entirety below: