Here’s Everyone Performing at the 2025 MTV VMAs, From Sabrina Carpenter to Sombr

Ricky Martin

MTV’s Video Music Awards have been the catalyst for some of pop culture’s most iconic performances, from Michael Jackson’s medley in 1995 to Lady Gaga’s bloody opera for “Paparazzi” in 2009. Of course, you can’t ever mention the beloved awards show without acknowledging Beyoncé, Britney Spears, and Taylor Swift’s era-defining moments. The list goes on, and after a legendary lineup at the 2024 VMAs (Ahem: Chappell Roan, Katy Perry, and GloRilla, to name a few), we are simply seated for this year’s ceremony.

This year’s show is set to take place on Sunday, September 7, and marks the first time it will air on both MTV and CBS. We’ll see a mix of breakout stars and VMA vets take the stage at New York’s UBS Arena, from Alex Warren and Sombr to Sabrina Carpenter and Ricky Martin. Check out all the artists performing at the 2025 MTV VMAs so you don’t miss a beat.

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Ricky is a multihyphenate in every sense, thanks to his Latin Grammy-winning music and coveted acting roles to his humanitarian work over the years. That’s why he’s the first artist to be honored with the VMAs’ Latin Icon Award. It’s been 26 years since his first performance in 1999, when he took home 5 Moon Person awards and made history as the first male Latin artist to win for Best Pop Video.

Busta Rhymes

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Busta Rhymes will also be honored with the first-ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award, which celebrates his boundary-breaking cultural impact in Hip-Hop and beyond. The “Touch It” artist was also a Global Icon honoree at last year’s EMAs. He last performed at the show in 2021, when he closed it out with a rapid-fire medley of his greatest hits.

Sabrina Carpenter

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Hot off her legendary headlining set at Lollapalooza, Sabrina is returning to the VMAs after the release of her seventh album, Man’s Best Friend. Last year, she hit the main stage for the first time to perform a medley of tracks off Short n’ Sweet. She’s also up for eight awards this year, including Video of the Year for “Manchild.”

sombr

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Rising star sombr has definitely hit your Spotify algorithm thanks to his three (!!!) simultaneous hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, “undressed,” “back to friends,” and “12 to 12.” This marks his awards show debut, as well as his first-ever VMA noms for Best New Artist and Best Alternative.

Alex Warren

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The MTV PUSH artist’s breakout hit, “Ordinary,” has pretty much been everywhere and even earned a stamp of approval from Lana Del Rey at Stagecoach earlier this year. Naturally, the track has topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 27 weeks and spent 10 of those weeks at number one.

J Balvin, DJ Snake, Justin Quiles, and Lenny Tavárez

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Latin powerhouse J Balvin hasn’t hit the VMAs stage since 2022, but he’s coming back this year thanks to his track with DJ Snake, “Noventa,” and his latest collab with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, “Zun Zun.” The 13-time nominee is looking to earn his sixth Moon Person award as he’s nominated for “Rio” in the Best Latin category.