The audience at the 2025 Grammy Awards started the night just about dead but Doechii brought them back to life. She followed up a strong Best New Artist set by Benson Boone with a rendition of “CATFISH” that brought the house down.
Doechii had had already nabbed the Grammy for Best Rap Album for Alligator Bites Never Heal, which we thought was one of the 50 best albums of 2024. It was an accolade that, as she pointed out in her emotional acceptance speech, had only been given to two previous women since 1989: Lauryn Hill and Cardi B. Her performance of “CATFISH” met the historic moment.
Backup dancers stomped across the stage in violent unison, as Doechii showed off the kind of breath control that will have festival bookers sitting up straight. A dramatic costume change left her alone, and her presence seemed to expand to take up the extra space. Afterwards the camera panned to Billie Eilish shouting, “Wow!”Check out the performance below.
The Best New Artist Grammy would soon after be handed to Chappell Roan. For more, take a look at our updating list of winners as well as our full coverage of the 2025 Grammy Awards.
Doechii performs “CATFISH” at the 2025 #Grammys pic.twitter.com/4HkMxU8mad
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 3, 2025
THE REACTIONS TO DOECHII’S PERFORMANCE😭 pic.twitter.com/sNlxdVr4ri
— amir (@youwereoffkey) February 3, 2025