Doja Cat has just had a tonsillectomy and is about to perform for the first time after the operation, but she doesn’t seem anxious about it. Doja tells PEOPLE, “I’m washed out,” as a blurry image of the neon JBL sign appears on her screen. I resemble the alien from Cocoon.
Doja catches up with PEOPLE on Zoom on a Wednesday, and a flashing banner in the backdrop briefly takes over the screen as she equates herself to a creature from a 1985 Ron Howard film.
The three-night event, JBL Fest, will feature performances by global brand ambassadors like Bebe Rexha, Martin Garrix, and The Kid LAROI, as well as gaming and sports experiences for JBL fans. The 26-year-old pop star is preparing for what amounts to a comeback performance at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
Doja, who had to cancel her opening set for The Weeknd’s After Hours Till Dawn Tour this summer due to an abscess in her left tonsil, will be making up the performance at the JBL Live show in November.
As she works on new music, she tells PEOPLE that she is nearly fully recovered from her surgery and has developed a taste for Velveeta shells. But tonight, in front of some of Doja’s favorite people, she has a passion for performance that outweighs her appreciation for even the most easily digested spaghetti.
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Doja exclaims before her performance, “I’m so eager to be on stage again.” Her 15-song lineup included everything from Tia Tamera to Kiss Me More. That’s undoubtedly a high point in my professional experience. It seems like a lot of work to get ready for. Things become excessive when I have a thousand dancers. But I’m venturing off alone this time, and it’s a wonderful sense of independence and calm. Plus, that’s a nice way to get back into the conversation.
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