On Sept. 7, Conan Gray stunned viewers with his performance of his hit song, “Vodka Cranberry,” at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). From his fourth studio album, Wishbone, fans were most notably nervous about “Vodka Cranberry” because there’s a very high riff on the recorded track, and they didn’t know how well this note would be performed live. Gray ended up nailing every note at the end of the song, shocking fans.
SHakespearean Connection
At the beginning of the performance, Gray was seen on stage with actor Corey Fogelmanis, who has been in projects such as Girl Meets World, My Life with the Walter Brothers, and all three music videos for Wishbone songs: “This Song,” “Vodka Cranberry,” and “Caramel.” They touch foreheads, and Gray lays Fogelmanis down on a bed of roses before promptly starting the song.
Covered with stone, roses, leafy greens, and lots of smoke, the stage indicated a foggy night. In the background, there were orchestra performers in loose, flowy outfits, making them almost seem like eerie ghosts.
As for Gray and Fogelmanis, they were dressed in clothing inspired by the sixteenth century. At the end of the song, Gray walked back to Fogelmanis and promptly drank a potion before lying down on Fogelmanis’ chest.
All these details directly align with the ending of William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet. In the play, once the rival families of the couple learn about their romance, Romeo and Juliet decide to fake their deaths and run away together without their families knowing.
To convince her family that she has “died,” Juliet takes a sleeping potion. Because Romeo never received the message explaining Juliet’s plan, he also thinks she’s dead and drinks poison to join her in the afterlife. This particular scene is depicted in the song’s performance.
“Vodka Cranberry” follows the perspective of a person in a relationship where their significant other is on the verge of breaking up with them, but they don’t have the guts to follow through and end the relationship.
Romeo and Juliet relates to the song and performance because Gray makes the final decision to drink the potion and follow Fogelmanis. Gray also makes the final decision with the lyric: “If you won’t end things, then I will.”
Revival of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in Modern Pop Culture
This isn’t the first time that Romeo and Juliet has made a reappearance in pop culture. In September 2024, Rachel Zegler and Kit Conner debuted as the two pivotal characters in Romeo + Juliet, a Broadway production with a modern twist to the story’s delivery. Similarly, Tom Holland played Romeo in Jamie Lloyd’s Romeo & Juliet production on the West End in August 2024.
Another adaptation, & Juliet, is a popular jukebox musical on Broadway where Juliet rewrites her ending in order to discover herself and not die. As time goes on, Romeo and Juliet continues to inspire new generations in reimagined ways with a focus on its themes of love, sacrifice, and tragedy.
For example, Gray retwists the tale to fit the narrative of “Vodka Cranberry.” His performance also gave way to representation for the LGBTQ+ community, as the song was performed between two people who love each other but don’t fit the usual Romeo and Juliet description.
Implications for Gray’s Upcoming Tour
With Gray’s performance of “Vodka Cranberry,” fans are eager to see what is next in terms of his performance and what his tour for Wishbone is going to be. The album features themes of young love, hope, and heartbreak.
The tour began on Sept. 11 and is set to conclude on Oct. 19. His VMAs performance set the tone for what fans can expect: powerful vocals, theatrical storytelling, and a fun time.
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