“This man might win the 2025 performative male MVP.”

Dominic Fike’s Lollapalooza efficiency took an surprising flip when he introduced his younger son on stage, prompting cheers from the gang…and side-eyes from the web. While followers on the pageant melted over the toddler’s toy mic and dance strikes, critics on-line accused the musician of utilizing the second for consideration, labeling him the most recent instance of a “performative male.”

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Why are individuals calling Dominic Fike “performative”?

Social media discovered its newest pejorative obsession within the phrase “performative,” beginning final July. The “performative male” is any man who engages in an exercise or publicly demonstrates a choice solely to draw the eye of girls.

Classic indicators of the performative male embody consuming matcha, sporting a Labubu, studying in public, or donning wired headphones. Now, this apparently contains taking part in along with your son.

Fike introduced his son, whom many didn’t know existed, out to fulfill the gang at Lollapalooza on August 3. After taking part in a number of of his hits and a canopy of Coldplay’s “Yellow,” he walked off and returned with the tot because the screens displayed the phrases, “Quiet please, baby on stage.”

The rapper additionally introduced out a number of toys for his son, who wore protecting headphones. X account Pop Crave posted a clip of fan footage that gained 15.8 million views in a few days.

Lollapalooza attendees appeared to like it, particularly the women, who may be heard going “aww” throughout the gang.

At the identical time, the act of celebrities making spectacles of their kids has fallen out of favor lately. People shortly posed questions on whether or not Fike did this out of affection for his son, or to get consideration.

“2025 performative male MVP”

Aside from these floored to seek out out that Fike has a child and questioning who the mom is, people discovered each motive doable to disapprove of his determination to convey the kid on stage.

X consumer @pinkcubsss struggled with “the concept of bringing your child onstage during a festival and even having their toys up there with you as an way to introduce them to your fans.”

Others jumped on the likelihood to name a man performative. User @kksliderupdates dubbed him a “new level of performative male manipulator.”

“This man might win the 2025 performative male mvp,” agreed @afemeje.

User @yunglyssss stated, “he would’ve won that performative man contest.”

Meanwhile, @dayunki labeled Fike’s stunt each “performative and exploitative.”

Others have been irritated on the interruption to what they got here to see.

“Imagine you buy a lollapalooza ticket only for it to be a daycare,” wrote @raereturns. “I’d throw all kinds of sh*t on stage I’m sorry.”

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