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1.1 Pre-2014: SoundCloud Ignites Doja Cat's Career

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1.1 Pre-2014: SoundCloud Ignites Doja Cat's Career

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Doja Cat (born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini) first shared her music publicly using the music platform SoundCloud in 2012 when still a teenager. Born and raised in California by creative and performance-focused parents (her mother is a Jewish-American painter and her father is a South African actor and producer) aged 17 she chose her stage name after her love of cats and after a strain of marijuana. She states how she was 'heavily addicted to weed and weed culture, so when I began rapping, I thought of the word 'doja' and how it sounds like a girl's name.'

The first song she shared was 'So High' which led to her getting signed to RCA Records with Dr. Luke's label Kemosabe Records. Her earlier sound could be described as alternative-psych-RnB.

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Its a hair flip ;3
 creds to Evil Needle ;  Falling Leaves ;3

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1.2 Early Performances: Doja Cat at Bananas (2014) 

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1.2 Early Performances: Doja Cat at Bananas (2014) 

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One of Doja Cat's earlier performances already showcases her talent, unique style and ability to entertain audiences with her captivating high-energy. Her outfit is bold and provocative as she tells the audiences to 'throw their coochie in the air' already suggesting her star image/persona will focus on empowering women and their sexuality. She removes her jacket, showcasing her leopard print halter-neck and high-waisted skinny jeans whilst rapping. Even though her voice and breathing are shaky, perhaps due to nerves, she manages to rap without any backing track and engaging the audience. This is also an early performance of 'So High' which became her first official single released.

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1.5 A Collection of Doja Cat's Earlier Songs on SoundCloud

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1.5 A Collection of Doja Cat's Earlier Songs on SoundCloud

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Listen to Doja cat Old Songs, a playlist curated by dojaswife on desktop and mobile.

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The then 18-year-old rapper attended a Friends 'N' Family 17th Annual Pre-Grammy Party in LA. Her outfit suggests hints of boldness with the fur scarf, fishnets and thick gold hoop earrings. She appears both 'cute' and 'sexy' in her lilac skater-style dress and beanie.

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The debut EP consists of 5 tracks, including 'So High' previously released on SoundCloud. Distributed by Kemosabe Records and RCA Records. Her sound is a DIY-style using a variety of instrumentals sourced online from producers such as Evil Needle, Dream Koala and Mndsgn. The album art follows her earlier style focusing on a 'psychedelic/trippy' style using various shades of purple and reinforcing her cat-focused branding.

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In this interview we learn Doja has creative, theatrical parents and that she dropped out of high school to teach herself how to create music on GarageBand. The song was 'a joke between me and my fans' who helped come up with puns/metaphors during an Instagram Live. Emphasises her DIY style and an early-on authentic, engagement with fans.

She states how 'if your intent is to be happy, comfortable, genuine, and true in craft, you're destined to be noticed. People can smell when things aren't genuine.' This will become a nuanced issue throughout her star trajectory. This viral hit helps promote her Amala tour.

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"Mooo!" is one of the catchiest, most ridiculous records of 2018. Quickly climbing towards the 8.5 million view mark on YouTube, and with tens of thousands of retweets, the dreamy track by 22-year-old Doja Cat - real name Amalaratna Zandile Dlamini - is also a certified bovine bop. Yesterday (August 27), she revealed on Twitter that she will be sharing a new, legit version soon on Spotify and iTunes.

Staying true to her animal-loving personal brand, Doja Cat's name originated from her love of cats "in every aspect" - and weed. "I was heavily addicted to weed and weed culture, so when I began rapping I thought of the word 'doja' and how it sounds like a girl's name," she tells Dazed over email. No matter how unconventional her subject matter, Doja's slick bars, puns, and moves can hold your attention. In fact, "Mooo!" was written in about five hours, when the singer became inspired by the new cow costume she sports in the video.

"It was a joke between me and my fans," she reflects on the song's surprise success. "We started it on Instagram Live, just me and 60 other people, and we all had fun coming up with puns and metaphors." With a background in battle raps, she's gained a fan base that religiously tune into IG live to listen to her live remixes, freestyles and previews of upcoming songs.

Like most viral crazes, Doja has hit controversy. In the latest example of a trial-by-timeline cancellation, it appears evidence of her saying a homophobic slur has been unearthed, and her clumsy apology contained yet more slurs ("I've said f*ggot roughly like 15 thousand times in my life", she posted). Doja has yet to respond to Dazed's request for comment on the issue; before the controversy, she spoke to us about her influences, the industry, and how she made a fun home movie that has the potency of a carefully constructed pop release.
Finish the following sentence, truthfully, without using the word cow. "Bitch I'm a ..."
Doja Cat: Creator.
Does it feel weird to have people discover you through being a cow, rather than through which was a great body of work? In "Cookie Jar" on you say that people have been sleeping on you; how do you compare the attention to "Mooo!" to the release of your album? Do you think it's hard getting seen as a new artist right now?
Doja Cat: What's great is through this song, more people than my initial fanbase are discovering my catalogue. All of my hidden gems on Soundcloud are receiving love. Songs on my album that we didn't put out as singles are receiving a lot of positivity, and it's just beautiful to watch.

Doja Cat: "Mooo!" gained all of this traction right after my album release and right before my first headlining tour, which begins in September. It's such a blessing and such a fun thing, watching everything roll out nicely with the support of this song which was essentially a joke. Nobody cared about me this way two weeks ago.
Tell me a bit about you and your background - did you come from a musical family?
Doja Cat: If your only intent is to be seen, you'll never be seen. If your intent is to be happy, comfortable, genuine, and true in craft, you're destined to be noticed. People can smell when things aren't genuine.

"If your only intent is to be seen, you'll never be seen. People can smell when things aren't genuine" - Doja Cat

Who was involved in the making of the "Mooo!" video? Tell me how the concept came together.
Doja Cat: My mom was a painter and loves to sing behind closed doors. My father is a South African actor who danced in broadway musicals for Lion King. I took a little bit of everything from both of them. I was born in Tarzana, California, and moved immediately to the Bronx, New York for five years and moved back to Oak Park, where I was taking ballet, tap, and jazz. I stayed a lot in Malibu, and surfed in a surf camp for years around that time. After moving from Oak Park around the age of 11 and a half, I started to take up break dancing. I danced in a crew and competed around Los Angeles in organised underground cypher/battles.

In 11th grade, I dropped out and stopped dancing as much, and took up music to see if it would stick. Some friends in high school would tell me I should sing. I started teaching myself to sing in my room, and would make songs on GarageBand with my desktop computer on the floor on a mattress.
It has a glitchy gamer aesthetic - are you into gaming?
Doja Cat: It's all DIY. I opened up Photo Booth in my laptop and used the green screen feature with a green sheet that I hadn't used since I was 12 that was buried in the depths of my closet. I tacked it to a wall with a hammer, right over my mirror and used some LED christmas lights to light everything. It wasn't as bright as I wanted but that's the best I could do. Before hitting record to film it, I made sure I ordered a cheeseburger and a shake to use for props. A lot of people want to know where I ordered it from, but that'll remain my little secret.
Do you think cows are represented enough in mainstream media?

Doja Cat really just out here making bops on IG live pic.twitter.com/0zvkis1YhK
- modeerf ot (@KAL3ID0SCOPE) August 26, 2018
Do you feel like you need an animal-themed EP now?
Doja Cat: I'm very much into gaming, but I don't game competitively. I just love unearthing games from my childhood and playing GTA 5 a lot. I had a GameCube, Wii, Nintendo DS light, N64, GB Advanced, GB color, SEGA - the list really goes on. I like to pull a lot of my inspiration from games I played as a kid. The clothes they wore in the games. The music. Everything really ties into my overall style. I have a song called "Nintendhoe" that I made a few weeks ago about all of this.
Where could you go next... why not cats?
Doja Cat: I think they're represented enough in my mouth.
What have some of the most bizarre reactions been to the song?
Doja Cat: I wasn't thinking about the plight of cows. I'm not trying to be an activist or some kind of farm rapper.
Where do you think you will go from here artistically?
Doja Cat: Oh the cats are absolutely on their way. I hint at this in my music video for "Go to Town".

Doja Cat: People get really upset about it, and some guy was vomiting milk all over his kitchen to the song as a #moochallenge. (That was) pretty fucking intense.

Doja Cat: I picked up producing about three years ago, and I've been making beats and writing songs in my room since then. I think I should take piano lessons and delve a little deeper into the more complex areas of producing. I just want to excel.

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Speaking to Doja Cat, the IG Live auteur behind viral hit 'Mooo!'

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The musician tells Dazed about how she made the viral home video that ignited her career

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2.4 Genius Official Lyrics & Meaning of 'Mooo!' (2018)

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2.4 Genius Official Lyrics & Meaning of 'Mooo!' (2018)

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This analysis of her catchy, tongue-in-cheek track highlights DC's sense of humour and chronically-online 'trolling' persona.

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Doja Cat "Mooo!" Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified

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Doja Cat's first studio album, 'Amala' did not perform well on music charts. Certain songs such as 'Go To Town' and 'Tia Tamera (ft. Rico Nasty)' will eventually help to solidify her sound as an artist later in her career.

Her appearance continues to conflict by appearing both soft and feminine yet provocative and sexual. Once again appearing both 'cute' and 'sexy'. Her look now shifting towards pink rather than lilac. Her sound introduces a blend of pop, hip-hop and R&B.

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Doja Cat's second studio album shifts from pastel pink into hot pink. Her look now veering more towards 'sexy' than 'cute'. The album includes elements of electro-pop, funk and trap music. Received well critically and commercially, this album helped Doja Cat grow in popularity with songs such as 'Say So' and 'Streets' highlighting her excellent rapping abilities and energetic charisma throughout.

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Planet Her contains elements of Afrobeat, hip-hop and dream pop demonstrating Doja Cat's versatility as she effortlessly switches between styles. This album solidifies her as a star with many songs collaborating with other popular artists such as SZA and The Weeknd.

The album art shifts from focusing on her face to her whole body and focuses on the galaxy/cosmic atmosphere around her. The colour-palette appears to incorporate colours from all her previous covers but focuses on the alien-esque, darker elements.

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2.6 Interview with djvlad: Being Biracial, People Shaming Her Natural Body (2019) 

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2.6 Interview with djvlad: Being Biracial, People Shaming Her Natural Body (2019) 

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During this interview, Doja Cat appears grounded and mature despite her first viral moment being a silly inside joke with her fans. Her style continues combining cute/sexy elements - the cat ear headpiece and delicate floral prints mixed with the low-cut style and sleek, dark bob and large hoop earrings. She appears calm, comfortable and charismatic during the interview.

'It was just like the cutest beat ever, it was so joyful and pretty.' (referencing 'Mooo!') At this point her star image is more 'cute' oriented as she describes her fashion/music style: 'I've always been about dressing up, always been about being soft and girly and pink and cute... I definitely try to integrate that into my music.'

'I'll make another cute song and see how this works' ('So High'). Part of her likeability could be due to her relatability (being self-made) explaining how she 'got like 12 views and I started like crying' as well as subverting how 'attractive' women speak: 'it was good to know people actually f*cked with my sh*t'

During the interview she seems sure of her vision as she explains how she made her own music video. She appears to know what she wants to express. Blac Chyna, Katy Perry, J. Cole and Chance The Rapper all engaged with her viral song, further pushing Doja Cat into the spotlight. She utilizes YouTube and social media to gain status but there is also depth behind it (the beat of the track, vocal layers, her other songs).

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Doja Cat on Being Biracial, People Shaming Her Natural Body (Full Interview) (Part 1)

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2.7 'Bad Attention' for Chain Bralette (2019)

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2.7 'Bad Attention' for Chain Bralette (2019)

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Part of Doja Cat's appeal is her 'realness', she speaks about not having or wanting any plastic surgery done. Comments on this photo said she looked 'saggy' which 'hurt my feelings of course but like, I don't give a f*ck'. She is told the way she rose to fame was 'unique and authentic and true to who you are' which all contribute to her star image/persona appeal. She also speaks with insight and maturity, she seems to know herself and the industry as she says: 'it's a business - you can't judge people or take things personally'.

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3.3 Viral Moment #2 'Say So' Dance (TikTok - 2020)

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3.3 Viral Moment #2 'Say So' Dance (TikTok - 2020)

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Haley Sharpe created the original 'Say So' dance which she shared on TikTok. The dance and song became viral in late February 2020 just before the first COVID-19 lockdown. Celebrities and the public joined in with the trend, having fun and wanting to appear relevant. This highlights the power fans and audience have as viral videos create a snowball-like effect. Sharpe's routine amassed 7.5 million views and 1.1 million likes. Sharpe appears in the official 'Say So' music video which suggests Doja Cat's gratitude.

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TikToker who created the viral Say So dance cameos in Doja Cat video

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TikTok sensation Haley Sharpe (yodelinghaley) created the original 'Say So' dance that features in Doja Cat's new music video. Watch the original video here.

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The video refers back to her earlier songs using psychedelic colours and dancing reminiscent of the 1970s. The video came out February 27th 2020 just before the first lockdown. Doja Cat leans into focusing on her sexuality as well as displaying her creative, fun side.

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3.4 E-Girl Beauty Style: Vogue (Dec 2019)

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3.4 E-Girl Beauty Style: Vogue (Dec 2019)

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Doja Cat begins her routine barefaced and ends with her speckled 'e-girl look' after giving tips throughout. She says she's inspired by Harajuku culture, which correlates to her style and star image thus far. There's 'a little peacock moment on the eye and a little mermaid moment' with her hair. Her persona promotes being oneself, authentic and unapologetic about it.

Comments on the beauty routine include calling her 'relatable', 'real', 'honest', 'pretty natural and honest, not putting on an act or anything' even with bright pink 40-inch hair. Another comment states 'as a brown woman seeing her hyperpigmentation and upper lip hairs (just like mine!) was pretty awesome...Doja Cat thank you for being real'. Her relatability and grounded-energy continue, appearing unaffected by her rise to fame.

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Doja Cat's Guide to E-Girl Beauty | Beauty Secrets | Vogue

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2.2 Viral Moment #1: 'Mooo!' Music Video (YouTube - Aug 2018)

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2.2 Viral Moment #1: 'Mooo!' Music Video (YouTube - Aug 2018)

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Doja Cat becomes part of meme-culture with Mooo! track. This viral video pinpoints Doja Cat's beginning of her rise to fame. After a tepid response to her debut album, this self-release 'joke' song became an overnight sensation and dominated online discourse.

The video gained tens of millions of views within a week of its release due to its iconic one-liners, and catchy hooks give us a taste of Doja Cat's star persona: part internet troll, part lyrical genius, part cute/sexy popstar.

The cow-patterned tie-front co-ord and furry ears foreshadow the kind of campy costume and the originality in fashion that is to be expected of her years later.

One comment says 'I can't wait to be 80 years old blasting this in some senior living home' suggesting her assumed star quality and longevity.

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3.8 Pink, Feathery, Fluffy, Feline, Fun, Feminine Star Image (2019)

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3.8 Pink, Feathery, Fluffy, Feline, Fun, Feminine Star Image (2019)

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bold

camp

concept-based

goofy/silly

thought-provoking

avant-garde

cute

sexy/provocative

original

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intelligent/witty

hip-hop influences

alternative r&b and pop

Afrobeat influences

mixture of influences - contemporary twists using soulful samples (e.g. Vegas, Paint The Town Red)

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This look offers a glimpse into the direction Doja Cat's style and persona will take in the following years.

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Candyfloss/bubblegum 70's style is consistent with her 'Say So' music video.

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This look combines bold and delicate elements, leaning more towards her sexier persona. The hot pink ostrich feathers and her candyfloss coloured hair are consistent with this particular era.

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Doja Cat explains how she smoked a lot of weed when she was younger. She appears more focused, still grounded and relatable as she tells the hosts she doesn't get high anymore.

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Doja Cat Talks New Single “Juicy” + Origins Of 'Mooo' Record

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3.6 Explaining 'Juicy' to Classical Kyle (2020)

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3.6 Explaining 'Juicy' to Classical Kyle (2020)

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Doja Cat appears reinforces her authenticity, relatability and genuine nature during this interview.

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Doja Cat Explains 'Juicy' To A Classical Music Expert | Classical Kyle | Capital XTRA

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4.2 One Take Talent: 'Kiss Me More' Clip (2021)

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4.2 One Take Talent: 'Kiss Me More' Clip (2021)

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A clip from the viral song 'Kiss Me More' shows Doja Cat's talent and work ethic.

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Controversy around the visuals of this music video with public questioning if Doja Cat was appropriating Hindu culture throughout the video when depicting herself as a deity.

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3.7 A Quadruple Threat - 'In a league of her own' (Oct 2020)

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3.7 A Quadruple Threat - 'In a league of her own' (Oct 2020)

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'She captures fans and brings them into her world with each new piece of content. Her unique vision, genre-bending approach and appeal to a wide audience are what have contributed to her global success.' - RCA Chairman/CEO Peter Edge

'In presentation, she is utterly irrepressible - spontaneous, wild, and silly - but the truth is, she's also an extraordinarily talented artist who can truly sing and rap with the best.' - RCA Co-President John Fleckenstein

Doja Cat is identified as an artist who has fast-tracked to stardom. The article acknowledges her genuine talent, her authentic personality and her strong creative leadership regarding the majority of her visuals. The fact she is young adds to her 'star' 'extraordinary' qualities.

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GRAMMY PREVIEW: DOJA CAT : HITS Daily Double

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FAST TRACK TO STARDOM
By Ashley LyleWhen L.A. native Doja Cat self-released the trippy, soulful “So High” and its psychedelic video in 2014, her uniqueness was already apparent, leading…

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2.5 Doja Cat's Response to F-Slur Controversy (2018)

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2.5 Doja Cat's Response to F-Slur Controversy (2018)

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Doja Cat has a history of doubling-down when called out for problematic behaviour. She seems to be quite reactionary, rarely choosing to de-escalate situations. It is difficult to distinguish if this is part of her 'trolling' fans or if these are genuine reactions.

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Each shift in star image aligns with a different album coming out. Even though Doja Cat appears consistent in her unpredictability, her sound and images do shift gradually over the release of her discography. It is also apparent that the colours tell an overall story, as the dominant colour for each album becomes more intense and darker. There main pivot in creative direction has been for her most recent album, Scarlet. The most obvious shift is not choosing to use her image as the selling factor, perhaps because her name is enough to sell albums now.

1. Purrr! --> lilac, shades of purple

2. Amala --> rose/pastel pink, peach

3. Hot Pink --> intense hot barbie pink

4. Planet Her --> deep purples, violets, cosmic

5. Scarlet --> black and white album art but intense blood red dominates the music videos.

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Doja Cat, born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, is one of the hottest and most fashionable acts in the pop music industry today, known for hits like "Kiss Me More" and "Woman" from her popular 2021 album Planet Her. But her musical achievements often share the spotlight with the numerous controversies she's associated with.

Notorious for her online antics, the Grammy-winning rap artist embraces the role of what's known as a "s***poster", often sharing provocative and nonsensical messages on social media. And while this behaviour has helped the 27-year-old attract an audience and amplify her music over the years, it has also sparked significant backlash, including reportedly losing half a million Instagram followers in a month this past summer after she openly mocked her fans.

This impact was felt when Scarlet, her latest album, debuted at a lower-than-expected No 4 on US' Billboard 200 albums chart, despite its lead single "Paint the Town Red" topping the Billboard Hot 100.

Doja Cat's career is peppered with contentious moments, from using racial and homophobic slurs to trolling fans, weaving a complex narrative of success and scandal. So how will the artist's reputation shape her future in the music industry?

Let's take a closer look at seven of Doja Cat's most problematic moments ever.

1. Playing down Covid-19, calling it "a flu"

In March 2020 - the month the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic - Doja Cat sparked outrage during an Instagram live session where she poured scorn on those struggling with the coronavirus. The rapper dismissively compared the lethal virus - which has claimed around 7 million lives to date - to the flu, stating, "I'm gonna get corona and then I'm gonna get a Corona, 'cause I don't give a f*** about corona. B****, it's a flu. I'm not scared. Y'all are p****, period."

She contracted the virus in July 2020, and again in December 2021.

2. Alt-right chat rooms and racist slurs

In May 2020, Doja Cat found herself at the centre of another controversy, this time for using an offensive term in a song from 2015. The uproar began when an old track titled "Dindu Nuffin" resurfaced - with the term used to mock Black victims of police brutality - in the wake of the George Floyd protests and Black Lives Matter movement in May and June 2020.

Doja Cat apologised publicly for using the term, explaining that she had learned it from spending too much time in alt-right chat rooms as a teenager. But this wasn't enough to stop the hashtag #DojaCatIsOverParty from trending online.

3. Her feud with Stranger Things' Noah Schnapp

In July 2022, a tense exchange unfolded between actor Noah Schnapp of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things and Doja Cat across social media. Schnapp, known for his role as Will Byers, shared a screenshot of a private conversation with the rapper and singer on TikTok, revealing she had asked him to facilitate an introduction to his co-star, Joseph Quinn.

Doja Cat, who had publicly expressed her admiration for Quinn, launched a verbal assault against Schnapp, then only 17, calling him a "snake" and a "weasel". The aggressive interaction drew public scrutiny, prompting questions about Doja Cat's decision to ask the teenager to act as her wingman. Doja Cat responded to the uproar, tweeting, "Y'all are so cringe and lame and nobody wants to hang w u that's why y'all be on here unironically writing replies to s*** that makes you mad."

4. Dating disgraced Twitch streamer J Cyrus

Throughout her career, Doja Cat has raised eyebrows for her decision to collaborate with individuals like Chris Brown and Dr Luke, both of whom have faced credible accusations of abuse. That controversy reached a boiling point in November 2022, when news emerged regarding Doja Cat's relationship with beleaguered Twitch streamer J Cyrus.

In 2019 and 2020, multiple users of the gaming live-streaming platform accused Cyrus of emotional abuse and manipulation. With the accusers being mostly female followers and moderators who were significantly younger than the streamer, Cyrus issued a lengthy apology, seemingly admitting to and acknowledging his inappropriate and predatory behaviour.

5. Attacking fans ahead of her fourth album release

Tensions peaked in July when Doja Cat, evidently frustrated, sharply rebuked fans in her comments section, calling them out for being overly involved in her personal affairs. "If you call yourself a 'kitten' or f***ing 'kittenz' [a term for Doja Cat's fanbase], that means you need to get off your phone and get a job and help your parents with the house," she asserted.

This disconnect deepened when a fan expressed a desire to hear an "I love you" to her fan base. Doja Cat retorted, "I don't though cuz I don't even know y'all." She proceeded to label another fan a "crazy person" after they highlighted the unwavering support she'd received "through thick and thin" from her followers.

The cringeworthy incident led to the artist reportedly losing as many as 500,000 Instagram followers - although she still boasts a hefty 24.4 million follower count.

6. Another offensive song title

Upon the release of her new album in September, many Filipinos noted that she had named one of her tracks "Balut" - a popular street food in the Philippines. "I named the song 'Balut' because it signifies a bird that's being eaten alive," she explained in an Instagram Story.

That explanation offended many Filipinos, who pointed out that balut is not a live bird, but an embryo that's cooked before being eaten.

7. An alt-right fashion moment

Doja Cat's latest controversy unfolded on October 6, when she sported a T-shirt showcasing controversial internet comedian Sam Hyde clutching a rifle, in a photo posted on Instagram.

Fans quickly voiced their concerns, criticising her seeming endorsement of a figure notorious for perpetuating racist and sexist perspectives. In response, Doja Cat simply reposted the photo, this time cropping out the contentious image, and paired it with a caption featuring multiple eye-rolling emojis.

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Queen of controversy? 7 times Doja Cat made headlines for the wrong reasons

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The singer-rapper makes a habit of courting controversy, from her fashion choices to who she dates, and doesn't seem to care what anyone thinks of her - not even her fans

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'The discipline and drive of Doja Cat' this photoshoot is much edgier than previous shoots. There is a focus on black, leather and strength.

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Fashion photographer Greg Swales teams up with Doja Cat for Variety Magazine's 2023 Grammys Issue

Music superstar Doja Cat takes the cover story of VARIETY Magazine 2023 Grammys Issue captured by fashion photographer Greg Swales. In charge of styling was Brett Alan Nelson, with hair by JStayReady, makeup by Ernesto Casillas and nails by Saccia Livingston. The set design was the work of Lucy Holt, with production by Alexey Galetskiy. For the cover, Doja Cat is wearing Patrycja Pagas, jewelry by Loree Rodkin, Messika and David Yurman and shoes by Allessandra Rich.

I've been doing wigs for years, and I haven't gotten used to it. You wake up in the morning and it's in your mouth and in your eyes - it doesn't feel good. It's stressful if you want to work out, and then it slides off your head while you're in a public gym. So now you have another responsibility other than taking care of your body. So, yeah, it's the best choice I've ever made, and I've never felt more beautiful. And you know what? I still wear wigs, and they look better now because I don't have so much hair under them, braided with grease and glue buildup because I wouldn't wash my hair for two or three weeks at a time. Now I have a fucking hair hat - a shake-and-go - and I just slap it on and it's cute and I look like a little 'Pulp Fiction' girl.

A lot of people think I'm not good at handling trolls because I respond to them. But that's the art of it: I love to go to fucking war with trolls. That's just what I've grown up with; I've been on the internet for 1,000 fucking years and it's just part of me: that I need to respond. People think, 'Oh, if you're defending yourself, you're weak.' But I always rest on 'Everyone can suck my dick from the back. I don't know if you want to write that down. If somebody wants to fight me on the internet, I will gladly join in, balls to the wall. It's fun for me. I'm a very messy bitch.

Music superstar Doja Cat takes the cover story of VARIETY Magazine 2023 Grammys Issue captured by fashion photographer Greg Swales. In charge of styling was Brett Alan Nelson, with hair by JStayReady, makeup by Ernesto Casillas and nails by Saccia Livingston. The set design was the work of Lucy Holt, with production by Alexey Galetskiy. For the cover, Doja Cat is wearing Patrycja Pagas, jewelry by Loree Rodkin, Messika and David Yurman and shoes by Allessandra Rich.

I've been doing wigs for years, and I haven't gotten used to it. You wake up in the morning and it's in your mouth and in your eyes - it doesn't feel good. It's stressful if you want to work out, and then it slides off your head while you're in a public gym. So now you have another responsibility other than taking care of your body. So, yeah, it's the best choice I've ever made, and I've never felt more beautiful. And you know what? I still wear wigs, and they look better now because I don't have so much hair under them, braided with grease and glue buildup because I wouldn't wash my hair for two or three weeks at a time. Now I have a fucking hair hat - a shake-and-go - and I just slap it on and it's cute and I look like a little 'Pulp Fiction' girl.

A lot of people think I'm not good at handling trolls because I respond to them. But that's the art of it: I love to go to fucking war with trolls. That's just what I've grown up with; I've been on the internet for 1,000 fucking years and it's just part of me: that I need to respond. People think, 'Oh, if you're defending yourself, you're weak.' But I always rest on 'Everyone can suck my dick from the back. I don't know if you want to write that down. If somebody wants to fight me on the internet, I will gladly join in, balls to the wall. It's fun for me. I'm a very messy bitch.

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Doja Cat Covers VARIETY Magazine 2023 Grammys Issue

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Fashion photographer Greg Swales teams up with Doja Cat for Variety Magazine's 2023 Grammys Issue

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3.9 Fan Art - Speed Painting Doja Cat (2020)

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3.9 Fan Art - Speed Painting Doja Cat (2020)

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Fan art seem to accentuate her feline, sexual qualities. Using anime style which usually sexualises 'cuteness' with a focus on youth and energy.

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Doja Cat 'quits music' due to burnout and harassment from fans. (2022)

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Doja Cat 'quits music' due to burnout and harassment from fans. (2022)

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A timeline of Doja Cat's impressive and iconic career - The Post

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Doja Cat, also known as Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, may just be one of the most versatile female artists of this generation. She can sing, dance and most importantly, perform with the confidence that some struggle to fully embody on stage. Sadly, after experiencing burnout and harassment from fans on social media, the singer announced she would be quitting music after her tour with The Weeknd this summer.

There's no doubt that Doja Cat has left a lasting impact on the music scene, but it's even more important to highlight her impressive rise to fame.

With that being said, here is a timeline of Doja Cat's career:

2014

Doja Cat was only 17 years old with previous music experimentation on SoundCloud when she released her first single "So High" in 2012. Two years later, she signs to RCA Records on a joint-venture deal with Dr. Luke's vanity label Kemosabe Records.

March 27, 2014

The rapper finally releases a music video for "So High," which now has over 30 million views on YouTube.

Nov. 2, 2015

Dlamini uploads "Dindu Nuffin" to SoundCloud, one of her most controversial songs to date. The song is taken down after its title was found to refer to the racist slang term, coined in alt-right online circles to demean victims of police brutality. In 2020 on an Instagram live, Doja Cat denies that the song was made in response to the July 2015 death of Sandra Bland.

March 30, 2018

Doja releases her first studio album on her record label, which unfortunately doesn't perform well on music charts. Standouts such as "Go To Town" and "Tia Tamera (ft. Rico Nasty)" do eventually help solidify her as an artist later down the line in her career.

Aug. 10, 2018

Doja Cat releases what is now one of her most viral songs "Mooo!," which was accompanied by a green-screen home music video and the singer rocking a cow costume. It's by far one of the most outrageous and creative music videos to have blessed YouTube, proving that the singer does have a comedic side to her.

Nov. 7, 2019

The singer's second studio album drops, with critics giving rave reviews and receiving instant streams overnight. With songs such as "Say So" and "Streets," this album helps Doja Cat grow in popularity, highlighting her exquisite rapping abilities and energetic charisma within all 12 tracks.

Feb. 27, 2020

Doja Cat drops the music video for what would soon be a TikTok hit, "Say So." The video even features the TikTok dance creator Haley Sharpe. With an array of colors and dancing reminiscent of the 1970s, this music video made a lasting impression on everyone before the COVID-19 pandemic came into full force.

May 1, 2020

The singer teams up with her musical idol Nicki Minaj for the "Say So (Remix)." After rumors spread that the two were not on good terms, the duo proved everyone wrong with the surprise release of the already iconic track. The track debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Doja Cat's first No.1 song.

Aug. 2020

After being exclusive to SoundCloud since 2018, Doja Cat releases "Freak" to all streaming platforms. She also wins Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards, where she performed a medley of her songs "Say So" and "Like That (ft. Gucci Mane)."

September-October 2020

Dlamini is featured on multiple songs including Chloe X Halle's "Do It," Ozuna's "Del Mar" and Bebe Rexha's "Baby, I'm Jealous" and Ariana Grande's "motive." She also performs at the Billboard Music Awards, dancing in a burlesque-themed outfit and singing a medley of "Say So," "Like That" and "Juicy." The singer also performs for the first time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jan. 7, 2021

Doja Cat joins in on more features with fellow rapper Saweetie for "Best Friend" and Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion for the "34+35 (Remix)." Following the release of Ariana Grande's remix of her smash hit, the song reached a peak of No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Her once slept-on single "Streets" from Hot Pink also begins to gain traction after going viral on TikTok, peaking at No.16 on the Billboard chart.

March 2021

The singer attends the sixty-third Grammy Awards after being nominated for three awards: Best New Artist, Record of the Year for "Say So" and Best Pop Solo Performance. She also performs at the ceremony, this time rocking a tight black latex jumpsuit with alien-like choreography.

Doja Cat also begins teasing her third album, which she reveals is named Planet Her.

April 9, 2021

Doja Cat releases the first single off Planet Her called "Kiss Me More (ft. SZA)," which officially becomes the song of the summer, reaching No.5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

May 2021

Doja Cat wins Top Female R&B Artist at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, performing "Kiss Me More" with SZA.

June 11, 2021

The second single off Planet Her, "Need to Know," is released along with a music video. The video showed a new side to Doja Cat as she totally embodied the themes of femininity, sexuality and sensuality as she sported an alien look again, even including special guests such as Grimes.

Hours before its release, the singer takes to social media to reveal the album art and tracklist for Planet Her.

June 25, 2021

is finally available to stream, with major features on the album such as Ariana Grande on "I Don't Do Drugs" and The Weeknd on "You Right." It received rave reviews and transcended genres, as Doja Cat included pop ballads along with spunky rap verses.

Sept. 15, 2021

Doja Cat hosts her first award show, that being the MTV Video Music Awards. During the show, she also performed "Been Like This" and "You Right" off of Planet Her, trapezing through the air.

Nov. 23, 2021

Planet Her receives 11 Grammy nominations, including the top prize of Album of the Year. The singer is also nominated in other categories such as Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

March 31, 2022

After admitting to being extremely overworked, along with receiving constant harassment from fans, Doja Cat announces she will be quitting music after her summer tour with The Weeknd. To many fans' disappointment, she continues to adamantly stick to her statement.

April 3, 2022

Doja Cat wins her first Grammy award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her hit song "Kiss Me More (ft. SZA)." Rushing to the stage after they announced her win mid-bathroom break, the rapper was overjoyed and even shed a few tears over the award.

April 17, 2022

As one of her final major music festival performances, Doja Cat wows the crowd at the first weekend of Coachella, playing a mix of songs from her past three albums.

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A timeline of Doja Cat's impressive and iconic career

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A homage to one of the world's most talented artists, especially as she nears retirement.

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avant-garde, high fashion whilst remaining sexy and 'cute' her look evolving into a more severe image. The red pleather, still sleek and glossy but much edgier, more demanding and dominating appearance.

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avant-garde

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elegant, sophisticated, sexy, sleek, womanly

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challenging gender stereotypes and conventional femininity

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Iconic Star Image: Variety Interview (Nov 2022)

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Iconic Star Image: Variety Interview (Nov 2022)

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Doja Cat Plays 'Smash or Pass' with Her Most Iconic Outfits and Talks Deleting Her TikTok

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Doja Cat's creative vision once again proved to entertain audiences with her talent and confident performance. Her talent and commitment to her creativity are shown through her contemporary dance moves whilst singing live, yet appears effortless. The wet hair covering the face and the chosen outfit are reminiscent of Michael Jackson, as well as being physically suspended, suggests and reinforces her transcendence into stardom.

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Doja Cat - Been Like This / You Right (Medley [2021 MTV VMAs])

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4.4 Individual Talent: Interviewed by Missy Elliott (2021)

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4.4 Individual Talent: Interviewed by Missy Elliott (2021)

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Doja Cat was forged on the internet. Like any self-respecting member of the Oversharing Generation, the wildly imaginative pop provocateur has left a sometimes messy, always intriguing digital footprint so deep that you can trace her origin story through chat rooms, SoundCloud pages, deleted tweets, viral videos, Instagram Live apologies, and a TikTok presence that doubles as a master class in the art of trolling. But all of it takes a backseat to her artistry, which, as demonstrated on her blockbuster album , is at once eclectic, versatile, and undeniable. Here, another generational shape-shifter gets to know the woman behind the persona.

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MISSY ELLIOTT: What up, Miss Doja Cat? What part of the world you at?

DOJA CAT: I'm in L.A. I'm freaking out. I woke up early and did my makeup really, really crazy like an alien, because I thought it was going to be a Zoom video call, and wow, did I miss that.

ELLIOTT: What? You should have told me! I would've put on my "Sock It to Me" outfit. Let me know if my phone gets to crackling up, because the signal in my house be crazy sometimes. You remind me of myself when it comes to writing and producing, so I was wondering if, because we walk around with our phones, and get to see what everybody else is doing-what the hot songs are, and what everybody else is wearing-does it make you second-guess things, when you're thinking so far-left?

DOJA CAT: In regards to you, you make the same hard-hitting, crazy shit that I've been hearing since day one. I hope I'm like that in the future. There are people I used to listen to who don't sound the same, and switched their thing up; maybe they needed to change their entire brand. But you're one of the few who were able to keep their sound, and I love that about you. I definitely see a lot of new artists, but it doesn't make me feel like I need to change my sound. Even though I was born in 1995, I'm stuck in 2010, or 2004. I feel like I need to revamp my sound, but I'm also having a lot of fun, so fuck it, who cares?

ELLIOTT: For my first album, I didn't listen to the radio. I didn't watch videos. I didn't do any of those things, and I didn't realize how much that helped me at the time. But it helped, because me and Timb, we didn't mimic. So if we did something far-left, we weren't afraid, because we didn't know what was hot anyway. But now, when I got my phone and I'm seeing things, I can think of something really far-left and then I'll be like, "They're going to think I'm crazy. Let me reel it back."

DOJA CAT: I feel that.

ELLIOTT: It gets tricky sometimes, so here's some advice. Whatever you're doing, if you feel like you're in this place, and it seems to be working, stay there. Don't allow other things to make you second-guess yourself, as long as it feels good to you. Is there anything you haven't done that is on your to do list?

DOJA CAT: When it comes to rap I could be better. I think everybody feels that way with their own art, in all kinds of ways. But I see all these incredibly talented rappers around me, and I'm like, "Yeah, I'm doing pop, but I should focus on my pen now more than ever." I'm good, and I can be funny and charming, and I can do little punchlines here and there, but I need to talk about my life more, and about what's going on.

ELLIOTT: That's growth, because of course you don't want to change so much, but then you do have to start tapping into other subjects. "I'm still going to be Doja Cat, but I want to show that there are layers." Because you do a lot of Instagram Lives, and you seem super comfortable, but you have a personal side that nobody really knows.

DOJA CAT: Yeah, there's personal stuff that happens in my life that I don't talk about in my music. I also kind of don't care. I always felt like you cared about dancers, and you cared about sounds, and you're not boring people to death with your personal life, or whatever is going on in your mind. Sometimes rappers can do that. They rap about how they're sick and tired, and how they're this and that. It gets boring after a while.

ELLIOTT: I feel the same way. I spent so much of my career making music that's just fun, and around my fourth album I started talking about what I went through in my childhood, but I also didn't have a whole album devoted to it, because that's not me. Do you ever feel like your ideas are so far-left that maybe they don't fit into the mainstream pop world?

DOJA CAT: Absolutely. I have some songs that I so want to put out that are probably six years old. They are crazy. I sampled something that I'd probably never get the rights to. [Doja Cat begins singing "We Are Siamese" by Peggy Lee.] That shit knocked. I made a whole song about, "Look what the cat dragged in," and it was really funky and weird, but I didn't know if anybody would care.

ELLIOTT: Sometimes you gotta take a chance. I never felt like I fit in, period. I don't think there was a lane for the music that we did. The only reason they found a lane is because I was rapping over the tracks. But at first, I don't think people understood the music. You're starting to create your own lane. It probably won't ever fit, but people will love it. I know you got your album Planet Her, and I was wondering what it represents to you?

DOJA CAT: Planet Her is similar to the last album in the sense that it is a collage of sounds that I thought sounded cool, and that's it. I didn't have the patience to try and make every song sound similar. But for Planet Her, I worked with the same producer on most of the songs, so it sounds consistent compared to Hot Pink. I'm proud of it, because it has that consistency, but it still has ups and downs and twists. It was going to sound way weirder, but I took some stuff out.

ELLIOTT: Do you like rapping more than you like singing? Or both equally?

DOJA CAT: It's harder for me to rap. Sometimes I get writer's block, because I don't want to write something stupid. Sometimes I'll write something and be like, "Why would I say that?" Then I'll restart, and eventually just give up. But when I do it right, I'm really, really happy about it.

ELLIOTT: I definitely like rhyming better, but only because I don't think I'm great at singing. But I like doing melodies.

DOJA CAT: You understand all angles of music. There's people who can only rap, and then there's people who can only sing. But if you can do both, you absolutely should.

ELLIOTT: Well you're great at both, so make sure you give them both love, because that's a gift. Listen, everybody is not a bar rapper. When I'm hearing people, and they got mad bars, I love it. But I'm not that girl. I will say this, and I'm sure you probably feel this way too. If we sat down, we could do it. As a writer, you can sit and create those bars.

DOJA CAT: But my ass would hurt if I was sitting that long. I would be sitting for a while. I would be hurting myself.

ELLIOTT: [Laughs] The more famous you get and the more records you sell, does it feel hard to be your authentic self? Are you more cautious now in what you say and what you do and how you respond on social media than when you first started?

DOJA CAT: Oh my god, absolutely. I used to be on Periscope a lot. I'd be live for 10 or 12 hours at a time. I'd be making beats, and they weren't any good, but it was fun. I would just be yelling at and roasting people, and they would be like, "Damn, why are you so mad?" But then some people would think it was funny and go along with it. That was me back then, and I love going in on people, but I stopped because with a big platform, you don't want to hurt anybody. You have power and you're looked at a certain way, and if you go in on people and shit, it doesn't help you or them, and they can tear you down more than you can tear them down.

ELLIOTT: People don't realize that artists are sensitive or that they have feelings. When I was coming up we didn't have social media, so we could turn off the artistry when we finished our interviews and went home. Now you have to be in artist mode at all times, because you gotta watch what you post. If somebody seems crazy to you, you can't lash out at them. The bigger you get, the more you have to be aware.

DOJA CAT: Yeah, you have to be smart.

ELLIOTT: Now, with so many women dominating hip-hop, has it settled in your mind yet that you're a major figure at this moment? Or do you feel like, "I'm still just Doja Cat." I ask you that because somebody asked me in an interview not too long ago, "When did you feel like you made it?" And I said, "Just this year I felt like I'm somebody."

DOJA CAT: I still feel normal. It's because I'm not really going out. I guess I had a huge break when I did that goofy "Mooo!" song.

ELLIOTT: I thought it was so clever. I was like, "Yo, who is this?" That's the first wind I caught of you.

DOJA CAT: And the thing is, I haven't been out in the world yet and seen people screaming and going crazy. I've had fans at shows that were going crazy, and one who chased me, but I still feel normal. Also, COVID didn't let me understand what Hot Pink did for my fans, because I had to cancel the tour. None of that was able to happen, so I still don't really know.

ELLIOTT: But when you go to the mall or the nail salon, people don't come up to you?

DOJA CAT: People do, but it's not that often. And also, I'm a huge hermit. I don't want to leave my house.

ELLIOTT: [Laughs] Me too.

DOJA CAT: I'm not getting out of the car. I'm home as much as I can possibly be.

ELLIOTT: That's crazy. I'm listening and I'm like, "Wait a minute, is that me on the other end?" Because I'm such an introvert. My friends were making a joke the other day. They were like, "Missy will play the Super Bowl, and then she'll come back home and we want to have a party for her, and she's like, 'I'm mopping my floors. I gotta take my dogs out.'" And it's like, "You just did the Super Bowl!" I just love being inside. So when COVID happened, it helped me.

DOJA CAT: I actually love to party, but sometimes I'm like, "Hell no, I'm not doing it for a week." Or two weeks, three months, whatever.

ELLIOTT: When you're creating music, do you think about the charts or streaming? Or do you say, "I'm doing records that feel good to me, and if they like it, that's great."

DOJA CAT: About 98 percent of the time I'm just trying to have fun. But sometimes there's people in the studio who are like, "This would be a great TikTok song." I'm not really trying to fight them and I get it, so I try to be open-minded.

ELLIOTT: When we were first coming out, we didn't even think about the charts. I thought that maybe "Work It" had gone to number one, but I didn't find out until this year that it never did. We just wanted to have our records playing in the club.

DOJA CAT: A lot of your shit was huge for me. When I was little, I was in front of my TV every single day dancing to your videos. I was like, "This is my Beyoncé."

ELLIOTT: [Laughs] Beyoncé was in a whole other category.

DOJA CAT: But that's how I saw you. Your videos were everywhere. I'm shocked knowing that "Work It" never went to number one.

ELLIOTT: I have plenty of number twos. No number ones. One thing I always say to people is, coming into this industry, we're just doing what we love to do, and nobody tells us about the ups and downs. We think we're about to be famous, we're about to get mad bread, and that's it. It's a whole lot that comes with this, and a lot of people don't come in prepared, and that's why they go through anxiety and depression. What's the one lesson you learned early on that you would like to pass to upcoming artists?

DOJA CAT: On the lighthearted side, you have to have people around you who love you, and sometimes it's not always like that for me. I didn't always have people around me who loved me, but I was still making music. But they didn't believe in me. Just keep doing what you want to do and enjoy it. It's a big question that you asked, but if there's a simple answer, and maybe it's underwhelm - ing: Do what you feel in your heart is the best thing to do. If you love music, embrace that, and don't let anybody ever tear you away from how passionately you feel about music. Also, believe in your fans. Show them that you appreciate them. The dark side of it is, don't trust everybody.

ELLIOTT: Most definitely. You'd rather be able to sleep at night just being yourself, as opposed to doing what others want you to do, and having to kick yourself in the ass every day because you went and did records that didn't feel like you.

DOJA CAT: I did that three or four times. I will never do it again.

ELLIOTT: We all have a story like that. But even if what you're doing was too far ahead of its time, or people didn't get it, at least it's something that you believed in. I wish you much more success and peace and happiness.

DOJA CAT: I'm trying not to cry now. I have on eyeliner that's water-activated, and it will absolutely destroy my entire face.

ELLIOTT: [Laughs] One day you will go on to be the interviewer, and someone will be on the receiving end saying how much you have inspired them. That's the greatest feeling of all. No matter how much music I've done, the best feeling is when you talk to another artist, and you realize that something you've done has left an impact on them. That means more to me than anything. So I thank you, and I look forward to hearing more and more, and may you be blessed to have many, many more successful albums, records, videos, everything.

DOJA CAT: Thank you so much, and knowing that we're both hermits, I appreciate you doing this interview, and being incredible at interviewing too.

ELLIOTT: I so appreciate you. I'll let you get back to being a hermit. Much love.

DOJA CAT: God bless.

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Hair Stylist: JStayReady at Chris Aaron Management

Makeup Artist: Ernesto Casillas

Nails: Saccia Livingston at Chris Aaron Management

Set Designer: Nicholas Des Jardins at Streeters

Photo Assistants: Dakota Caulfield, Elaine Clinton

Photo Producer: Monika Martinez

Fashion Assistants: Lucy Gaston, Juan Zenon

Set Design Assistant: Zack Aadams

Production: Perris Cavalier at The Morrison Group

Production Coordinator: Sheridan Telford

Production Assistants: Starr Sanford and J ade Mathis

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Doja Cat Tells Missy Elliott How She Charted Her Own Path to Pop Stardom

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The wildly imaginative provocateur has mostly left behind a very online chapter in career that was sometimes messy, but always intriguing. These days, she lets her talent do the talking.

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Doja Cat is nearly as smooth as a Sphynx cat. The 26-year-old star went on Instagram Live Thursday (Aug. 4) to reveal that she had shaved her entire head - before taking it one step further and razoring off her eyebrows on camera as thousands of fans watched in real time.

See latest videos, charts and news

Showing off her newly bare noggin, the "Woman" musician began with a heart-to-heart conversation with fans about why she'd decided to make such a bold style choice. "I feel like I was never supposed to have hair," she said. "I don't like having hair. I cannot tell you one time since the beginning of my life that I've ever been like, 'This is cool.' I just do not like to have hair."

Doja also pointed out that she rarely ever displayed her natural hair in the first place, instead having spent most of her career wearing wigs in different colors. "I remember feeling so f-king exhausted with working out," she continued, explaining that her wigs often slid around and peeled off her head while training. "I'd be working out, but I couldn't focus because I was more concerned with how I looked and how my hair was doing."

"I just can't believe that it took me this long to be like, 'Shave your f-king head," she added. "I'm really liking this. What is the use of having hair if you're not going to f-king wear it out? I don't even sport it."

Then, the Grammy winner upped the ante by coating her brow with shaving cream and pulling out a razor as around 20,000 other Instagram users looked on. "My makeup artist just texted me, 'Are you shaving your brows off? I'm driving the f-k over,'" Doja told her viewers with a laugh. "I'm gonna do it."

Watch Doja Cat explain why she shaved her head, then razor off her brows on Instagram Live:

Doja Cat explaining why she decided to cut her hair down pic.twitter.com/W3EKawjUiU

- The Kittens Room (@TheKittensRoom) August 5, 2022

doja cat just shaved her eyebrows off ON LIVE pic.twitter.com/UiUPPUATmv

- hunty mcgunty (@dojaratz) August 5, 2022

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Doja Cat Debuts Shaved Head, Razors Off Eyebrows on Instagram Live: 'I Was Never Supposed to Have Hair'

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Doja Cat showed off her newly shaved head and and then shaved off her eyebrows in front of her Instagram Live viewers.

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Bald and Bold: Doja Cat's 'Drastic New Do' (Aug 2022)

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Bald and Bold: Doja Cat's 'Drastic New Do' (Aug 2022)

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'The buzz cut works for the quirky MC'

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Why Doja Cat SHAVED Her Head and Eyebrows

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Vulnerability of the star allows audiences to relate and empathise with her. As a star that is usually provocative and playful, the star showing a different side by being serious and vulnerable further proves her star persona. Even though she is diverting from her 'star image' her self-awareness seems to be divisive.

'Doja makes people uncomfortable because people try to put her in a box... an she CANNOT be put in a box! She is outside the box, creative and amazing!'

'Doja being open, honest and serious makes me love her as both a person and artist even more'

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Doja Cat - addresses the people who are asking her if she's okay (once again) IG Live (Aug 6, 2022)

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Controversy: Noah Schnapp Drama (Jul 2022)

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Controversy: Noah Schnapp Drama (Jul 2022)

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another example of Doja Cat doubling-down and escalating controversial situations, rather than de-escalating things. She called seventeen-year old star Noah Schnapp a 'snake' after he shared their private messages. This was a turning point for some fans.

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Doja Cat had beef with Stranger Things teen idol Noah Schnapp for revealing a private conversation in which the singer asked to be put in touch with ST season 4's hunky breakout star Joseph Quinn. A screenshot of their exchange went viral after it was shared by Schnapp in a deleted TikTok-behavior Doja Cat has since labeled "degrading," "exploitative," and "super embarrassing."

In the messages, Doja is seen asking: "Noah can u tell Joseph to hmu [hit me up]. wait no, does he have a gf [girlfriend]?" Schnapp playfully encourages her to "slide into his DMs" then directs her to Quinn's Instagram account.

Clearly bothered by the share, Doja went live on TikTok on July 7 to vent "about the whole fuckin' Noah Schnapp thing."

"First let's be chill about it," she began. "To be fair, this is like, a kid. Noah is like, I don't know how old he is, but he's not even over-like there's no way he's over like 21."

Schnapp, now 17, remains the youngest member of the show's original cast.

"When you're that young, you make mistakes," Doja acknowledged. "You do dumb shit. I'm like trying to be super fair. You say dumb shit, you fuck up relationships with people. You make mistakes. You're supposed to do stuff like that so that you know not to do it in the future. I did my share of fuck-ups so that I don't fuck-up again."

The singer went on, "The fact that Noah did that. Like, went and posted a private conversation between me and him is so unbelievably socially unaware and whack./ That's like borderline snake shit, that's like weasel shit.

"And I'm not saying that encapsulates his entire personality," Doja added. "Maybe he is, like, a whole snake. But I didn't see him that way. I made an assumption that he was gonna be chill about it, and he went and shared information that I didn't feel comfortable with him sharing."
So, how did people respond to the drama?
The Grammy Award winner's fiery response came as a surprise to many, given Schnapp's age and Doja's history of unabashed flirting online. In previous tweets, she has openly expressed her attraction to Quinn. In fact, Schnapp's since-deleted TikTok juxtaposed their private exchange with a screenshot of Doja calling Quinn's good looks "fucking criminal" in a Twitter reply to a fan.

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Noah Schnapp Says He Apologized to Doja Cat After TikTok Drama

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Doja Cat criticized "Stranger Things" star Noah Schnapp for sharing her private message to him about his costar.

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“Who Is This?”: Doja Cat on Boobs, Britney, and Influence

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A couple days before the Time 100 Gala, our editor-in-chief called Doja Cat from Paris to find out how it feels to be named one of the world’s most influential people.

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Drastic Change in Star Image: (Jul 2023)

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Drastic Change in Star Image: (Jul 2023)

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@thankuneext and she changed her bio like okay you're probably right thanks for letting us know!

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@thankuneext and she changed her bio like okay you're probably right thanks for letting us know! https://t.co/Jky8RByhvv

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and she changed her bio like okay you're probably right thanks for letting us know! pic.twitter.com/Jky8RByhvv
— doja's gallery (@dojasgallery) July 23, 2023

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@thankuneext and she changed her bio like okay you're probably right thanks for letting us know! https://t.co/Jky8RByhvv

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@thankuneext and she changed her bio like okay you're probably right thanks for letting us know! https://t.co/Jky8RByhvv

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
@thankuneext and she changed her bio like okay you're probably right thanks for letting us know!

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i am muting this but i wanted to say that she's doing all of this just because we are not happy about her sticking beside her predator boyfriend and blocking one of his victims 

also hey jcyrus and his mods i know y'all lurking 😊

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i am muting this but i wanted to say that she's doing all of this just because we are not happy about her sticking beside her predator boyfriend and blocking one of his victims 

also hey jcyrus and his mods i know y'all lurking 😊 https://t.co/MHGId2s98G

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she had no problem giving her fans a name or them having fan accs with her real name as long as they bought her songs and tour tickets, got her career achievements & voted for her at awards shows 🤔

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i am muting this but i wanted to say that she's doing all of this just because we are not happy about her sticking beside her predator boyfriend and blocking one of his victims

also hey jcyrus and his mods i know y'all lurking 😊 pic.twitter.com/MHGId2s98G
— doja's gallery (@dojasgallery) July 23, 2023

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.data.text
i am muting this but i wanted to say that she's doing all of this just because we are not happy about her sticking beside her predator boyfriend and blocking one of his victims 

also hey jcyrus and his mods i know y'all lurking 😊 https://t.co/MHGId2s98G

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.includes.tweets[].text
she had no problem giving her fans a name or them having fan accs with her real name as long as they bought her songs and tour tickets, got her career achievements & voted for her at awards shows 🤔

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
i am muting this but i wanted to say that she's doing all of this just because we are not happy about her sticking beside her predator boyfriend and blocking one of his victims 

also hey jcyrus and his mods i know y'all lurking 😊 https://t.co/MHGId2s98G

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
i am muting this but i wanted to say that she's doing all of this just because we are not happy about her sticking beside her predator boyfriend and blocking one of his victims 

also hey jcyrus and his mods i know y'all lurking 😊

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.referenced_tweets[].text
she had no problem giving her fans a name or them having fan accs with her real name as long as they bought her songs and tour tickets, got her career achievements & voted for her at awards shows 🤔

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yeah this is not it https://t.co/utoWic7wwH

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yeah this is not it pic.twitter.com/utoWic7wwH
— doja's gallery (@dojasgallery) July 23, 2023

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yeah this is not it https://t.co/utoWic7wwH

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yeah this is not it https://t.co/utoWic7wwH

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Authenticity and Access to Star: IG Live (Sept 2023)

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Authenticity and Access to Star: IG Live (Sept 2023)

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Doja Cat talking about her new album 'Scarlet', new song 'Balut' + Tour - IG Live (Sep 17, 2023)

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Confirmed in May 2023.

'for all the different sides of you, there's uno' - consistent with Doja Cat's multidimensional star image. 'two opposing personalities of the artist battle each other'

Highlights her polarizing star image. This star/brand collab works well as it focuses on Gen-Z y2k aesthetic and Doja Cat has previously confessed she is 'chronically online'.

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Attention, Paint The Town Red and Demons

'B*tch I said what I said / I'd rather be famous instead'

'You follow me but you don't really care about the music'

'I'm a puppet, I'm a sheep, I'm cash cow'

Grabbing her crotch,

Her genuine smile at the end

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Doja Cat - Attention / Paint The Town Red / Demons (Medley) (2023 MTV VMAs)

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Something different: Doja Cat diverts from previous album covers, sharing the album cover without her face as the selling point. At this point, her name is enough to sell the album. The cover is minimal, allowing the art and tracks to speak for themselves. The album is a 'no feature' album, further demonstrating Doja Cat's talent and ability to perform without all the collaborations of previous successful songs.

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6.1 Revealing Full-Back Tattoo: 'It's not attractive anymore' (June 2023)

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6.1 Revealing Full-Back Tattoo: 'It's not attractive anymore' (June 2023)

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'Someone please call this woman and make sure she's okay.'

'Doja enough is enough'

'She's lost it'

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Doja Cat on Instagram: "@mr.k_tattoo 🕷️"

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3M likes, 9,667 comments - dojacat on June 24, 2023: "@mr.k_tattoo 🕷️" 

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Doja Cat (@dojacat)

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6.9 First-Ever Official Number 1 Single (Sept. 2023)

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6.9 First-Ever Official Number 1 Single (Sept. 2023)

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Leaning into rumours, Doja Cat mocks the satanic rumours - this is consistent with her star persona, 'trolling' being provocative and playful yet still following her creative vision and artistic expression. Conspiracy theorists view her first official number one as confirmation that she successfully made a 'deal with the devil'. However, it was potentially their free advertising that led to people round the world listening to Doja Cat's latest tracks due to intrigue. Either way, Doja Cat manages to regain star status, despite a controversial journey to stardom, she comes out on top and has skyrocketed to stardom.

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Doja Cat has 15 Top 40 singles to her name in the UK, including Top 10 success with 2020's disco cut Say So (2), 2021 SZA collab Kiss Me More (3) and You Right with The Weeknd (9).

Paint the Town Red contains a sample of Dionne Warwick's 1964 classic pop standard Walk On By, which originally peaked at Number 9 in the UK.

Behind at Number 2, Taylor Swift's Cruel Summer rushes to a brand-new best. The track has been on an extraordinary journey up the chart since being issued as a single, four years after its inclusion as a fan-favourite track on Taylor's 2019 LP Lover.

Meanwhile, Calvin Harris and Sam Smith move up one with Desire this week (6), as do Cassö, RAYE and D-Block Europe with viral hit Prada (7).

2023 Mercury Prize nominee Fred again.. claims his first Top 10 single as a solo artist with adore u featuring Nigerian vocalist Obongjayar (9). As a producer, Fred again.. has worked on hit singles for the likes of Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Little Mix and Rita Ora.

Outside of the Top 10, Sonny Fodera, MK and Clementine Douglas shift up six to a brand-new peak with Asking (16), while D.O.D's So Much in Love rebounds three places to reach a new high (15).

Baby, break the tension! Kylie Minogue's run of form continues with shapeshifting tune Tension landing this week's highest new entry at Number 19 and the UK's best-selling single of the week. It becomes Kylie's 53rd UK Top 40 single, and her second Top 20 hit of the year following the success of Padam Padam. Tension also ends the week at Number 1 on both the Official SIngles Downloads Chart and Official Physical Singles Chart.

Just behind is another brand new entry; English singer-songwriter Kenya Grace secures her first-ever Official Chart entry with Strangers (20), her major label debut single which has seen considerable hype across TikTok and social media.

Following the release of a new remix featuring PinkPantheress and Hyunjin of K-pop group Stray Kids, Troye Sivan's Rush surges eleven places back to its peak of Number 22, and Issey Cross's Bittersweet Goodbye rises again this week, up five places to Number 23.

Further down, American country singer Luke Combs' Fast Car (30) rises four to a new peak.

Finally, Irish dance vocalist Jazzy secures a third Top 40 single in the UK today, and second as a lead artist, as Feel It climbs 10 to Number 35. Her debut solo single Giving Me hit Number 3 earlier this summer, while Belters Only collaboration Make Me Feel Good reached Number 4 in 2022.

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Paint the Town Red! Doja Cat secures first-ever Official Number 1 single

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Doja Cat earns her first ever Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart with Paint the Town Red.

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6.4 The Scarlet Tour: Full Show (Nov 2023)

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6.4 The Scarlet Tour: Full Show (Nov 2023)

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'She has the worst attitude on social media but OMG she is so talented'

'Her stage presence reminds me of Beyoncé & Shakira'

'Now this is a SHOW. I'm not a fan of her as a person but you cannot deny her talent, she's a triple threat'

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Doja Cat - The Scarlet Tour (Full Show in HD) San Francisco

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6.6 Polarizing Star Image - Controversy Always Sells: (Sept 2023)

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6.6 Polarizing Star Image - Controversy Always Sells: (Sept 2023)

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Pop musicians love eras. Every album cycle they put on a new alter ego different from the last like a costume, taking on a whole new personality, aesthetic and sometimes public persona too. Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are literally in the midst of tours that cycle through their decades-long careers, personalities and music. Pop rapper Doja Cat is no different from every other pop star even if she claims she isn't.

The singer is using controversy to sell her new venture into what she calls her truest rap era.

For her new album "Scarlet," the pop rapper transforms into her new era: The Scarlet Era. She now dresses in a new demonic, blood-red look all the while fending off her fans in real life and on the internet (See "Attention" music video). The promo for the album mostly consists of images of a bloodied Doja Cat and her dancers. At the VMAs, the artist was accompanied by a legion of bloodied Scarlets, and statues of red Scarlet mannequins have been popping up all over the country.

It's a change from her previous albums "Hot Pink" and Grammy-nominated "Planet Her," which fans familiarized themselves with her pop sound and look. It's almost fitting that the rapper has released songs titled "Demons" and "Paint the Town Red" when she is aiming to burn down whatever favorable image people and her fans had of her before this new cosplay became her personality.

Like every artist that has come before Doja (think in the vein of Miley Cyrus), the singer is using controversy to sell her new venture into what she calls her truest rap era. Rappers usually have a closet full of skeletons and so does Doja Cat even though she says she doesn't in the song "97."

In the last handful of years, during her meteoric rise, the musician has faced possible cancellation for a plethora of bad behavior. It goes as far back as her early internet days saying homophobic slurs, in 2020 being accused of engaging in race-play chatrooms, and starting a feud with teen "Stranger Things" actor Noah Schnapp. While all this behavior she's accused of is troubling and odd, unfortunately, it's become expected for chronically online people to be engaging in this type of edge-lord, troll-like behavior. That's not even the extent of where Doja's controversies end.

Earlier this year, the singer took to Threads to claim that her former successful and critically lauded pop albums were "cash grabs," upsetting her fans, who weirdly call themselves Kittenz. And yes, it's with a "Z." In a now-deleted post, Doja upset them even more: "My fans don't name themselves s**t. If you call yourself a 'kitten' or f**king 'kittenz' that means you need to get off your phone and get a job and help your parents with the house." When fans asked her to tell them that she loved them she said in response, "I don't though cuz i don't even know y'all."

She'd rather be famous for metaphorically burning down her image because she let fame go to her head.

She reportedly lost 500,000 Instagram followers after the set of deleted posts. Fans even began to deactivate their fan accounts - no longer wanting to support the singer after her refusal to coddle fans. After the mass unfollowing, Doja said that it felt like she "defeated a large beast that's been holding me down for so long . . . I feel free."

In her second Billboard No.1 single "Paint the Town Red," the musician raps about this newfound freedom. She'd rather be famous for metaphorically burning down her image because she let fame go to her head. And she's going to have so much fun in the chaos because "she's the devil/She a bad lil' b***h, she a rebel."

She spits:

Yeah, b***h, I said what I said
I'd rather be famous instead
I let all that get to my head
I don't care, I paint the town red

Furthermore, the fans also have a beef with Doja Cat because of her relationship with comedian and Twitch streamer J. Cyrus. The controversial Cyrus has been accused of emotional abuse, lying and manipulation by female moderators on Twitch. Fans also claimed that Cyrus would flirt and message younger female fans who were of legal age but were significantly younger than him.

Despite the allegations of abuse and following outcry from fans, Doja and Cyrus are reportedly still dating. There is speculation that her newest single off of "Scarlet" addresses everyone's concerns about her relationship. The singer is in love in "Agora Hills" and she doesn't care to show it off to everyone who chides her for it. But she also calls out her fans' involvement in her personal life, and she basically tells them to bugger off.

The rapper sings:

Get used to my fans lookin' at you
F*** what they heard, I don't f*** with them birds
I'm a mean kitty, don't get stabbed with the rat tooth
Boys be mad that I don't f*** incels

In a moody "F**k the Girls (FTG)," the rapper again tells her fans off by referencing her viral Threads message: "I don't love you h**s, you worship everything you couldn't be." In "97" she again, repeats the same grudge she holds against her haters who ultimately double as her fans:

Like they wasn't tryna fight me in Threads ('Bout some music)
In a tweet that I'ma probably still stand by (I'm ruthless)
Keep ya money, funky b***h, 'cause I don't play about (The rumors)
They gon' buy it, they gon' pirate, they gon' play it, they consume it

Doja Cat has a right to criticize how attached fans are to her personal life. Every celebrity deserves their right to privacy especially when it comes to their relationships, but the constant barrage against her fans feels like it's misdirected and maybe even a level of projection. As someone who is so hell-bent on incinerating her already charred reputation, the singer sure as hell cares about what people think about her. As a woman, I understand her need to want to burn everything down and lash out when people are expecting too much from her. She will never 100% appease every single stan but regardless if celebrities like it or not they do have a pre-established social contract with their fans. Whether they honor it or not is up to them but they can't be surprised when there is backlash when they say their fans are basically nothing to them.

It's easy for me to be unsympathetic to the backlash against her because she prides herself in being the same level of internet troll as her extremist super stans. Some pop music stans can act like rabid animals, and I know this as I had a One Direction Twitter fan account in 2013. But the only way to win the internet troll games as a creative artist passionate about the work is to drown out the noise and trust the opinions that hold real weight.

Throughout "Scarlet," Doja is palpably angry. She is ready to retaliate against the negative effects of the parasocial relationships between fans who have still given her the level of fame that allows her to openly say to them that they should "f**k off." And even though the new album is receiving mixed reviews from critics, moderate sales numbers and a public souring on her image - she still has secured herself a Billboard No. 1 single. Selling controversy is the cheapest trick in the music game and clearly, no musician is above making a buck off their own personal mess. But it absolutely drowns out what is important about the art and fabricates it into a spectacle - the very thing Doja Cat is afraid of becoming.

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about this topic

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Doja Cat's new polarizing, dark side cashes in on how controversy always sells

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Op-ed on how Doja Cat has been under much scrutiny during the release of her most recent album "Scarlet"

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Transmedia: Original Songs for Films (Jan 2020)

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Transmedia: Original Songs for Films (Jan 2020)

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Doja Cat's 'Boss B*tch' track being part of the Birds of Prey soundtrack shows how she manages to adapt her sound and creative vision to both conform and subvert her expected star persona. In both music videos for 'Boss B*tch' (2020) and 'Vegas' (2022) the videos could be a scene within the films. At the same time, she manages to still remain consistent to her star persona by continuing her strength of performance, sound and bold creative vision.

Cat's charisma and sound are reminiscent of other female-rap stars such as Nicki Minaj and Azealia Banks (both who also have dealt with controversies). The film focuses on empowering and giving voice to Harley Quinn, another misunderstood persona. Throughout the video Cat fights off enemies whilst on a dance with Quinn - this could be interpreted as Cat retaliating against online harassment, yet making it appear fun.

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Doja Cat - Boss B*tch (from Birds of Prey: The Album) [Official Music Video]

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'Vegas' heavily features samples from Big Mama Thornton's 1989 version of 'Hound Dog' with a contemporary twist. Cat's reimagining of this track is consistent with her sound, whilst paying tribute to genres and music that has influenced her in the past.

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Doja Cat - Vegas (From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ELVIS) (Official Video)

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This cover is exemplary of Cat's rejection of conventional femininity, even though the image appears to be a pivot away from her previous star persona, the pose she chooses is a continuation of her silly, mocking 'trolling' persona. Her pink buzz cut also appears to be a nod to her previous album, as well as 'Purrr' being the name her first EP. This image shows how a personal shift in star image does not automatically mean a complete rejection of what made them popular in the first place.

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focus on femininity, sexuality, sweet pop sounds.

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Doja Cat - Kiss Me More (Official Music Video) ft. SZA

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focus on subverting typical visions of femininity, focus on female rage and focus on nostalgia and online gaming.

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6.8 Mocking 'Haters' Once Again After Global Success

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6.8 Mocking 'Haters' Once Again After Global Success

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Doja Cat answers the hard - hitting questions YTP

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Doja Cat - I Don't Do Drugs (Visualizer) ft. Ariana Grande

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6.11 'Attention' Breakdown - September 2023 Harper's Bazaar

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6.11 'Attention' Breakdown - September 2023 Harper's Bazaar

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Scarlet = symbol for re-imagination/rebirth/new beginning -
covered in blood - how she's been pushed through, the effort you have to put into pushing out this new person --> this new creative, idea, birth of new creative, new thought wave or style you're expressing
faceless people walking opposite - represents people on the internet, anonymous, she doesn't deal with that stuff

Takeaway - 'I hope they (viewers/listeners) were entertained'
'don't ever let somebody or a group of people tell you you can't be whatever the f*ck you want to be'

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Doja Cat On The Inspiration, Fashion, & Distorted Faces in 'Attention' Music Video | Harper's BAZAAR

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6.10 An Enigma: Doja Cat's Conflicting 'Downfall' Whilst Ascending Into Stardom

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6.10 An Enigma: Doja Cat's Conflicting 'Downfall' Whilst Ascending Into Stardom

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Demon Time:  The Self-Imposed "Downfall" of Doja Cat

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Doja Cat lost over a million followers on social media after calling her two previous very successful (both critically and commercially) albums 'cash grabs'. Her rejection of fans and previous sound of saying fans 'fell for it' meant she lost a lot of support. This raisers questions about separating the art from the artist. It's useful to question if this is really what she thinks or if it was a publicity tactic, preparing audiences for a shift in image and sound. She leans into a much edgier, harder, sharper sound saying something totally new was on the horizon. Her boundaries appear strong, hence her insulting fans saying her real fans wouldn't call themselves 'kittenz'

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If Doja Cat doesn't like her own music, why shouldn't she say so?

The "Woman" performer struck a nerve with her fans on Tuesday after taking to Twitter and claiming her latest two albums - which spawned her breakthrough hit "Say So" and the Grammy-winning "Kiss Me More" with SZA - were merely created so she could make money.

" planet her and hot pink were cash-grabs and yall fell for it," tweeted Doja Cat, 27. "now i can go disappear somewhere and touch grass with my loved ones on an island while yall weep for mediocre pop."

While the musician's debut album Amala largely flew under the radar, Hot Pink featured "Say So" and other multi-platinum singles including "Juicy" with Tyga, "Like That" and "Streets." Beyond "Kiss Me More," Planet Her also spawned the multi-platinum hits "You Right" with the Weeknd, "Need to Know," "Woman" and "Get Into It (Yuh)."

Following Doja Cat's tweet about the albums, many fans expressed disappointment toward her for speaking negatively about music they genuinely enjoy. "This is kinda odd to say to people who have genuinely supported her but what do I know," wrote one Twitter user.

"i really love her but to totally degrade your past work feels very wrong. these albums CREATED your fan base," tweeted another listener. "as an artist you should at least be half proud of albums that have shaped your entire career but that's just me."

"doja cat is allowed to make or do whatever she chooses but this just seems like a slap in the face to people who liked her music," someone else wrote on the social media platform.

"they were good albums actually," one fan simply stated.

Another Twitter user pointed out that "Say So" initially found success through a viral TikTok dance created by user Haley Sharpe and expressed that it's unfair to her to talk down on the work that helped build her audience.

"Feel sorry for the girl that made you famous on TikTok and basically built your whole career, if it wasn't authentic music you were creating," they wrote. "Please give your GRAMMY to the people that weren't making cash-grab music."

On the other hand, some fans came to Doja Cat's defense. "idk why y'all are mad at her !! it's her work. If she doesn't like it anymore or didn't at all, then it shouldn't be something we argue with her about," said one Twitter user.

"i really can't be mad at her for feeling like this even though i disagree. this is what living in a profit-first culture does to its artists. everything you make, even if it's truly innovative, starts to feel hollow and corporate," wrote another fan.

Someone else noted the performer's lighthearted, joke-filled personality and urged fans to take her comments with a grain of salt. "the people taking this so serious do not know who doja cat is," they stated.

Doja Cat has recently been teasing her next album, and she revealed on Tuesday that it'll be titled First of All. It seems like the upcoming record will be a departure from the pop and hip-hop sounds she's become known for, though she's consistently made jokes misleading fans about what's to come.

She previously said the album was called Hellmouth and has jokingly claimed it'll be constructed of either "rap," "rock/spoken word," "french conceptual experimental country/bohemian fusion with the essence of blue-grass," country, "pop" or "classical" sounds.

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Doja Cat Fans Upset After She Called Her Latest Two Albums Cash Grabs - and Says They 'Fell for It'

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"This is kinda odd to say to people who have genuinely supported her but what do I know," wrote one Twitter user

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Paris Fashion Week: Red Crystal Look (April 2023)

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Paris Fashion Week: Red Crystal Look (April 2023)

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avant-garde, high-fashion but misunderstood. This was the beginning of the public questioning her fashion choices and creative vision. This was a point of controversy with Satan-conspiracy theorists.

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Creativity and Concept: Doja Cat Responds Only In Meows at Met Gala

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Creativity and Concept: Doja Cat Responds Only In Meows at Met Gala

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Doja Cat’s Met Gala interview with Emma Chamberlain is hilariously iconic

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this look is still sexy, provocative after shaving her hair off - Doja Cat subverts what is means to be desirable and feminine. This look still links to her latest album 'Scarlet'.

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Fans and non-fans took to analysing Doja Cat's 'bizarre' recent behaviour. The conclusion led to conspiracy theories that she was taking part in a 'humiliation initiation' to join the Illuminati. All these analysis videos looking at her previous bodies of work, pinpointed her 27th birthday where she had an 'Eyes Wide Shut' themed birthday, analysed her lyrics, interviews, social media and previous outfits.

As this was her 27th birthday, conspiracy theorists suggest Doja Cat managed to escape the '27 Club' by becoming a Devil worshipper, meaning she 'cheated death'.

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Why Do People Think Doja Cat Worships the Devil?

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Doja Cat has repeatedly been accused of serving Satan or various Satanic actions due to her makeup & outfits for some reason. Nothing is true, of course.

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Doja Cat's Illuminati Birthday Party × Truth Talk Podcast

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Doja Cat's 27th Birthday: Eyes Wide Shut

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Doja Cat's 27th Birthday: Eyes Wide Shut

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Doja Cat Celebrates 27th Birthday With Eyes Wide Shut Theme Party & Star Studded Guest!

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Losing 180K Instagram Followers After Lashing Out at Fans

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Losing 180K Instagram Followers After Lashing Out at Fans

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One of the now-deleted tweets Doja Cat shared read: “My fans don’t get to name themselves shit. If you call yourself a ‘kitten’ or fucking ‘kittenz’ that means you need to get off your phone and get a job and help your parents with the house.”

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Doja Cat has deleted her Threads and lost 180,000 followers on Instagram after criticising her fans in a series of posts.

The LA rapper - who is known for being outspoken on her social media pages - posted a series of tweets lashing out at her fans earlier this week, particularly aimed at fan accounts who refer to themselves as 'kittenz'.

Now, as reported by Hype Auditor, the musician has lost over 180,000 followers on her Instagram account over the last four weeks. She has also deleted the Threads section of the account, and numerous fan pages have deactivated their accounts.

The three major accounts noted as having deleted their page are The Kittens Room, Doja HQ, and Doja Cat News.

One of the now-deleted tweets Doja Cat - whose real name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini - shared read: "My fans don't get to name themselves shit. If you call yourself a 'kitten' or fucking 'kittenz' that means you need to get off your phone and get a job and help your parents with the house."

When one fan pointed out the hypocrisy of the statement - highlighting how the musician was the one who came up with the term 'kittenz' - Doja Cat responded, stating that she made up her stage name when she was "an alcoholic teen."

Doja being mean to her fans for bc of the word kitten like her name isn't doja CAT and she wasn't dressed as a cat and meowed her way through an entire interview a few months ago oh she has lost her mind. Mind you, she's being a bitch to the people that practically pay her bills https://t.co/au6OWZ5yZ2

- Y⁷ (@jiminfacekoo) July 23, 2023

When another fan asked her what she should "change her name to" since she no longer likes the term 'kitten', the rapper replied, writing: "Just delete the entire account and rethink everything it's never too late."

Before deleting the slew of tweets, she also called another fan "creepy" after seeing their Twitter handle was her government name, Amala Zandile Dlamini.

The backlash she is receiving from fans comes ahead of her upcoming 24-date 'Scarlet' tour. Her first-ever headlining arena tour, the dates include gigs all around North America with Ice Spice and Doechii as support acts. It kicks off Halloween night at Chase Center in San Francisco, remaining tickets are available here.

This isn't the first time in 2023 that Doja Cat has stirred controversy after sharing her thoughts on Twitter. Back in April, the singer divided opinion after commenting on the new Twitter Blue scheme where users pay to verify their accounts and earn the famous blue tick. "Having a blue tick now means there's a higher chance that you're a complete loser and that you're desperate for validation from famous people," she said.

In other news, last month she released a new track 'Attention' - the lead single taken from her upcoming album.

Earlier this year, she teased her fourth studio album, which was originally called 'Hellmouth'. Back in May, she confirmed that her "rap only" album will be called 'First Of All'. In the same month, she called her previous albums "cash-grabs."

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Doja Cat loses 180k Instagram followers and deletes Threads after lashing out at fans

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Doja Cat has deleted her Threads and lost 180,000 followers on Instagram after criticising her fans in a series of posts.

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Doja Cat appears relatable, calm and mature during one of the heights of her fame. Further drawing audiences to her down-to-earth persona, despite the controversies she is linked to.

Highlights the power of stars when they collaborate - Doja Cat succefully collabed with SZA, Tyga, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd amongst other big stars.

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Doja Cat: 'Planet Her,' Natural Chemistry with Ariana Grande and the Power of "Woman" | Apple Music

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A way to access the 'real' authentic star. Doja Cat partakes a lot of Instagram Lives - making fan's feel like they have access to a side not 'real' fans see. Her online persona is one that 'trolls' provokes and is unapologetic.

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Doja Cat on Instagram: "i know what the fuck i’m doin"

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626K likes, 2,028 comments - dojacat on November 13, 2023: "i know what the fuck i’m doin" 

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A post shared by Doja Cat (@dojacat)

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Doja Cat's Funniest Moments: Authenticity of Star

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Doja Cat's Funniest Moments: Authenticity of Star

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Sense of humour is difficult to fake. Doja Cat's compilations of her controversial, ironic and memeable sense of humour over her journey into stardom demonstrates her authenticity of character, furthering her star persona quality.

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High-fashion, controversial branding consistent with Doja Cat's image.

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Doja Cat Gets Ready for the Balenciaga Show | Vogue