QUEENS EDITION:

WELCOME TO A BLOG I AM INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO WRITE

My adoration for Doja Cat has been simmering for a while now, and much in line with the rest of my friendship group/gay twitter/the world right now, I am under the FIRM BELIEF that she is the next big talent in music.

A rapper meets singer meets lyricist meets producer, Doja is a jack of all trades and a master of… well, all trades. I think 2019/20 has seen the meteoric rise of a few personas who just EXUDE star potential from every fibre of their being: Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Lil Nas… and Doja is the next name to be added to that list.

Just to keep you all abreast of the situation, we are in the middle of a female rapper SITUATION right now. It’s serious stuff, with Doja having just overtaken Cardi as the #2 most streamed on Spotify behind the Queen of rap herself, one Nicki Minaj.

The implications of this are colossal, and Doja Cat has truly canonised herself as more than that girl who wrote that viral joke song ‘Moo’, and even more relevant today, she’s not just that creator of ‘Say So’, the Tik Tok sensation. DOJA CAT IS AN ARTISTÉ. She has had a marred past with homophobic comments resurfacing leading to a brief 5 minutes of fame in 2018, and a supposed ‘ruined career’. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I am so glad to announce she is welcomed back to the spotlight with open arms – I don’t condone what she said, but I think as a voice and presence in the industry right now (plus the time since her comments, and later apology) she has secured forgiveness from me. I’m about to give you the full rundown on why you should be getting on board with the RIGHT side of history and supporting Doja’s hopefully drama-free second chance at the spotlight. There really is no one doing the most like she is right now.

The obvious first place to start is her most recent feat, a F.L.A.W.L.E.S.S performance of an otherwise untouched album cut, Streets, for the people at VEVO LIFT. I don’t say this lightly when I claim this is one of, if not THE, best VEVO LIFT performance I have ever seen. She has vocals, she has gall, she has spirit, she has a pool full of dairy (even though it is obviously just white coloured water, we’ll let it slide), she has pearls, she has body-ody-ody, she has TALENT.

If I could loop the visuals of her tapping the milk as seen from 0.17-0.20s in my mind for the rest of time I would.

To contextualise this performance a little, her long-time boyfriend and her have just split. This is concurrent to her rising to #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #10 on the UK Hot Singles Chart with ‘Say So’. This bitch chose to NOT perform her SLEEPER-HIT and instead drag one of the most underrated album cuts of her career from the depths of Hot Pink right to the centre stage of a milk filled paddling pool to perform her GUTS OUT. There is no choice but to stan the audacious behaviour, backed up by her incredible and enthralling rap where she slaps the milk so hard it feels like you’re watching in 4D.

You’ve just watched Streets, and you ask where else can this go? Well fear not, dear reader, Doja Cat – previously fairly elusive with her Youtube performances – has recently treated us to another smash-hit live rendition. This time, it WAS of her hit ‘Say So’, and marked the first performance Doja had ever done on a Late Night talk show, a huge milestone for her career.

She took this one by the balls, and really went straight to the manager’s office.

In all seriousness, there is something so nostalgic about the performance and atmosphere which is crazy because it is such a CURRENT song that it is genuinely being propelled forwards by almost TOO contemporary platforms like TikTok. It’s a dichotomy she’s riding that I LOVE. VERY future nostalgia. Not only that, but she can BOTH sing, rap, and MOVE (I realise I said ‘both’ but she has more talents than two). Her outfit is insane (watch the Say So music video to see it again, with an added afro and standing adjacent to a tiger), both with and without the big ol’ tulle coat.

VERY reminiscent of another pop culture icon jumping onto the scene right now to be honest, suspicious luv x

My third and final main case for why Doja Cat deserves your love and affection right now is the transcript, audio file and visuals for Boss Bitch, the most important song in music right now AND a great addition to the Birds of Prey soundtrack. Is the girl going for Oscar’s now too? Halfway to an EGOT, I see you…

Let’s get in to the song’s lyrical fabric. Doja’s wordplay IS SO CLEVER, let’s not get it twisted.

Yeah, ain’t tryna be cool like you

Wobblin’ around in your high-heeled shoes

I’m clumsy, made friends with the floor

Two for one, you know a bitch buy four

The way she enunciates ‘CLUMzee’ and the line ‘two for one, you know a bitch buy four’ is fab.

And two left feet, you know I always drop

First thing a girl did was a bop

I’m the whole damn cake and the cherry on top

Shook up the bottom, made a good girl pop

While admittedly the first thing a girl did was actually a flop EP released in 2014, followed by tweeting homophobic sentiments, I can confirm she is still the whole damn cake and the cherry on top.

You ain’t even here to party

Ken in the club tryna pipe a Barbie

I don’t wanna go, go, go with the flow

Back-bend ’til I touch my toes

I don’t wanna row, row, row the boat

Wrist full of rocks and I hope I float

Big up yourself ’cause you know they don’t

I chew, chew, chew ’cause they hope I choke (hey)

She’s talking ROCK VS WATER DENSITY, she’s talking SELF-EMPOWERMENT, she’s talking HEIMLICH MANEUVER. No end to the talents.

IF MY THREE CASE STUDIES INTO DOJA AREN’T ENOUGH TO GET YOU ON BOARD YET, WE’RE GOING TO BE DEEP-DIVING INTO HER DISCOGRAPHY STARTING AT…

RELEASE DATE: 7th November 2019

Hot Pink is Doja’s sophomore project, and instead of facing the slump like many artists, it was ironically the project that has catapulted her into mainstream fame. It houses a bevy of singles: Juicy, Bottom Bitch, Rules, Cyber Sex, and most recently, Say So.

Why has this album succeeded? Well, firstly I think it’s clear Doja (or, at least, her team) picked the right singles at the right time. I genuinely have to applaud her management because Juicy is PERFECT first single material to start conversation, and the snagging of Tyga to jump on a quick remix really did keep Doja’s name floating around the charts (albeit the bottom). As second, third and fourth singles, sure Bottom Bitch, Rules and Cyber Sex didn’t make mighty WAVES for her career, but they represent a steady churning of consistently impressive music. What’s more, her extremely conceptual/exciting music videos have made her increasingly accessible/approachable to new sets of fans. Heck, I first properly listened to her because gay twitter/my boyfriend/my flatmates were all going mad for the music video of Rules.

It is genuinely one of the coolest/most memorable music videos I’ve seen in a LONG while and Doja looks FANFUCKINGTASTIC throughout. If you, for some deranged reason, don’t want to spend the best 3 minutes and 33 seconds of your life watching Doja as a bad bitch half-cat lady throwing mice around, here are three of my favourite moments in the visual.

Where her album reaches its commercial peak, Say So, it does so through a blend of luck (admittedly, TikTok has become the gatekeeper to the charts that no one expected) but also clever management and the fact it is a bloody good 70s-inspired disco tune all in all. THE MATERIAL SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. It wouldn’t have racked up this cult following if not for a catchy and danceable melody, and that earworm of a hook: ‘Didn’t even notice, no punches left to roll with / You got to keep me focused, you want it, say so’

For me, however, the album is more than just a collection of great singles and stunning accompanying visuals, it is in of itself a forward-thinking and forward-moving BODY of work. There’s cohesion through the album – it is literally, and I know this sounds weird, DRIPPING in Hot Pink. It does what it says on the tin: sells sex, stands for hyperfemininity, is bold and brash, reflects a woman at her prime, and most importantly, twists conventional narratives of gender to put Doja in charge of her body, behaviour and decisions. She boldly writes ‘Oh that’s my trick, I’m her pimp’ in the unapologetic Bottom Bitch and is unafraid to embrace her sexuality/dominance in Won’t Bite.

Sure, Hot Pink becoming famous is the product of a modern app that no one really understands. But, it would be nothing if not for the powerhouse vocals (both singing AND rapping may I add for the 17th time this blog) of Doja herself. It also just stands for so much more than this: it’s become such a cultural beacon in its representation and unbridled voicing of issues of gender, sexuality and self-love. I would describe it as both reflective of the 18-29 zeitgest, but also generative of a new form of body-positivity and sexual awareness that we had yet to see in mainstream music.

// BEST TRACKS //

Rules (I’m not a heathen), Streets, Like That, Addiction

// BEST LYRICS //

Millions, thousands, billions

Bobs on me like Dylan, blondes on me like Hilton

Wendys on me like Williams, shouting, digging

Look at me like I’m alien

Bitch, I’m fucking reptilian

Bitch, bitch, ah

All y’all bitches was wrong

Talkin’ ’bout I fell off

You ain’t even get on

RELEASE DATE: 30th March 2018

While not the cultural or commercial behemoth that I view Hot Pink as, Amala is still just as important and impressive a part of Doja’s career. Its a lot more vocal based, and a project more firmly set in the RnB/synthpop fields. It genuinely oozes sexual awakening, sultry sweetness and lyrical prowess.

If the unapologetically in your face lyrics about Doja’s sex life seem too much for you in Hot Pink, Amala might be more your gal. (also what’s wrong with you this is an incorrect ideology and you need help x)

You tuning in to Amala for the first time ^

// BEST TRACKS //

Wild Beach, Morning Light, Candy

// BEST LYRICS //

Let the waves carry you down to my doorstep

Rest your weary souls on my shores, yeah

Sand and the sun and the tropical breeze, yeah

You can get away from the sharks in the seas, yeah

SO IN CONCLUSION: WHO SHOULD WE ALL BE STANNING RIGHT NOW?

It doesn’t take much to get in to her – watch the Rules music video, pop onto one of the ICONIC regular insta livestreams she provides for her fans, or give a song on Hot Pink a cautious first-listen. What do you have to lose? GENUINELY NOTHING AT ALL. What do you have to gain? The excuse to sing the lyrics ‘play with my pussy but don’t play with my emotions’ at the top of your lungs around the house. She’s the distracting breath of light and humour we need right now.