Doja Cat, born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has stormed the music world. Her mix of hip-hop, pop, and R&B, combined with her stage presence, sharp lyrics, and online persona, has made her a global music sensation.
Her career began after she dropped out of high school in 2012. She spent the next few years immersed in internet culture, teaching herself to sing, rap, and produce music using the program GarageBand. She uploaded her songs to the popular independent music site, SoundCloud, and in 2012, released “So High”, her first significant upload.
While performing at local shows in the Los Angeles underground hip-hop scene, she connected with producers Jerry “Tizhimself” Powell and Yeti Beats. This led to a record deal with Kemosabe Records under RCA Records in 2014, when she was 17. Her debut EP, Purrr!, was released in 2014, featuring “So High”, which gained traction after it was featured in the TV series Empire (2015–2018).
In 2018, Doja Cat released her debut album, Amala. Singles like “Roll with Us”, “Go to Town”, and “Candy” began to showcase her eclectic style. While the album itself didn’t achieve immediate commercial success, “Candy” became a sleeper hit in 2019 due to a viral TikTok dance challenge.
However, it was the self-published music video for “Mooo!” in August 2018 that catapulted her to fame. The quirky and hilarious video went viral, amassing over 135 million views as of today. This unexpected success led to the release of a deluxe edition of Amala in March 2019, featuring “Mooo!”, “Tia Tamera”, and a remix featuring Tyga of “Juicy”, that became her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Doja Cat’s second studio album, Hot Pink, was released in November 2019. The album peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 chart. The single “Say So” became a global phenomenon in 2020, gaining traction through a TikTok trend and eventually reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart when a remix featuring Nicki Minaj was released.
In 2020, she won the MTV Video Music Award for Push Best New Artist and performed at major events like the Billboard Music Awards and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. She also collaborated with artists like The Weeknd, Lil Wayne, and City Girls.
She released her third studio album, Planet Her, in June 2021. The lead single, “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA, broke records for the longest time spent in the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10 by a female collaboration. Other singles like “Need to Know” and “You Right” featuring The Weeknd continued her success. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart.
In 2021, she hosted the MTV Video Music Awards and won multiple awards. She also ventured into acting, appearing in the TV series Dave (2020-), and embraced brand collaborations becoming a Pepsi ambassador. She topped the Billboard Hot 100 Songwriters chart and was named the most streamed female R&B and hip-hop artist of 2021.
In early 2023, Doja Cat announced her fourth studio album, initially titled Hellmouth, signaling a shift towards a more rap-focused sound. She described her previous albums as “cash grabs” and “digestible pop hits,” and adopted a darker, “punk” aesthetic. This led to backlash from some fans who accused her of being “demonic.”
The first promotional single, “Attention”, was released in June 2023, followed by the lead single, “Paint the Town Red” in August 2023. The latter broke streaming records and topped charts globally. The album, officially titled Scarlet, was released on September 2023, to positive reviews. Doja Cat embarked on The Scarlet Tour in late 2023, and in April 2024 released a deluxe edition, Scarlet 2 Claude, featuring collaborations with ASAP Rocky and Teezo Touchdown.
As proof of her immense success, Doja was picked as one of the main events headlining the Coachella Valley festival in 2024 along with Tyler, The Creator, and Lana Del Rey. Featuring guest appearances from 21 Savage, Teezo Touchdown, and ASAP Rocky, her sets were praised by critics, with The Guardian describing her as an “electrifying tour de force”.
Doja Cat is very private regarding her personal life. She previously dated musician Jawny in an open relationship. While not explicitly identifying her sexual orientation, she has hinted at queer themes, stating she’s attracted to people she can have sex with.
In an Instagram Live video in August 2019, Doja talked about her sexuality responding to a message, stating that she has no problem being with both men and women.
Q: I’m so confused. You like boys or both?
DC: Oh, I’m… both. I like both. I like dicks and I also like people I can have sex with. You can have sex with anyone, right?