Since she first emerged onto the scene in the mid-2010s, Doja Cat has had a very interesting career to follow. She originally started to gain notoriety back in 2014, when her debut EP Purrr! got the attention of RCA Records. She released her debut album, Amala, in 2018 to minimal success, leading to many in the industry believing she could be a flop. Doja Cat regained notoriety when her meme song ‘Mooo!’ went viral near the end of that year, catapulting her immediately to a level of superstardom that she never expected to hit. She followed up on the success of this single by releasing her album Hot Pink in 2019; this album reached the top 10 on the Billboard Album chart and spawned the single ‘Say So’ which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Doja Cat released her third album, Planet Her, in 2021; this album reached number two on the Billboard Album Chart and contained multiple top ten hits. Apart from her music, Doja Cat has also gone viral for a multitude of seemingly bad reasons. First off, back in 2020, it was rumored that she went into inappropriate tinyurl chat rooms when she was younger where users were making anti-black statements. She subsequently apologized for participating in these chatrooms, stating that she meant no harm by being in these chat rooms and was young and dumb when she made these decisions. It was also revealed by other members of these chat rooms that no specifically racist statements were made. In 2022, she had a couple she stated that she wanted to quit music, saying she had lost her passion for it and that she was not made out for the life that she had come into. Earlier this year, when announcing the rollout of her new record, Doja Cat stated that she never wanted to make the music she had made in the past and that her fans were dumb for enjoying that kind of Pop music. To be honest, these comments turned me off to her personally, and it made me originally not want to listen to or review this new album. Interestingly enough, though, the singles that she has put out from this album made me change my tune. I really enjoyed all of these singles, and now I have decided to give the album a chance. Maybe Doja Cat is right, and she is a good Hip Hop artist who got pigeon-holed into making typical Pop music. Scarlet will confirm or deny that idea. With that being said, here is how I feel about Doja Cat’s new album Scarlet. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from this record, and also comment on how you feel about Scarlet as a whole.
‘Paint The Town Red’ is one of the singles released from this record in the last few months that made me excited to hear Scarlet when it came out. This track has taken the world by storm since it came out in early August; Not only did this song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100(the first rap song in 2023 to achieve this), but it also broke streaming records on Spotify and became the first song by a female to top the Daily Top 50 chart and the Global Top 200 chart on the service. It is easy to understand why this song has become so popular, as it is extremely catchy and fun. ‘Paint The Town Red’ is driven by a simple and Funky melody provided by what sounds like a trumpet. This melody is put on top of a bouncy, upbeat Trap beat that will make anyone bop their head when they hear it. Doja Cat’s vocal performance on this song is excellent; her rap flow during the verses is so addicting and is such an earworm, and her vocals on the chorus are so smooth and fun to sing along to. In ‘Paint The Town Red,’ Doja Cat leans into the idea that she is the bad guy. If people are going to hate her for who she is, she will take advantage of that and make it help her career. ‘Demons,’ which was also a single, is a lot more of an intense song than the one that precedes it. I never would have expected to hear this kind of song from Doja; in fact, when I first heard it, I was shocked and had to look up and make sure the instrumental playing was a Doja Cat song. This song has a gritty experimental Trap sound that reminds me of some of the underground Trap that was coming out of Atlanta in the mid to late 2010s. When this instrumental plays, I think of music by artists like Young Nudy, Father, or KEY!. The melody for this song has a creepy feeling that makes me think of the music that plays during a chase scene of a Slasher movie. This melody is put on a heavily distorted, hard-hitting Trap beat that will pound your speakers when you play it. This is the kind of song to play on a great sound system with excellent subwoofers. Doja Cat’s vocal performance on this track is just as tough as the instrumental. She raps with a fervor and harshness that fits the instrumental so well. I especially love how she shouts the hook, as it gives the song an extra level of emphasis that puts it over the top. On ‘Demons,’ Doja Cat is once again rapping about how she leans into the idea that she is a demon and a bad influence. She knows that a lot of her antics have been seen as bad or ‘sacrilegious,’ but at the end of the day, it is all in the name of making money. ‘Wet Vagina’ is another track with an extremely tough Trap instrumental that I would have never thought I would hear from Doja. If the rest of the album has instrumentals like this one and the last two, I will be very happy. ‘Wet Vagina’ is quite as creepy or foreboding as the last track, but it sure hits just as hard. This is another song driven by a melody that sounds like it comes out of a Horror movie. This melody, which is provided by what sounds like a distorted organ complemented by whimsical synths, is put on top of a punchy Trap beat that makes me want to party when I hear it. This song has the kind of raucous energy that could get any party bumping when it comes on. Doja Cat’s vocals on this song are not quite as strong as they are on the first two tracks, but they are very quirky and fit the weird energy of the melody. I like how the yodeling quality in her voice on the chorus matches up with the unsettling nature of the melody. On ‘Wet Vagina,’ Doja Cat is bragging about how rich and awesome she is. She knows that heads turn when she walks into the room, and she wants the listener to know that she knows. ‘Fuck The Girls(FTG)’ has the same kind of fierce, in-your-face that the last two songs had. Even though the instrumental for this song is not quite as severe as it is on those tracks, Doja Cat’s vocal performance makes up for this and certainly brings the heat. This song has the most simple and lowkey instrumental of the project so far. The melody of this track is provided by a melancholy and dark guitar riff that has a menacing feeling. This melody is put on a heavily distorted beat that has a 90s Boom Bap feeling that is fused with a modern Trap beat. At some points in the track, the beat reminds me of artists like the Wu-Tang Clan, and at other points, it reminds me of artists like Future. As I stated, Doja Cat’s vocal performance on this track brings a level of hot-bloodedness that takes the song over the top. I love how brash and shouty her vocal performance is on ‘Fuck The Girls(FTG),’ as it takes the track over the top in the best way. In ‘Fuck The Girls(FTG),’ Doja Cat is saying “fuck you” to anyone who doubts her or who is jealous of her. ‘Ouchies’ has a bit more of a light and fun sound than the last three sounds. It still carries a level of attitude that does not deviate too far from those tracks, but it is a bit more amusing than those tracks. When I hear this song, I immediately think of the Party Trap music that has been made popular by artists from Miami in recent history. In particular, this instrumental makes me think of the City Girls. The melody for this track is provided by a twinkling, simple keyboard riff that is complemented by various synths and sound effects. This melody is put on a fast-paced Dance Trap beat that will make anyone want to dance when they hear it. Doja Cat’s vocal performance on this track matches the excitement and liveliness of the instrumental. Her vocals on this track take it over the top and give it a level of sass that it benefits from. On ‘Ouchies,’ Doja Cat is calling out her peers, saying that they are not putting in the effort and are not committed to their craft as much as she currently is.
Doja Cat slows things down with the song ‘97.’ Even though this song has the same kind of brazen and cheeky energy as the first five tracks, it has a lot more of a calm and deliberate sound and feel. This song has a boom-bap sound that immediately makes me think of the late 1990s. This track has the kind of beat that artists like the Wu-Tang Clan made popular back in the day. The melody for this song is simple, hazy, and a little creepy; this melody is provided by a piano riff complemented by floaty synths. Doja Cat’s vocal performance on this song is very dynamic and deliberate, and it adds so much energy to the track. On ‘97,’ Doja Cat is rapping about how she does not care what anyone thinks and that she is going to do what she wants. ‘Gun’ is the first song on the album with the bubbly Pop-Trap sound that Doja Cat originally became known for. This song has the kind of sound that she has stated she hates in recent months. What’s ironic is that it is very catchy and I could see it becoming one of the most popular songs from the record. ‘Gun’ is driven by a light and sweet synth-driven melody put over a fun Pop-Trap beat. Doja Cat’s vocal performance on this song is pleasant and nice, but it is not outstanding in any way. ‘Gun’ is an extremely sensual track where Doja Cat vividly describes a sexual experience. ‘Gun’ may not be the most riveting or interesting song on the record, but it is fun to listen to. ‘Go Off’ is another pretty basic Pop-Trap song with a catchy sound. It is driven by atmospheric synths that sound like chimes and xylophones being played in heaven. This melody is put on top of a Pop-Trap beat with a very similar tempo and feeling to the preceding song. Even the vocals on this track remind me a lot of the vocals on ‘Gun.’ The only real difference between these tracks is that the beat for ‘Go Off’ has a warmer tone. In my opinion, this one could have been left off of the record, as it is kind of just a worse version of the previous track. On ‘Go Off,’ Doja Cat is hyping up and praising her hair stylist for allowing her to shine in the way she does. ‘Shutcho’ is the second song in a row that kind of feels like a throwaway track to me. There is nothing about this song that captivates me much. Like ‘Go Off,’ it kind of just feels like a worse version of ‘Gun.’ I will say that I enjoy the vocals on this track more than the ones on ‘Go Off.’ Doja Cat has a lot more range and emphasis with her vocals on ‘Shutcho’ than she does with her vocals on ‘Go Off,’ making this song pop a bit more. On ‘Shutcho,’ is speaking to her haters, telling them to shut up and mind their business. ‘Agora Hills’ switches up from the sound and the feels of the last three songs. This track has a Y2K Pop and R&B feeling that feels like a fusion of the music from Mariah Carey and the music from Kyle Minogue. The melody has the kind of bright and lovely sound of a Mariah Carey track, but the synths that create this melody have the distortion of a Europop track. This intricate melody is put on an R&B Trap beat that fits well into the R&B sound of today. Doja Cat’s vocal performance on this song is great. Her singing sounds so great on the melody, and the power in her rapping gives the song life. On ‘Agora Hills,’ Doja Cat is rapping about not wanting to hide her relationship but knowing it is the best thing to do because of her fame and notoriety.
‘Can’t Wait’ is another song that incorporates 1990s Hip Hop and R&B into its sound. This track sounds directly inspired by Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu. The melody for this track has such a funky sound that I enjoy so much. I love how complex the melody is; there are so many instruments that give it such a full sound. This melody is put on a late-1990s-style Hip Hop beat with a bit of a Boom-Bap feeling(similar to ‘97’). Like so many songs on this record, ‘Can’t Wait’ has a very dynamic and diverse vocal performance that improves the quality of the song. Doja Cat is showing off her range as a vocalist on this record at many different points. In ‘Can’t Wait,’ Doja Cat professes her love for her significant other and states that she would do anything for them. The 1990s Hip Hop influence continues on the track ‘Often.’ This is the most quirky-sounding song on the record. The melody for this one has a psychedelic-funk sound that seems like it is coming from a different dimension. This extremely groovy melody is provided by a synthesized keyboard that is complemented by all sorts of crazy sound effects that sound like they are floating in from outer space. This crazy melody is put on top of a low-key beat that has an old-school underground Hip Hop element to it. ‘Often’ may contain the album’s best vocal performance yet, which is saying a lot. Doja Cat’s range on this track is incredible, and the emotion in which she sings makes it so all-encompassing. On ‘Often,’ Doja Cat describes a sexual experience that she enjoyed a lot. ‘Love Life’ almost feels like a combination of the Funky 1990s Neo-R&B from the last two songs and the Neo-R&B-Trap that is popular today. This song has an equally as intricate and all-over-the-place melody as the song before it, but instead of the melody being put on an old-school beat, it is put on a light Trap beat. I appreciate the idea that the sound of this song is going for, but I prefer this kind of melody on an older-sounding beat, so I would say that ‘Often’ has a sound that works better than this track. ‘Love Life’ has one of the most boring vocal performances of the record, which drags it down a bit. In ‘Love Life,’ Doja Cat shows appreciation for the life she now lives due to her own hard work.
‘Skull And Bones’ is the second track in a row that seems to fuse R&B from the 1990s with modern R&B Trap music. Instead of having a Jazzy and Funky Neo-R&B melody though, this track has more of a welcoming Pop R&B sound. Instead of this melody sounding like it comes from Lauryn Hill or Erykah Badu, this one sounds like it comes from TLC or Destiny’s Child. I love the underlying bassline that drives this melody, as it shimmers and sounds so glamorous when the chime noises that complement it come in. Doja Cat has another very good vocal performance on ‘Skull and Bones.’ Like so many other moments on the record, her vocals are so diverse, with her hitting delightfully high notes on the chorus and with her rapping with so much force and vigor on the verses. In ‘Skull and Bones,’ Doja Cat addresses the rumors that she has become a Satanist and a devil-worshipper that have surfaced online. She knows that she is not that way, but does not care what people think if it helps her make money. ‘Attention’ was the first single that was released in anticipation of this record. This song certainly caught the world by storm, as it was the first single Doja Cat released after calling her fans out for liking the basic Pop-Trap music she had been known for(and that she does dive into on this record a bit, by the way). ‘Attention’ is the kind of hard-hitting Rap song that most people did not know that Doja Cat could make. This song has a hypnotic yet dark bass guitar-driven melody that is extremely dirty and funky. This melody is put on top of an old-school Hip Hop beat that has an Alternative underground feeling to it. The best thing about this track is Doja Cat’s rapping on the verses. She raps with so much sass and force, giving this mesmerizing-sounding song a level of strength that it benefits from. On ‘Attention,’ Doja Cat is showing herself love while addressing the public discourse of her over the years. She knows that she is great, and she does not care what anyone else thinks. Doja Cat goes with the late 1990s theme that she has gone with so much on this record with the song ‘Balut.’ This was the last single released from this record, having come out about a week before the album’s release. The best way that I can describe this song is that it sounds like an old G-Funk song. I could see someone like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, or Warren G rapping on this instrumental back in the day. I love the murkiness of the melody of ‘Balut;’ this melody has the kind of feeling that will make someone want to smoke a blunt and drive around at dusk with the top down on a convertible during the summer. Doja Cat has one of her most understated and calm vocal performances on this song; this vocal performance does fit the instrumental, though, as the peacefulness in her rap performance matches the energy of the instrumental. ‘Balut’ is a braggadocious track where Doja Cat states that she knows how good she is at making Pop music hits. Doja Cat closes out Scarlet on a fiery note with ‘WYM Freestyle.’ This is the kind of instrumental I would have never expected to hear Doja Cat on. ‘WYM Freestyle’ has the kind of bold Drill sound that one would expect to hear from artists like Lil Durk or Pooh Sheisty. The song is driven by a foreboding and creepy synth-driven melody that is put over a banging and brash Trap beat. This instrumental has so much intense energy, and Doja Cat’s vocal performance matches it. She raps with an amount of urgency and emphasis that goes well with the instrumental. ‘WYM Freestyle’ is a diss to anyone who doubted Doja Cat. She does not care what anyone else thinks, because she is more successful than anyone hating on her. It is easy to see that Doja Cat wanted to close this record out with a bang, and she accomplished that with ‘WYM Freestyle.’
I did not know what to think about what Scarlet would be when going into it. As I mentioned in the introduction, Doja Cat has said a lot of stuff in the last couple of years that has turned a lot of people off to her, myself included. When she started dropping singles that seemed to back up what she was saying about her past music, I got excited for the record, because it made me think she actually is as talented a Hip Hop artist as she was saying she is. I am happy to say that I am l surprised and very satisfied with Scarlet. This is not a perfect album and there is too much filler in my opinion, but overall it shows off Doja Cat’s massive potential as a Hip Hop artist. If Scarlet were to have cut out the few boring Pop-Trap tracks that are mixed into this record, it could truly be great. For the most part, Doja Cat shows a diversity and maturity in Scarlet that I did not know she could achieve with her artistry. As far as the vocals go, Doja Cat kills it on Scarlet, as she proves how wide her range is as a singer and rapper in so many ways. Scarlet is a cool and unique Hip Hop record where Doja demonstrates how eclectic she can be with her music, and it has a lot of music on it that I know I will be coming back to frequently in the future.
EAST SIDE VIBES 