Amala Zandile Dlamini, commonly known by her stage name, Doja Cat, is a 27-year-old American rapper and R&B artist. She gained fame and recognition when her debut album, “Amala” was released in 2018. The more popular songs on this album include “Wine Pon You,” “Candy,” and “Go to Town.” However, her fame truly spiraled in early 2020 when her chart-topping hit, “Say So,” was released and became an internet sensation on ‘Tiktok.’ Millions of people were dancing and making videos of Doja’s songs; her fame only increased. She would release many more songs to be featured on “The Hot 100” and gain millions of followers, only to lose many of them three years later.
After her two-year break, the artist has made a notorious return to the music industry with her new single, “Paint the Town Red,” and upcoming album, “Scarlet.” The unique component of her return is that she has adopted a new evil persona. What some call ‘possession by the devil,’ and ‘Satan worshiping,’ Doja Cat’s new song, “Paint the Town Red,” showcases her new indifferent way of life. Lyrics from the song state, “Yeah, b****, 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.” The new carelessness of the artist is shown through her alter ego, ‘Scarlet,’ who is unafraid to voice her opinions. However, this isn’t the leading cause of controversy surrounding Doja Cat, that is, her new appeal of Satanism. Her latest music video for the song “Paint the Town Red” features what many consider to be notable symbols of Satanism. Including Doja partaking in a meat ritual, which is a religious ritual, Doja wearing pentagrams on her sleeves, and her dressed as the devil. Some are calling this music video “gruesome” and “disturbing.” For some fans, the lyrics are also concerning. In the song, Doja Cat refers to herself as the devil.
The artist also received significant backlash when she revealed her new tattoo on Instagram back in April. The tattoo was of a ‘bat skeleton’ on her back. People on the internet were outraged by this tattoo simply because it looked ‘demonic.’ However, Doja stated that the bat skeleton represented letting go and new beginnings for her. The artist’s style has evolved throughout the years, from her shaved head and bleached eyebrows to her controversial tattoos, and it’s interesting to see how her music has developed along with her fashion style. Doja Cat responded to the accusations of her tattoos being demonic by saying, “If you’re calling me demonic honestly werk cuz like I love that you ate fr” (via Twitter).
While some fans are concerned that Doja Cat is saying she is ‘the devil,’ thinking she may be partaking in harmful activities, others believe she is just putting on a character and nothing else. Either way, because of her new persona, Doja has lost over 200,000 followers on Instagram over the past month and half a million followers over the past three months. If this new image of Doja Cat is all just a facade to gain attention, she’s certainly doing a compelling job.
