Doja Cat’s ‘Scarlet’: A Dive Into Her Most Ambitious Album Yet

Doja Cat has had a publicly turbulent year. Marred with controversies surrounding her relationships with her past music, her dating life, and even her relationships with her fans have resulted in her having lost a quarter-million followers on Instagram.

Album artwork for Doja Cat’s album Scarlet

Yet, despite these hurdles, her recent journey to Scarlet shows a mature artist, one who has grown, reflected, and conquered. Most notably, Scarlet stands out as a solo endeavor.

With no collaborations to be found, Scarlet allows Doja’s artistry to shine through on her own.

Planet Her, Doja’s previous album, was an intoxicating mixture of trap, afrobeats, R&B, and pop. It was a critical and commercial success, solidifying her place among contemporary music greats.

Leading up to the release of Scarlet, Doja proclaimed she wanted this album to be just rap. She wanted to showcase her lyricism and found that her taste for the pop music she was known for churning out had soured.

With Scarlet, Doja Cat ventures into deeper, darker waters. This introspective album provides insight into the diary of an artist navigating the high highs and the low lows of the music industry. Every track is a testament to Doja’s multifaceted talent, displaying her dexterity across genres and proving her versatility isn’t just a trait – but her strength. 

Music video still from “Paint the Town Red”

The album’s opening track, “Paint the Town Red” is reminiscent of her pop roots but also seemingly a first step for her to explore new musical realms. As the album unfolds, songs like “Demons” demand attention.

In this audacious track, Doja confronts her detractors head-on, skillfully blending punk-rap and horror-core influences into a unique musical experience – an aesthetic she was also never previously known for.

On past albums Planet Her and Hot Pink, her aesthetic was feminine – think bubbly, pink, light, and airy. To think that Doja Cat would be dressing like a demon haunting Christina Ricci in a horror-themed music video, coming off her last projects, was a welcomed surprise.

Promotional artwork and accompanying music video still for “Demons”

Speaking on what to expect for Scarlet, during an interview with ET, Doja Cat said,

“These were the first three songs [“Attention,” “Paint the Town Red,” and “Demons”] I made during the period that I was making music and then there’s a second half where I went to Malibu and I made all this music in ten days. That half,  is very different from the first half.”

Despite these blow-out abrasive songs, Doja Cat isn’t afraid to slow things down. Tracks like “Can’t Wait” offer a breather, allowing listeners to ponder and take in the depths of the album. While some might argue it feels slightly out of place amid the album’s high energy, it serves to underline Doja’s expansive range. Tracks like the jazz-inflected “97” and the neo-soul “Often” further attest to her genre-blending abilities.

“Agora Hills,” the single and music video that was released the same day as Scarlet, is true to the current rap scene. It’s a song that even on the first listen, you know it will take off on TikTok.

The track showcases Doja’s playfulness, even changing her cadence and tone (à la Nicki Minaj on Kanye West’s “Monster”) to give the feel that there are two separate Doja’s on the track.

This idea is even played off further in the post-apocalyptic music video. The tracks on this stretch of the album not only showcase her vocal prowess but also solidify her standing as a genre-fluid artist.

Doja Cat in the “Agora Hills” music video

The latter part of the album has songs like “Often,” which is moody and contemplative. It leads well into “Love Life,” showcasing a different side of Doja Cat. Here is where the ambition to do a true rap album pays off.

Her ability to maneuver between genres, aesthetics, and overall tone creates a sound that makes Scarlet a delightfully unpredictable journey.

“Wet Vagina” presents a rejuvenated, fearless Doja Cat. Her witty lyrical prowess, combined with her self-awareness, bridges the gap between her early SoundCloud days and her newfound elevated stature.

“Attention” is arguably the emotional epicenter of the album. It’s a raw, open dialogue in which Doja addresses her past controversies, providing a look into the psyche of an artist in the public eye, completely on par with the album’s themes.

Doja Cat Scarlet mannequin seen in NYC to promote the album Scarlet

Scarlet isn’t merely another album in Doja Cat’s portfolio. It’s a narrative, charting her evolution as an artist and as a woman in the limelight. Whether you’ve followed her journey from the start or you’re a recent convert, Scarlet is a combination of music, emotions, and resilience that delivers on its promises. With the release of the album, Doja Cat’s next venture is her first North American arena tour. The 24-date tour kicks off fittingly on Halloween and features two incredible guests – Doechii and Ice Spice!