DOJA CAT: A STYLE EVOLUTION ANALYSIS
Doja Cat wears a lot of hats:
Like many female rappers, she rose to mainstream appeal by embracing her sexuality and channeling her creativity by creating music that was sexual and autonomous.
Doja Cat and SZA with their Grammy award, 2022
Doja Cat spent her late childhood in an ashram (a spiritual retreat commune) in California and her adolescence on the outskirts of Los Angeles. She dropped out of high school at 16 and spent her time online.
Doja's success was a combination of her own effort and assistance from her music label. She was scouted and signed under RCA Records after posting her single “So High” on Soundcloud. She used social media and local performances to promote her music.
Doja Cat before performing, 2014
As an emerging artist, Doja controlled her image. Her early makeup signature, a forehead gem, was influenced by her early exposure to Hinduism.
Doja Cat selfie, 2014
Hindu references also appear in her first music video, ‘So High’.
These are early examples of Doja Cat referencing her personal identity in her music persona.
In 2018, she gained notoriety by going viral for a music video she produced, recorded, filmed, and edited. This viral video, although satire, proved her raw talent.
The virality she received was enough to gain the attention of her record company and prove she was a marketable artist.
Doja Cat in Juicy music video, 2019
Doja Cat in Tia Tamera music video, 2019
She visually embraces her sonic persona by creating a style spectrum that varies between a hyper-feminine California hipster.
Doja Cat in 2013.
Doja Cat performing Streets, 2020
Recently her style spectrum is expanding as she shaved her head and eyebrows.
Doja Cat photographed by Tom Kneller for CR Fashion Book
Through the lens of Charles Jung and his theory on individuation, we can observe Doja Cat's artistic evolution.
Jung defines the self as our essence of being, our potential. Doja Cat's ‘self’ is her raw talent. Jung defines personas as the spirit and attitudes one consciously embodies. Her style and sound are a persona-- the identity she presents to the world.
Doja Cat’s persona as an artist is a combination of her music, her style, and her PR strategy. Her presence in fashion expands her influence across two fields; the music industry and the fashion industry.
Despite Doja’s albums Hot Pink and Planet Her generating commercial success, Amala has expressed dissatisfaction with her sound as a musician.
Her dissatisfaction could categorize under neurosis. Neurosis is a dated term used by early psychoanalysts to describe an individual whose perception of life is grounded in reality, able to function in society but is distressed because of feelings of unfulfillment. Someone who is neurotic would suffer from negative feelings, stemming internally that affects their ability to function in their life.
Her rapid success is not enough to fulfill her void as an artist; she has grown tired of her persona. Doja’s dissatisfaction with her art is causing interpersonal issues with her fan base.
Amala found her artistic identity and became successful by embodying the hyper-sexual, hyper-feminine persona known as Doja Cat. As Amala expands her artistic range, she is dealing with issues communicating her process with the world.
Her integration of less hyper-feminine elements in her visual style allows her to dissociate herself from the sonic persona embodied up to this point.
Doja Cat at Viktor and Rolf fashion show, 2023
Doja Cat with cool eyeliner.
We’ve seen this in her recent single, Attention.
In interviews with Missy Elliot and Ebro Darden, Doja has shared that she plans on going in a different direction with her sound. She has no desire to be just a pop star; her goal is to cultivate a distinct sound that spreads across all her work.
To accomplish her goal, Doja Cat has to incorporate her past sound to some extent (to satisfy her fans and her label) while still taking risks to fulfill her desires. This process is Jung’s definition of individuation. After reaching equilibrium, Doja will maximize her individuality and success as an artist.
I’m excited to see what new music comes out and how it will explain her style transformation!
