Doja Cat's Scarlet - A Justified Gem Of Genius & Genre
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Sep. 24, 2023 • By Jason Elhilow
DescriptionA review of Scarlet, Doja Cat's newest album, and how she has returned to her roots with a mix of genius and riffing on genre.
MessageWe recommend listening to Scarlet to form your own opinions about the album.
Image
Doja CatIntroductionFor me, this journey started all the way back in 2020. There were lockdowns, Zoom meetings, toilet paper shortages, and Doja Cat. She had just dropped her sophomore album in November of 2019, containing a hit so big, even she was sick of singing: Say So. Now, is it a great pop song? Yes. Yet Doja was never meant to be known as a pop artist, blowing up on TikTok and only being trapped further when she released her next record, Planet Her, in 2021. But if you go far enough back in her discography toward her self-titled debut Amala, the EP Purrr!, or even to the SoundCloud days, a much different sound emanates.
This is what brings us to Scarlet, Doja Cat's FOURTH studio album, as it heads right back to the roots of what her artistry started as: fun, honest, explicit, hip-hop/rap-infused tracks with infectious hooks and versatile verses. It came out on September 22, yet had four singles released prior, those being Attention, Paint The Town Red, Demons, and Balut, almost all of which made it onto my playlist the second they could. I'll go into more detail about why they're so perfect, but as for the rest of the eleven (thirteen including the bonus tracks) that came with the Scarlet, it's quite the ride. They all have something to love, yet it is far less unanimous that something like Oliva Rodrigo's GUTS, which should not be shocking given my music preference. Though that does not matter, because if it's by Doja, I'm listening, and after reading this, you'll start to see why. Her cadence, her confidence, her creativity, and even her controversies, led to an album that can only be called a gem of genius and genre, as she could finally do what she has wanted to do from day one: making art. And I'd say she did a good damn job at doing so.
Doja CatDoja Cat has occupied an interesting place in the music industry. The artist has made music for almost a decade, consistently releasing through albums, EPs, and collabs. As mentioned, she really blew up on TikTok in late 2019 into 2020 all the way until now, shooting into true stardom with hit after hit (Say So, Kiss Me More, Need To Know, Woman). Essentially, if you have listened to any pop station in the past few years, Doja has infiltrated your brain.
But there is another side to her, not only musically, but with her personality. Doja has never fit the conventional box of "pop star," and though it could be said that she was never one to begin with, no one can deny that to general audiences, she is. But for the hardcore fans, for someone like me (and I was pretty late to the game), it is more than clear that different genres rule. That is where her newest album comes in, as after all this time, Doja seemingly wants to reclaim her image. So, she started trashing her past albums, attacking her "stans" (extreme fans), and embracing a new character, an alter ego named Scarlet.
ScarletFrom what can be understood, Scarlet is the persona that Doja has crafted for herself to play this time around, her being the transition between the pop image everyone knew and the more hip-hop sound Doja truly wanted to embrace. The story behind it has mainly been told through three of the music videos released for the LP—Attention, Paint The Town Red, and Agora Hills—where in the first, Scarlet debuts as a blood-covered, totally naked Doja in a strange reflective puddle shot. Then, in PTTR, she comes back in black and white, taking her eyeball out, putting it in a glass of water, and in the end, putting in a new/cleaned one, theorized to symbolize how Scarlet/Doja is a new outlook on life. She is cleansing the past, washing it away, and taking on something fresh. Then, finally, in the Agora Hills video, Scarlet goes under a shower, the blood covering her slowly spilling off into a drain, possibly proving the final evolution of Doja. No longer is the pretty, pink, pop girl Say So painted her as; no, she is motherf—ing Doja Cat, and she will make the music she wants, not what the public expects her to make. If that's not just the most genius way of saying IDGAF, what is?
Favorite SongsFor the first time ever, I am putting my top five in order from least to most favorite. It's rare, but I really have clear preferences with Scarlet, though I LOVE every track and all of those that came before it. Is this all my opinion? Yes. However, I hope to pique your interest enough to get you to give it a listen. Let's get started.
Many will hate me for this, but number five has to go to Agora Hills. Of the singles from the album, it is by no means the weakest, and really contains all the magic of a Doja Cat track. The sample of Troop’s All I Do Is Think of You is the perfect start, bridging right into a whispery and slightly autotuned Doja as she raps about having an open relationship, but, with all her fame, that is difficult. She wants to be able to be with someone, love someone, but can't risk being seen. It all comes with a layer of comedy, though, as little interludes of Doja talking on a phone are played, saying phrases ranging from "So, 9:30? I'll see you there. No, you hang up, you hang up!" to "Ah, sorry, I was takin' a sip of my root beer." Agora is an unusual song, taking you on a strange and almost nostalgic sonic journey. Does it deserve to be a favorite? Yes. But it is not any higher than five for me. That's just a testament to how great the rest are, though, not an insult. And let me tell you, the next song is definitely more my style.
Gun is my fourth favorite so far, it actually being a once-leaked unreleased track. But now, with Scarlet, Doja has decided to polish it up and finish it, and honestly, I am so happy she did. I'll be blunt: the song is about having sex. She actively compares her knowledge of using a gun with knowledge of how to have intercourse. And if you want to take that at face value, I would not blame you. But the thing that has drawn me and likely so many others to love this track is the flow and production, as it has a really fun vibe alongside a heavy-hitting bass beat that adds to the insane wordplay in every bar. It's a beyond explicit song, but it should be no surprise if you've listened to her music for one second. If anything, it is truly the closest one to her past roots, with many fans comparing it to her earlier days. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but Gun took me by surprise, becoming one of the best from the new album. But there are more, with number three being the biggest hit from Scarlet so far: Paint The Town Red.
I've already mentioned PTTR so much, and that is solely due to it being one of the best from Doja's recent discography, something fans agree with. It has been the most streamed song on the album, its music video amassing sixty million views and charting number two on Billboard's Top 100. And I get why. The song totally contains her IDGAF energy, as it is literally Doja just speaking the truth, attacking some of the things she has been called and twisting them on their head over a sample of Walk On By by Dionne Warwick, which is a pretty sick way to do so. In the song, Doja lays her plans out flat, saying that she doesn't care what anyone thinks, taking point by point the very hate she has given/received and translating it into an absolute bop. I don't think there's much else to say besides that it will likely be the one you'll hear on the radio, and it definitely is a chill song to drive to. PTTR is unique, smartly written and produced, and overall creates a good time for most. Though my third is where things get crazy, demonic even, as Doja takes on a whole new side to her sound. Demons is a freaking insane song, and it 100% has an aesthetic based around them. The hook of the song is literally this: "How my demons look, now that my pocket's full?" When gathered together, this second track from Scarlet is a bass-heavy, rage-filled, meta anthem with wild lyrics and a message attacking the concept that she has sold her soul to the music industry for fame. And Doja decided to take that on full swing, making an uncannily creepy/horror-themed video to pair with the hardcore bars of the track. Just the production of the song alone makes it worth listening to (which is true for most of the album), with 808s following Doja's vocals throughout. And talking about vocals, she goes between aggressive shouts and loud whispers, a fascinating combo. But what makes Demons ICONIC are the verses. Here's a bit of a taste: "I'm a puppet, I'm a sheep, I'm a cash cow. I'm the fastest-growing b— on all your apps now. You are tired of me 'cause I'm on your ass now. You are mad at me 'cause I am all they slap now. I can nap now. Lots of people that were sleeping say I rap now. Lots of people's hopes and dreams are finally trashed now." The rhyming, the riding of the flow, the pure honesty, all scream Doja, giving exact reasons as to why I love it. It's an odd track, but one of my favorites, and even though you could easily reject it for its fairly demonic themes alone, I'd recommend listening to it through. Because if you are as crazy as I am, you'll love it. Yet number one of this list is far less decisive and likely the most unique track on Scarlet.
Attention is perfect. The minute it debuted three months ago, I fell in love, its first seconds instantly rushing you with a strange yet sultry sitar-like sound and a beat drop moments later. From there, Doja comes in with very high, airy vocals to carry us to the first verse, where she really starts things off with a bang. Mind you, Attention was both the beginning of the Scarlet era and of Scarlet the character, who premiered here in a previously mentioned shot, so no one knew what was going to come. And let me tell you, it's pretty savage. With a single phrase ("Look at me, look at me. You lookin'?"), Doja revealed a truth almost no one expected: she loves herself, yet hates the fame. As always, the rest of the track is expertly explicit, with a near-psychedelic shadow following every word. But the message and mood of the song is something I can never get over, and it just comes to mind as an instant classic for both her and the record. I've been enamored with it since its release, and if there is ANY song from Scarlet you should listen to, it's Attention. It was a perfect introduction to a new era, and is an excellent reminder of who Doja Cat has always been. And nothing can top that.
ConclusionDoja Cat definitely can make music that has mass appeal, but she truly is at her best when she is making what she loves. For fans of modern-day rap/hip-hop with influences from the past, Scarlet is perfect for you. And if you're anyone else? Still check it out. The only thing you have to lose is your passage to heaven (maybe). Regardless, the total seventeen tracks of Scarlet are nothing but a marvel for Doja's creativity and artistry, as after all these years and all the times she was forced to make pop, she can finally stop. It's a justified gem of an album, surrounded by genius storytelling and a play into new/existing genres. I only have one problem: the album ends. If that's the only complaint your fans have, then you've done your job. And Doja has done it so many times before, and WILL do so again. That is beyond a guarantee.
This is what brings us to Scarlet, Doja Cat's FOURTH studio album, as it heads right back to the roots of what her artistry started as: fun, honest, explicit, hip-hop/rap-infused tracks with infectious hooks and versatile verses. It came out on September 22, yet had four singles released prior, those being Attention, Paint The Town Red, Demons, and Balut, almost all of which made it onto my playlist the second they could. I'll go into more detail about why they're so perfect, but as for the rest of the eleven (thirteen including the bonus tracks) that came with the Scarlet, it's quite the ride. They all have something to love, yet it is far less unanimous that something like Oliva Rodrigo's GUTS, which should not be shocking given my music preference. Though that does not matter, because if it's by Doja, I'm listening, and after reading this, you'll start to see why. Her cadence, her confidence, her creativity, and even her controversies, led to an album that can only be called a gem of genius and genre, as she could finally do what she has wanted to do from day one: making art. And I'd say she did a good damn job at doing so.
Doja CatDoja Cat has occupied an interesting place in the music industry. The artist has made music for almost a decade, consistently releasing through albums, EPs, and collabs. As mentioned, she really blew up on TikTok in late 2019 into 2020 all the way until now, shooting into true stardom with hit after hit (Say So, Kiss Me More, Need To Know, Woman). Essentially, if you have listened to any pop station in the past few years, Doja has infiltrated your brain.
But there is another side to her, not only musically, but with her personality. Doja has never fit the conventional box of "pop star," and though it could be said that she was never one to begin with, no one can deny that to general audiences, she is. But for the hardcore fans, for someone like me (and I was pretty late to the game), it is more than clear that different genres rule. That is where her newest album comes in, as after all this time, Doja seemingly wants to reclaim her image. So, she started trashing her past albums, attacking her "stans" (extreme fans), and embracing a new character, an alter ego named Scarlet.
ScarletFrom what can be understood, Scarlet is the persona that Doja has crafted for herself to play this time around, her being the transition between the pop image everyone knew and the more hip-hop sound Doja truly wanted to embrace. The story behind it has mainly been told through three of the music videos released for the LP—Attention, Paint The Town Red, and Agora Hills—where in the first, Scarlet debuts as a blood-covered, totally naked Doja in a strange reflective puddle shot. Then, in PTTR, she comes back in black and white, taking her eyeball out, putting it in a glass of water, and in the end, putting in a new/cleaned one, theorized to symbolize how Scarlet/Doja is a new outlook on life. She is cleansing the past, washing it away, and taking on something fresh. Then, finally, in the Agora Hills video, Scarlet goes under a shower, the blood covering her slowly spilling off into a drain, possibly proving the final evolution of Doja. No longer is the pretty, pink, pop girl Say So painted her as; no, she is motherf—ing Doja Cat, and she will make the music she wants, not what the public expects her to make. If that's not just the most genius way of saying IDGAF, what is?
Favorite SongsFor the first time ever, I am putting my top five in order from least to most favorite. It's rare, but I really have clear preferences with Scarlet, though I LOVE every track and all of those that came before it. Is this all my opinion? Yes. However, I hope to pique your interest enough to get you to give it a listen. Let's get started.
Many will hate me for this, but number five has to go to Agora Hills. Of the singles from the album, it is by no means the weakest, and really contains all the magic of a Doja Cat track. The sample of Troop’s All I Do Is Think of You is the perfect start, bridging right into a whispery and slightly autotuned Doja as she raps about having an open relationship, but, with all her fame, that is difficult. She wants to be able to be with someone, love someone, but can't risk being seen. It all comes with a layer of comedy, though, as little interludes of Doja talking on a phone are played, saying phrases ranging from "So, 9:30? I'll see you there. No, you hang up, you hang up!" to "Ah, sorry, I was takin' a sip of my root beer." Agora is an unusual song, taking you on a strange and almost nostalgic sonic journey. Does it deserve to be a favorite? Yes. But it is not any higher than five for me. That's just a testament to how great the rest are, though, not an insult. And let me tell you, the next song is definitely more my style.
Gun is my fourth favorite so far, it actually being a once-leaked unreleased track. But now, with Scarlet, Doja has decided to polish it up and finish it, and honestly, I am so happy she did. I'll be blunt: the song is about having sex. She actively compares her knowledge of using a gun with knowledge of how to have intercourse. And if you want to take that at face value, I would not blame you. But the thing that has drawn me and likely so many others to love this track is the flow and production, as it has a really fun vibe alongside a heavy-hitting bass beat that adds to the insane wordplay in every bar. It's a beyond explicit song, but it should be no surprise if you've listened to her music for one second. If anything, it is truly the closest one to her past roots, with many fans comparing it to her earlier days. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but Gun took me by surprise, becoming one of the best from the new album. But there are more, with number three being the biggest hit from Scarlet so far: Paint The Town Red.
I've already mentioned PTTR so much, and that is solely due to it being one of the best from Doja's recent discography, something fans agree with. It has been the most streamed song on the album, its music video amassing sixty million views and charting number two on Billboard's Top 100. And I get why. The song totally contains her IDGAF energy, as it is literally Doja just speaking the truth, attacking some of the things she has been called and twisting them on their head over a sample of Walk On By by Dionne Warwick, which is a pretty sick way to do so. In the song, Doja lays her plans out flat, saying that she doesn't care what anyone thinks, taking point by point the very hate she has given/received and translating it into an absolute bop. I don't think there's much else to say besides that it will likely be the one you'll hear on the radio, and it definitely is a chill song to drive to. PTTR is unique, smartly written and produced, and overall creates a good time for most. Though my third is where things get crazy, demonic even, as Doja takes on a whole new side to her sound. Demons is a freaking insane song, and it 100% has an aesthetic based around them. The hook of the song is literally this: "How my demons look, now that my pocket's full?" When gathered together, this second track from Scarlet is a bass-heavy, rage-filled, meta anthem with wild lyrics and a message attacking the concept that she has sold her soul to the music industry for fame. And Doja decided to take that on full swing, making an uncannily creepy/horror-themed video to pair with the hardcore bars of the track. Just the production of the song alone makes it worth listening to (which is true for most of the album), with 808s following Doja's vocals throughout. And talking about vocals, she goes between aggressive shouts and loud whispers, a fascinating combo. But what makes Demons ICONIC are the verses. Here's a bit of a taste: "I'm a puppet, I'm a sheep, I'm a cash cow. I'm the fastest-growing b— on all your apps now. You are tired of me 'cause I'm on your ass now. You are mad at me 'cause I am all they slap now. I can nap now. Lots of people that were sleeping say I rap now. Lots of people's hopes and dreams are finally trashed now." The rhyming, the riding of the flow, the pure honesty, all scream Doja, giving exact reasons as to why I love it. It's an odd track, but one of my favorites, and even though you could easily reject it for its fairly demonic themes alone, I'd recommend listening to it through. Because if you are as crazy as I am, you'll love it. Yet number one of this list is far less decisive and likely the most unique track on Scarlet.
Attention is perfect. The minute it debuted three months ago, I fell in love, its first seconds instantly rushing you with a strange yet sultry sitar-like sound and a beat drop moments later. From there, Doja comes in with very high, airy vocals to carry us to the first verse, where she really starts things off with a bang. Mind you, Attention was both the beginning of the Scarlet era and of Scarlet the character, who premiered here in a previously mentioned shot, so no one knew what was going to come. And let me tell you, it's pretty savage. With a single phrase ("Look at me, look at me. You lookin'?"), Doja revealed a truth almost no one expected: she loves herself, yet hates the fame. As always, the rest of the track is expertly explicit, with a near-psychedelic shadow following every word. But the message and mood of the song is something I can never get over, and it just comes to mind as an instant classic for both her and the record. I've been enamored with it since its release, and if there is ANY song from Scarlet you should listen to, it's Attention. It was a perfect introduction to a new era, and is an excellent reminder of who Doja Cat has always been. And nothing can top that.
ConclusionDoja Cat definitely can make music that has mass appeal, but she truly is at her best when she is making what she loves. For fans of modern-day rap/hip-hop with influences from the past, Scarlet is perfect for you. And if you're anyone else? Still check it out. The only thing you have to lose is your passage to heaven (maybe). Regardless, the total seventeen tracks of Scarlet are nothing but a marvel for Doja's creativity and artistry, as after all these years and all the times she was forced to make pop, she can finally stop. It's a justified gem of an album, surrounded by genius storytelling and a play into new/existing genres. I only have one problem: the album ends. If that's the only complaint your fans have, then you've done your job. And Doja has done it so many times before, and WILL do so again. That is beyond a guarantee.
SourcesCat, Doja. “Scarlet.” Doja Cat, https://www.dojacat.com. Accessed 24 September 2023.
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