Doja Cat — Biography
Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, professionally known as Doja Cat, is a versatile American artist who excels as a rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. Her journey in music began during her teenage years when she started uploading songs to SoundCloud, with "So High" being her first permanent track on November 8, 2012. This particular song piqued the interest of Kemosabe and RCA Records, leading her to sign a recording contract even before her debut extended play, Purrr!, was released in 2014. Following a break from putting out new music and an unremarkable launch of her debut studio album, Amala, in 2018, Doja Cat found herself going viral as an internet meme with her playful 2018 single "Mooo!", where she comically claims to be a cow.
Riding the wave of her newfound fame, she dropped her second studio album, Hot Pink, in 2019. This release made a significant impact, reaching the top ten on the US Billboard 200 and featuring the hit single "Say So," the remix of which, featuring Nicki Minaj, soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Her subsequent album, Planet Her, released in 2021, spent four weeks at number two on the Billboard 200 and included top ten hits such as "Kiss Me More" featuring SZA, "Need to Know," and "Woman." In 2023, her fourth studio album, Scarlet, embraced a hip hop style and achieved a peak position within the top five on the Billboard 200, while its lead single "Paint the Town Red" became her most successful track, marking her first solo number-one on the Hot 100 and in eight other countries.
Characterized by The Wall Street Journal as "a skilled technical rapper with a strong melodic sense and a bold visual presence," Doja Cat is known for crafting captivating videos and performances that often go viral on platforms like TikTok. She is deeply attuned to internet culture, recognized for her eccentric online persona and dynamic stage presence. Throughout her career, she has garnered numerous accolades, including one Grammy Award from a total of sixteen nominations, five Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards, and five MTV Video Music Awards. Billboard recognizes her as one of the leading commercial artists of the 2020s, and in 2023, Time included her in their list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Of Ashkenazi Jewish and Zulu heritage, as of May 2025, Doja Cat boasts 24.6 million followers on Instagram and 13.4 million subscribers on YouTube.
Riding the wave of her newfound fame, she dropped her second studio album, Hot Pink, in 2019. This release made a significant impact, reaching the top ten on the US Billboard 200 and featuring the hit single "Say So," the remix of which, featuring Nicki Minaj, soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Her subsequent album, Planet Her, released in 2021, spent four weeks at number two on the Billboard 200 and included top ten hits such as "Kiss Me More" featuring SZA, "Need to Know," and "Woman." In 2023, her fourth studio album, Scarlet, embraced a hip hop style and achieved a peak position within the top five on the Billboard 200, while its lead single "Paint the Town Red" became her most successful track, marking her first solo number-one on the Hot 100 and in eight other countries.
Characterized by The Wall Street Journal as "a skilled technical rapper with a strong melodic sense and a bold visual presence," Doja Cat is known for crafting captivating videos and performances that often go viral on platforms like TikTok. She is deeply attuned to internet culture, recognized for her eccentric online persona and dynamic stage presence. Throughout her career, she has garnered numerous accolades, including one Grammy Award from a total of sixteen nominations, five Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards, and five MTV Video Music Awards. Billboard recognizes her as one of the leading commercial artists of the 2020s, and in 2023, Time included her in their list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Of Ashkenazi Jewish and Zulu heritage, as of May 2025, Doja Cat boasts 24.6 million followers on Instagram and 13.4 million subscribers on YouTube.
