Doja Cat shared her intent to break free from the pop mold in an exclusive interview with V Magazine, released on Monday (July 17). The artist indicated a profound shift in her creative direction.
The “Attention” rapper clarified, “I have made pop music. I’m currently making rap, soul, and R&B music with jazz elements. But this is a representation of how I feel. When I wear black, when I wear metal, or very scantily clad outfits, it’s all a representation of how angry, liberated, and sexual I am.”
Over the last several years, Doja has seemingly grown increasingly candid about her artistic frustrations. In March 2022, the musician announced that she was quitting music, and in April, she tweeted, “Pop isn’t exciting to me anymore.”
In the V spotlight, she confessed her dissatisfaction with her earlier, more commercially focused music, revealing that she had felt constrained and unable to express herself fully.
“I have thrown fits my whole career because I have been making music that didn’t allow me to have a mental release. I have been making music that is palatable, marketable, and sellable, that has allowed me to be where I am,” she elaborated. “These upcoming projects are going to be very different compared to everything I have done, and I am excited about that. I do not care if people are not.”
Earlier in the year, Doja had hinted on social media that her previous albums were more financially motivated by calling them “cash grabs.” Now, she seems eager to let her authentic self shine through her music.
In addition to her anticipated shift in musical style, Doja Cat recently announced her debut headline show run, “The Scarlet Tour.” Slated to begin on Halloween (Oct. 31) in San Francisco, the tour will bring her music to fans across 27 cities, including Chicago, Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas, Miami, and Brooklyn, concluding on Dec. 13 in Detroit. She’ll also be joined by special guests Ice Spice and Doechii.