Doja Cat

Doja Cat was born Amala Dlamini in 1995 in Los Angeles. She dropped out of high school aged 16 amid struggles with ADHD, and began uploading music on Soundcloud. From here, she became a fixture in Los Angeles’ underground hip hop scene, leading to her meeting producer Yeti Beats, who has since become her go-to collaborator. Soon after she signed to Kemosabe Records, an imprint of RCA Records, and publishing company Prescription Songs. In 2014, she released her debut EP, Purrr!

In 2018, after a four-year release hiatus during which she struggled with writers’ block, Doja Cat released her first studio album, Amala. While the album didn’t chart upon its release, it was the first taste of the impossibly fun bubblegum R&B-hip hop that would soon take over the world. In August 2018, she released the parody track ‘MOOO!’ (sample lyric: “B*tch, I’m a cow”) and its accompanying, absurd music video online. It became a viral sensation, making Doja Cat an overnight star. Following this, she embarked on her first headline tour in North America and Europe, and released the deluxe edition of Amala. In 2019, a remix of the Amala track ‘Juicy’ featuring Tyga hit the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Doja Cat’s first appearance on the chart.

The same year, Doja Cat released her second album, Hot Pink. Here, Doja Cat levelled up, releasing a focused and confident work to wide critical acclaim. The album spawned numerous singles, including ‘Say So’ and its remix featuring Nicki Minaj, which became a smash hit, peaking at No.1 in the US (the first ever female rap collaboration to do so) and later being named by Billboard as one of the 500 Best Pop Songs of All Time. The song was nominated for two Grammys for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.