Review: Doja Cat’s new album “Scarlet” has not been released

While “Scarlet” showcases Doja Cat’s undeniable talent, the lack of cohesion undermines the success of the album as a whole.

Joe Daher | 09/25/23 2:05

Pop star Doja Cat just released her fourth studio album, Scarlet, which marks a marked departure from her previous feminine aesthetic towards a darker, punk-inspired style. Doja told Diversity“I know I’ve done a lot of pink and soft things, a lot of pop and glittery sounds… but in the next era I’m going in a more masculine direction.” On her new album, Doja is still Doja at heart—she once again demonstrates her depth and breadth as a vocal artist, seamlessly switching between singing and rapping. However, “Scarlet” over- and under-performs thematically, suffering from a lack of features and a runtime of 51 minutes that is a little too desirable.

Doja has always had a provocative public image, dating back to the beginning of her career with her viral hit “MOOO!” The lead-up to this album was no different, with Doja expressing her disappointment with pop music and public perception of it following 2021’s “Planet Her.” Over the summer, in response to public criticism of her emotionally abusive boyfriend, she wrote on social media: Media: “I will never give a damn what you think of me… GOODBYE AND RIP YOU UNHAPPY H**S.” She lost hundreds of thousands of subscribers overnight. But, of course, this recent scandal only gave her more courage.

Ahead of the album’s release in September. On February 22, the covers of Doja’s past album and singles were colored red on all streaming services, symbolizing her desire to paint the world red. The album’s lead singles, “Paint the Town Red” and “Demons”, released in August and early September respectively, cemented her new demonic, unhinged image. Doja appears to be doubling down on her social media beef with her fans as she raps “bitch I said what I said” on “Paint the Town Red.” But despite all the eyebrow shaving and red body paint as a supposed rebrand, Doja still exudes the same girl-boss energy she became famous for in “Planet Her.” On “Scarlet,” she’s unapologetic about herself, maintaining the hypersexuality that made her famous—this time around, some of her more bombastic bars include “I bring the IV with a wet vagina” on the aptly titled “Wet Vaagina” and “Said, suck my Damn , cunt, tits, I scream 666” in “F**k The Girls (FTG).” Humility is not a common word for a rapper, and she plays the role better than ever.

Doja isn’t the first artist to reinvent herself in a darker persona, nor is she the only pop star to revive 2000s punk output with lush vocals, grungy rock beats and angsty, tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Olivia Rodrigo in particular has found success in the punk revival with songs like “brutal” from her debut album SOUR and “all-american bitch” from her recent release GUTS. Avril Lavigne also returned to the grunge spotlight with her 2022 album Love Sux. Doja openly spoke about her attempt to change her style, saying in an interview Magazine V. that in the past she “made music that felt good and sold and sold” and later tweeted that there would be “no more pop music”. Despite Doja’s embrace of punk aesthetics and stage presence, her music remains decidedly more popular than she might claim. Her scream rap on standout hit “Demons” is more reminiscent of a female take on Playboi Carti’s “Whole Lotta Red” than any kind of pop-punk. Despite his claims, Doja isn’t doing anything new.

From a production standpoint, “Scarlet” is mixed and mastered like a typical rap album, bordering on the corny at times. Some songs, like “Wet Vaagina”, “WYM Freestyle” and “Demons”, feel moody and edgy thanks to distorted bass and brooding synth pads, clearly influenced by artists like Playboi Carti and Yeat, who pioneered synth rap. Soundcloud sounds. However, much of the second half of the album, including the tracks “Often” and “Agora Hillls”, contains slower, sultry beats and smooth melodic lines reminiscent of her earlier albums. While some of these slower ballads are strong individually, they are thematically at odds with the dominant tone of “Scarlet.” The clash of these two genres weakens the impact of the more aggressive and controversial first half. However, for all her devilish braggadocio, she seems to be intentionally taking herself more seriously sonically and confronting the banality of her own pop star nature.

The most interesting and cohesive recordings on this album are the ones that lean into an edgier aesthetic. “Demons” is probably the best representation of this new Doja persona, from her humorous confirmation of her demonic tattoos to the chorus that segues into a punk rap sound. “Fuck The Girls (FTG)” features a catchy Billie-Eilish-esque beat contrasted with Doja’s ricocheting verses that form a distorted trap beat. “Ouchies” is another example of Doja’s ability to maintain an edgy flow over an uptempo trap beat. Among the slower ballads, “Skull and Bones” and “Attention” stand out, showcasing how Doja’s ethereal falsetto singing voice complements his introspective and methodical rapping style. But some of the other ballads, like “Balut,” sound empty and therefore feel inconsistent with the rest of the record.

It is clear that Doja was trying to make himself known with this record. And while she certainly shows that she’s capable of both a rapper and a singer (if there are any doubters left), the record ultimately lacks the radio-favorite earworms that “Planet Her” had in abundance, and isn’t sonically radical enough , to legitimize its intended meaning. punk. Sure, she’s radically changing her self-image and cultivating a new persona, but Lil Nas X, another viral superstar, succeeded in a similar satanic controversy years ago with the provocative music video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” . Doja Cat isn’t going anywhere, but this album is more a reflection of his cultural moment and Doja’s influence than a creative or transformative record.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆