Doja Cat is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer who is known for her catchy and witty songs with unusual lyrics, influenced by deep hip-hop and electronic R&B. She shot to fame in 2018 with her goofy viral hit ‘Mooo!,‘ followed by her debut EP, ‘Purrr!,’ released in 2014.

Let’s learn more about the pop newcomer, starting with her real name as she continues to create a unique identity in the entertainment industry.

Early Life

Doja Cat, whose real name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, was born on October 21, 1995, in Los Angeles, California, United States. The singer’s mother, Deborah Elizabeth Sawyer, is a Jewish-American painter whereas her father, Dumisani Dlamini, is a South African actor, composer, and film producer best known for appearing in the 1992 musical film Sarafina! 

Her dad belongs to the Zulu ethnicity. She was raised in an artistic family, primarily by her mother.

In a 2019 interview with Fader, Doja claimed her father wasn’t involved in raising her and was fairly distant throughout her life. However, he actively comments on her social media posts. The singer revealed she doesn’t hold any grudges towards him but feels a little weird about it.

She has brothers and sisters, but they are scattered throughout the country. Despite not having a traditional nuclear family, Doja considers herself “blessed.”

“It’s always great to have both of your parents in your life and all of your brothers and sisters and everybody loves each other”, Doja added, “but like, [expletive] isn’t like that sometimes.”

However, her father has denied the allegations, claiming that he and his daughter have a “healthy relationship” as he revealed to POWER talk, The Profile in November 2019.

The rapper and her mother moved to New York City shortly after her birth, where they stayed for five years. Her family later relocated back to Oak Park, California.

When she was 11 years old, her family moved to the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles, where they lived in an ashram and practiced Hinduism for about four years.

In a 2018 interview with Fader, Doja revealed her life in the ashram was constricted because she couldn’t be a kid. She had to wrap her head with a cloth and cover her entire body. However, she loved the peaceful environment of the ashram.

Doja grew up with a passion for music and dance. She joined a professional pop-locking troupe after taking breakdancing classes and took part in dance battles throughout Los Angeles while still in high school.

Later, she dropped out of school at the age of 16 to pursue a career in the industry.

Initially, the ‘Mooo!’ singer started experimenting in her bedroom before she gained the confidence to share her music on a bigger platform. Doja started to sing and rap using GarageBand and uploaded it on SoundCloud.

Career

The 25-year-old then began recording music and had her first taste of fame with the song ‘So High.’ When it was first released in 2012, the song was a sleeper hit, but it quickly gained traction on SoundCloud. It was her first permanent upload on the app.

At 17, Doja signed a deal with RCA Records after the release of her commercial solo ‘So High.’ On the label, she released her debut EP, ‘Purrr! (2014),’ which featured the single ‘So High’ as well as the minor hit song ‘No Police.’

The EP was followed up with a range of other singles before finally releasing her debut album.

The young performer soon started collaborating with well-known artists like Bellboy, Elliphant, Pregnant Boy, and Skoolie Escobar. In 2017, she also appeared on the L8LOOMER’s song ‘Right Side.’

Doja then came out with her another single ‘Roll with Us’ in February 2018. The next month, she released the second track from her album, titled ‘Go to Town.’

On March 30, 2018, the singer released her full-length debut album with her real name, ‘Amala.’

According to the reports 2018 reports of NPR, the album was a “manifesto of a young woman striving to take ownership of her craft, her image and her sexuality, mixing genres like dancehall, trap, house, and R&B with a healthy dose of sass and humor.”

2018 and Going Viral

Doja released the self-produced song ‘Mooo!’ on her YouTube channel in August 2018. The witty song quickly went viral and made her an overnight music sensation. The music video where she dances in a cow costume grabbed the attention of several celebrities, including Chris Brown and Chance the Rapper.

According to Doja, ‘Mooo!’ blew up because she added a music video. “I made a crappy video, but people loved it coz it’s ridiculous.”, she said in a video titled ‘The Tale of Becoming Doja Cat’ in July 2020. To date, the music video has received over 86 million views.

In 2019, she released an extended version of her debut album, ‘Amala,’ which included the Rico Nasty-assisted singles ‘Juicy’ and ‘Tia Tamara.’ ‘Juicy’ debuted at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was her first entry on the chart. Ultimately, the song reached number 41 and was certified Platinum in the United States.

Followed by it, ‘Hot Pink,’ her second studio album, arrived in November 2019. The album featured artists like Smino, Gucci Mane, and Tyga, and delving deeper The album’s fifth single, ‘Say So,’ was a Top Ten hit on the Billboard 200, propelling her even higher up the charts.

The song actually got wider attention after it went viral on TikTok. She also performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in February 2020. The remix version of ‘Say So’ was released in May 2020 featuring Nicki Minaj.

The song topped the Billboard Hot 100, which was the first-ever for both artists.

Recent Works

Doja released her seventh single ‘Streets’ from the ‘Hot Pink’ album recently in late January 2021. The song was launched on the US pop radio in February 2021. Thanks to TikTok, it became a sleeper hit after the live performances and challenges went viral on the video streaming platform. It also led the song to enter the Billboard 100 peaking at number 5.

The artist was nominated for three Grammy Awards at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance for her single ‘Say So.’

The diva dawned a beautiful custom Roberto Cavalli gown with neon green and black feathers on the bottom and a fitting cream and black embellished leather motorcycle jacket on the top. The plunging gold zippers bared her front torso way down to her navel.

“I’m just really excited about this because I like something that’s like kind of out there, I feel like I’ve been pretty toned down lately, but this is like something I’ve always wanted to do,” she said about the look during the Live from E!: Grammy Award’s pre-show on March 14, 2021.

Personal Life

Doja Cat Height and Weight

The R&B artist stands at the height of 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) tall and weighs around 57 kilograms. Her eyes are a dark brown color. Libra is her zodiac sign.

How Did Doja Cat Get Her Stage Name?

The performer’s stage name was inspired by one of her cats, as well as her favorite marijuana strain. For those of you who don’t know, ‘doja’ means marijuana. In May 2020, she told Dazed, “I was heavily addicted to weed and weed culture, so when I began rapping I thought of the word ‘doja’ and how it sounds like a girl’s name.”

Who Is Doja Cat Dating?

The ‘Streets’ singer is currently single after the split with ex-boyfriend, musical artist Johnny Utah in February 2020 after dating for a year. Doja revealed the breakup news via Instagram live in February 2020. During the live session, she stated the two separated on good terms but are no longer romantically involved.

Is Doja Cat Gay?

Even though she has dated men before, she opened up about being gay on an Instagram Live from August 2019. While talking about her sexuality, she stated,

The ‘Say So’ singer was also surrounded by controversy in 2018 for her homophobic comments, despite being gay. The Twitter users discovered a now-deleted tweet in which she described Odd Future members Tyler, the Creator, and Earl Sweatshirt as [expletive].

Following the backlash, she explained in a tweet that she believes “gay is ok” – prompting more backlash when she defended the use of the word.

The singer later released a formal apology to “anyone I’ve offended or deeply hurt” as a result of the negative reaction. However, the tweets have all been deleted now.

“I’ve used horrible derogatory and hateful words towards people out of ignorance. I just want you guys to know that you’re incredibly special and I hold you dearly to my heart. I’m sorry for anyone I’ve offended or hurt deeply. You all are worth love and support,” she wrote in one now-deleted apology on Aug 28, 2018.

Plastic Surgery

Doja has had no cosmetic surgeries performed on her. She revealed in a 2018 interview with Vlad TV that she has been shamed before for her natural body, but she doesn’t care and refuses to have surgery.

Net Worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Doja’s net worth is an estimated $4 million, which is majorly contributed by her musical career. The singer has risen to prominence in the music industry over the last year. She’s proved to be a multi-talented musician, releasing songs that are loved by the audience and even appreciated by critics.

Apart from that, she also has exclusive merch for her fans and the sales add up to her net income. The rapper has also modeled for the cover of Cosmopolitan Magazine and Narcisse.