Amala Zandile Dlamini (born October 21, 1995), known professionally as Doja Cat, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer based in Los Angeles. She is of South African descent. She starting making music on SoundCloud, where she uploaded her first song "SO HIGH" in 2012. She signed a recording contract with RCA Records in late 2013, later releasing her debut EP, Purrr!, the following year
Doja rose to prominence in 2018 with her single "MOOO!", which became a viral success on YouTube. As of now, she has already collaborated with artists such as Gucci Mane, Rico Nasty, Tove Lo, and Ari Lennox. Doja studied piano and danced as a child and teenager. She is noted to be inspired by Nicki Minaj, Erykah Badu, Pharrell, Jamiroquai, PartyNextDoor, and Drake, as well as Indian culture, Hinduism, and Japanese culture.
Doja Cat released her debut studio album, Amala, in 2018 and a deluxe repackage in early 2019. In November of the same year, she released her sophomore album, Hot Pink, which included the hits "Juicy", remixed with rapper Tyga, and the smash "Say So", that hit the top 10 in more than ten countries and reached number one in the US after a remix with Nicki Minaj. On June 25, 2021, Doja Cat released her third studio album, Planet Her which released previewed songs such as "Ain't Shit" and "Payday" featuring Young Thug. The album features Ariana Grande on "I Don't Do Drugs" and JID on "Options". Planet Her spawned the grammy-winning single "Kiss Me More" with SZA,"Need To Know", and "You Right" with The Weeknd.
Her fourth studio album, Scarlet, was released on September 22, 2023. The album spawned the singles "Attention," "Paint The Town Red," and "Demons."
Described 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 creating music videos and songs that achieve popularity on social media websites such as TikTok. Well-versed in internet culture, she is also famed for her absurdist online personality and stage presence. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including one Grammy Award from sixteen nominations, five Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards, and four MTV Video Music Awards. She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time in 2023.
