“Scarlet” marks the beginning of a new era for Doja Cat. A death, actually. The death of her being a pop star. Such a drastic shift in image and genre might scare a lot of fans away, and I’ll admit, I was a bit hesitant myself. I was always drawn to Doja because of her hybrid style.
However, “Scarlet” is arguably her best album yet, further cementing Doja Cat as one of the most innovative artists of our time.
Doja comes swinging at you by opening the album with the line “Bitch, I said what I said. I’d rather be famous instead.” “Paint The Town Red,” her first single to ever reach number one on Hot 100, is beyond catchy. No other song hooks you the way this one does.
It’s an effective opener, but beginning this new chapter with a refusal to apologize for the way she’s been acting lately is also a bold move. If you don’t like it, you can turn off the album because she doesn’t need you anyways.
From there, “Scarlet” becomes a pretty standard rap album, elevated with Doja’s humor, catchy beats, just the right amount of singing and her quirky personality.
“Demons,” as demonic as the title suggests, is probably the funniest song on the whole album. My favorite line is too foul to write on this page, so please enjoy its hilarity by listening. The humor does not outweigh the sexuality present in the album. That part of her is still here, especially in “Gun,” which contains a not-subtle metaphor that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Songs like “97,” “Go Off,” Skull and Bones” and “Ouchies” are all pretty standard. Good beats, good bars and usually a catchy hook that shows off Doja’s voice. But there are a few songs that really stand out as unique on the record.
“Often” is a slow romantic song that really showcases Doja’s versatility, dipping into jazz and R&B with tenderness in her voice. It’s sexy in a soft, intimate way.
“Attention” is arguably the most interesting song on the entire album, with the best verses and catchiest chorus. Supported by a really old-western sounding riff, it always stands out to me when it comes on.
“Love Life” is a long list of all the things Doja loves about her life. It might come across as a bit selfish to some, but I actually found it made her more relatable.
I can’t end this review without talking about the song I have on repeat. The one I recommend most. “Agora Hills.” This is Doja at her best. It’s a love song, but it’s more than that. It has a catchy chorus, some really great verses and an encapsulation of her personality in the background. To me, it’s the standout track of the album. I highly recommend it.
“Scarlet” is Doja being her truest self. Gone is the girl who caved into the mainstream genre and made pop songs while trying to branch off into rap. Here to stay is the real Doja Cat. Funny, unapologetic, a talented singer and a talented rapper. “Scarlet” proves that change is sometimes good. Especially when it results in a really great artistic expression.
5/5 stars
pkeastea@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @dojacat, Instagram
