Doja Cat’s ‘Scarlet’ Makes A Memorable Debut As Rapper Defends Its Album Artwork

Doja Cat’s new album, Scarlet, is finally out, and it’s the talk of social media. The album, which features songs like “Paint the Town Red,” “Demons” and “Balut,” is the rapper’s fourth studio release, following 2021’s Planet Her.

Scarlet marks a bold departure from the more mainstream sound Doja is known for. That’s evident before you even listen to the album. Its creepy cover art features two spiders and sets the tone for what’s to come.

Though one fan called the art “ugly,” Doja said it represents bravery.

“The art I chose for my album is beautiful and I like it a lot. The two spiders signify conquering your fear. None of my album covers had meaning until this album. You not accepting me was a fear I used to have. I don’t care anymore about satisfying you,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Scarlet opens with TikTok sensation “Paint the Town Red,” in which the rapper asserts she’d “rather be famous instead.” The track and its demonic music video dropped in August. “Demons” comes next, matching the in-your-face energy of the album’s first track.

“Skull and Bones” addresses accusations of devil worship that Doja faced following the release of the “Demons” video, Uproxx reported.

“Y’all been pushin’ Satan this, and Satan that / My fans is yellin’ ‘least she rich,’ you need that pact / Lookin’ like I got some things you hate I have / And trust me, baby, God don’t play with hate like that / So you gon’ be real upset when he pick Cat,” she raps in the song.

On “Agora Hills,” Doja confronts her controversial relationship with comedian and musician J. Cyrus.

“Whether they like it or not I wanna show you off … rub it in their face,” she asserts.

“Balut,” the 16th track on the album, landed the rapper in hot water, as some found her description of the Filipino street food offensive, CNN reported.

“I named the song ‘Balut’ because it signifies a bird that’s being eaten alive,” the rapper explained on Instagram Stories. “It’s a metaphor for Twitter stans (obsessive fans) and the death of Twitter toxicity. The beginning of ‘X’ and the end of ‘tweets.'”

Fans seem to love Scarlet, praising the rapper on social media.

“Doja really said “let me make one more tiktok hit.” #Scarlet #DojaCat ,” one X, formerly known as Twitter, user wrote, speaking of “Agora Hills.” 

“‘Can’t Wait’ got me really over here like… #DojaCat #Scarlet ,” another wrote with a GIF. 

One fan referenced the backlash Doja has received in relation to the album’s vibe.

“Doja was called so much horrible things… bald, ugly, talentless, black, demonic

im so glad she created this masterpiece

#Scarlet,” they tweeted alongside a meme video. 

And another said they hope every track gets a spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Idc what nobody say, doja cat put her FOOT in this damn album like b***h I better see EVERY song on the billboard chart #Scarlet ,” they wrote with a meme image.