Doja Cat stoked a lot of flames this year. She posed for a photo in a Sam Hyde shirt. She fought with her fans online. Most importantly, she switched sounds for her latest album, Scarlet, leaving her brand of addictive dance-pop behind for east-coast rap. It seemed like she was doing everything she could to reject the idol-status that Planet Her and Hot Pink gave her. Was this a calculated move? An attempt to get out of the mainstream media’s all-seeing eye? Does she feel trapped knowing this year’s antics didn’t make a dent in her popularity? I don’t have the answers to these questions, but they do draw up an image of a complicated artist, one struggling to deal with her stardom.

But enough speculation. Let’s talk about the music.

Amala

Doja Cat’s 2018 debut, Amala, sounds like it came from an artist who didn’t have a firm grasp on their own sound. And even though she dismissed her follow-up albums Hot Pink and Planet Her as “cash-grabs,” Amala feels more corporate than anything on those two records. The production is generic–the album is filled with familiar trap beats–and the songs lack substance. But still, Doja’s talents are undeniable, and Amala is not without a few great tracks.

She gives a fantastic vocal performance on “Candy.” “Casual” features a lullaby-like chorus that Doja sells with her unaffected delivery. And on “Down Low,” she gives us sleek flows filled with internal rhymes: “Don’t tell them secrets, I’ll give ‘em reasons to keep ‘em bae.”

Hot Pink

2019’s Hot Pink gives us a more refined Doja Cat. The production is far better on this record than it was on Amala. It drips with originality. On songs like “Cyber Sex” and “Say So,” the instrumentation reacts to Doja’s verses, stopping at precisely the right moments to emphasize killer lines. Her vocals on the chorus of “Talk Dirty” are harsh, as if they’re coming out of a blown-out speaker. It’s these interesting details that take Hot Pink to the next level.

There are several high points on the record. Doja spits quickly on “Rules,” a track with dirty guitars and solid drums–such an improvement from the beats on Amala, which sound like templates. The reverb on “Streets” floods the track with atmosphere, and “Addiction” evokes nights where pills blur club lights while turning every song into a visible frequency. The chorus on this one is an intoxicated Doja trying to explain herself to worried friends: “I’m just a little bit, I’m just a little bit/I’m just a little bit, I’m just a little bit.”

Planet Her

2021’s Planet Her is Doja at her best. It’s a shame she publicly disowned the album. She blends rap with pop beautifully on this record, perfecting the sound she developed on Hot Pink. Each track is a soundscape you can get lost in. Each hook is crafted to get lodged in your brain, making it an album you can listen to repeatedly without skipping a single song.

To dismiss Planet Her as a “cash-grab” makes little sense to me. Especially considering it features some of Doja’s best songs to date. “Been Like This” is a slow and dreamy track. You’ll find her strongest vocal performance on this one, as well as a crisp line directed at her bitter ex: “Hatin’ me ain’t gon’ get you love.” “Options” is an ear-wormy trap song, complete with vibrating kick drums and Doja’s impressive falsetto. Another standout, “Alone” gives her a chance to come to terms with a break-up. This cut displays the kind of emotion that elevates Planet Her above other pop records.

Scarlet

A reaction to the success of Hot Pink and Planet Her, Scarlet is full of speaker-thumping rap. Traces of her old sound show up on tracks like “Paint The Town Red” and “Agora Hills.” But don’t assume these are leftovers from Planet Her. No, Doja lets loose on these songs, delivering gritty flows to remind you that she’s a rapper, not a pop star. On “Love Life,” she says, “I love it when my fans love change.” And if you’re one of those fans who’s willing to embrace such a stark change, you’ll appreciate Scarlet for what it is: a well-crafted rap album.

It’s full of hard punchlines: “Copy this/Copy that/Every bitch that is here copy Cat.” And the beats are intricate. On “Attention,” Doja raps over live bass and drums instead of the computer-generated kick and snare featured on most rap songs.

Scarlet is great. I won’t deny that, and I appreciate the guts it takes to reinvent your sound at the peak of your popularity. That being said, for my money, it doesn’t come close to touching Hot Pink or Planet Her. Until her next album, I think I’ll stick to the “cash-grabs.”

Will is a second year Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. He likes to write about obscure punk bands for street cred, but his most listened to artist on Spotify is Doja Cat. So what? He likes to dance. He’s also quite defensive.