History of Doja Cat in Timeline
Doja Cat, born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Raised in Los Angeles, she started her music career as a teenager, releasing tracks on SoundCloud. Her song "So High" gained traction, leading to a recording contract with Kemosabe and RCA Records before she released her debut EP, Purrr! in 2014.
1992: Dumisani Dlamini in Sarafina!
In 1992, Doja Cat's father, Dumisani Dlamini, starred in the film adaptation of the musical Sarafina!
October 21, 1995: Doja Cat's Birth
On October 21, 1995, Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, known as Doja Cat, was born in Los Angeles, California.
2012: Gained Her Stage Name
As a teenager in 2012, Doja Cat gained her stage name from one of her cats as well as her favorite strain of marijuana.
2012: "So High" Uploaded to SoundCloud
In late 2012, Doja Cat uploaded "So High" to her SoundCloud account, marking her first permanent upload on the platform.
August 2014: Release of Purrr! EP
In August 2014, Doja Cat released her debut EP, Purrr!, which was described as "spacey, eastern-influenced R&B".
2014: Signing with Kemosabe and RCA Records
In 2014, Doja Cat signed a recording contract with Kemosabe and RCA Records after her song "So High" gained attention. She then released her debut extended play, Purrr!
2015: Song titled "Dindu Nuffin"
In 2015, Doja Cat released a song titled "Dindu Nuffin".
2015: Use of homophobic slur
In a tweet from 2015, Doja Cat used a homophobic slur to describe hip-hop artists Tyler, the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt.
2016: Release of "Handmade Cities"
In 2016, Plini released the song "Handmade Cities", which would later be compared to Doja Cat's "Say So" performance in 2020.
2017: Declining Feature on Billie Eilish's "Bellyache"
In 2017, Doja Cat declined an offer to feature on Billie Eilish's song "Bellyache" due to experiencing writer's block.
2017: Previous restraining order
In 2017, Doja Cat's mother, Deborah Sawyer, was previously granted a restraining order against her son, Raman Dalithando Dlamini.
February 2018: Release of "Roll with Us"
In February 2018, Doja Cat released the song "Roll with Us", marking her first major commercial release in four years after a brief hiatus.
March 30, 2018: Release of Amala
On March 30, 2018, Doja Cat released her debut studio album, Amala, which received little critical attention and failed to chart initially.
August 2018: Viral Success of "Mooo!"
In August 2018, Doja Cat self-published the music video for "Mooo!", which quickly went viral and garnered over three million views in one week.
2018: "Freak" on SoundCloud
Doja Cat originally released the song "Freak" on SoundCloud in 2018.
2018: Viral Success with "Mooo!"
In 2018, Doja Cat achieved viral fame with her novelty song "Mooo!", which featured humorous lyrics about being a cow. Also in 2018, she released her debut album, Amala.
2018: Social media controversy
In 2018, Doja Cat faced controversy when her Twitter history revealed usage of a homophobic slur. She initially defended her remarks but later apologized. As a result, she was declared the Milkshake Duck of 2018 by NME.
February 2019: Release of "Tia Tamera"
In February 2019, Doja Cat released the single "Tia Tamera" featuring Rico Nasty, along with its accompanying music video.
March 1, 2019: Release of Amala (Deluxe)
On March 1, 2019, Doja Cat released the deluxe edition of her album Amala, featuring the bonus tracks "Mooo!", "Tia Tamera", and "Juicy".
August 2019: Release of "Juicy" Remix
In August 2019, Doja Cat released a remix version of her song "Juicy" featuring Tyga, which marked her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
October 2019: Release of "Bottom Bitch"
In October 2019, Doja Cat released "Bottom Bitch" as the second single from her second studio album.
December 2019: Scrapped Collaboration
In December 2019, a planned collaboration between Doja Cat and XXXTentacion, titled "Broward Coward", was scrapped from the posthumous release of Bad Vibes Forever.
2019: Increase in on-demand audio streams
In 2019, Doja Cat experienced a 300% increase in on-demand audio streams in the U.S., according to Rolling Stone.
January 2020: "Say So" Sent to Radio
In January 2020, the song "Say So" was sent to radio as the fourth single from her album Hot Pink.
February 2020: "Say So" Performance and Music Video Release
In February 2020, Doja Cat performed "Say So" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and released the music video for the song.
May 2020: Featured on "In Your Eyes" Remix
In May 2020, Doja Cat was featured on a remix of The Weeknd's single "In Your Eyes", as well as on Lil Wayne's single "Shimmy".
May 2020: "Dindu Nuffin" controversy
In May 2020, a 2015 song by Doja Cat titled "Dindu Nuffin" resurfaced, sparking controversy due to the term's alt-right connotations. Doja Cat apologized and stated that it was a "bad decision".
May 2020: "Say So" Remix Reaches Number One
In May 2020, the remix of "Say So" featuring Nicki Minaj topped the Billboard Hot 100, marking the first number-one single for both artists.
June 2020: Features and Music Video Release
In June 2020, Doja Cat was featured on the single "Pussy Talk" by the rap duo City Girls and released the music video for her single "Like That".
August 2020: Official Release of "Freak"
In August 2020, Doja Cat's song "Freak", which had been on SoundCloud since 2018, was officially released on digital platforms.
October 2020: Collaborations and Performances
In October 2020, Doja Cat was featured on Bebe Rexha's single "Baby, I'm Jealous", performed at the Billboard Music Awards, and appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
2020: "Say So" performance controversy
Doja Cat's 2020 performance of "Say So" at the MTV Europe Music Awards was criticized due to similarities between the guitar solo and Plini's 2016 song "Handmade Cities".
2020: Release of "Boss Bitch"
In 2020, Doja Cat released the single "Boss Bitch" as part of the soundtrack for the film Birds of Prey.
2020: Billboard, Rolling Stone, and Forbes rankings
In 2020, Doja Cat was ranked number five on Billboard's Top New Artists and Top Female Artists charts. Rolling Stone ranked her number one on their list of the ten biggest breakthrough artists of 2020, and Forbes named her "one of the top breakout stars of 2020".
December 31, 2020: New Year's Rockin' Eve Performance
On December 31, 2020, Doja Cat performed "Say So", "Like That", and "Juicy" at the annual Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve show.
March 2021: Revealed Title of Third Studio Album, Planet Her
In March 2021, Doja Cat revealed the title of her third studio album, Planet Her, in an interview with V.
April 23, 2021: Launched "Juicy Drops" NFT Marketplace
On April 23, 2021, Doja Cat launched an NFT marketplace titled "Juicy Drops".
June 11, 2021: Released "Need to Know"
On June 11, 2021, Doja Cat released "Need to Know" with a music video as a promotional single from Planet Her.
June 16, 2021: Guest Starred in TV Series Dave
On June 16, 2021, Doja Cat guest starred in the second season of the TV series Dave.
November 2021: Expressed Disdain Towards Her Stage Name
In November 2021, Doja Cat expressed slight disdain towards her stage name and persona.
2021: Bestselling Female Ru0026B and Hip-Hop Artist in US
According to Billboard, Doja Cat closed 2021 as the bestselling female Ru0026B and hip-hop artist in the US.
2021: Bought Beverly Hills Home
In 2021, Doja Cat bought a home in Beverly Hills, California, for $2.2 million.
2021: Release of Planet Her
In 2021, Doja Cat released her third studio album, Planet Her, which spent four weeks at number two on the Billboard 200 and produced multiple top ten singles.
February 2022: Released Cover of "Celebrity Skin" for Taco Bell Commercial
In February 2022, Doja Cat released a cover of Hole's "Celebrity Skin" for a Taco Bell commercial, which premiered at the Super Bowl LVI.
March 2022: Expressed Career Burnout
In March 2022, Doja Cat expressed career burnout and frustration during a South American festival tour.
March 2022: Threat to quit music
In March 2022, Doja Cat threatened to quit music due to backlash from an incident in Paraguay, where fans accused her of being rude and apathetic after a festival cancellation. She later expressed appreciation towards her fans.
May 6, 2022: Released "Vegas" for Elvis Soundtrack
On May 6, 2022, Doja Cat released the song "Vegas" as the lead single for the Elvis (2022) soundtrack.
May 2022: Nicotine addiction and tonsil issues
In May 2022, Doja Cat opened up about her nicotine addiction on Twitter, and revealed that she required lancing of an infected tonsil caused by vaping and intended to pursue a tonsillectomy, consequently canceling her summer festival run and her opening act slot for the Weeknd's After Hours til Dawn Tour.
June 2022: Featured on Post Malone's "I Like You (A Happier Song)"
In June 2022, Doja Cat was featured on Post Malone's "I Like You (A Happier Song)".
July 2022: Subject of "Doja" by Central Cee
In July 2022, British rapper Central Cee released a song titled "Doja", which became a global success.
September 2022: Sold Beverly Hills Home
In September 2022, Doja Cat sold her home in Beverly Hills, California, for $2.5 million.
2022: Won Female Rapper of the Year and Performer of the Year at XXL Awards
In 2022, Doja Cat won the awards for Female Rapper of the Year and Performer of the Year at the 2022 XXL Awards.
June 2023: Released Attention
In June 2023, Doja Cat released the promotional single "Attention" with an accompanying music video.
August 2023: Released Paint the Town Red
In early August 2023, Doja Cat released "Paint the Town Red", which became her first solo song to top the charts in the US and UK.
September 2023: Released Demons
In early September 2023, Doja Cat released the promotional single "Demons", alongside a music video co-starring Christina Ricci.
September 22, 2023: Released Scarlet
On September 22, 2023, Doja Cat's album Scarlet was released to mostly positive reviews.
2023: Release of Scarlet and "Paint the Town Red" Success
In 2023, Doja Cat released her fourth studio album, Scarlet, which adopted a hip-hop-oriented sound. The lead single "Paint the Town Red" became her first solo number-one on the Hot 100.
2023: Included in TIME's 100 Most Influential People
In 2023, Doja Cat was included on Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world, recognizing her impact and influence.
2023: Hottest 100 competition
In 2023, Doja Cat's single "Paint the Town Red" was listed #1 in Australian radio station Triple J's (JJJ) listener poll for the annual Hottest 100 competition.
January 2024: Mother files restraining order
In January 2024, Doja Cat's mother, Deborah Sawyer, filed for a temporary restraining order against Doja Cat's older brother, Raman Dalithando Dlamini, due to alleged physical and verbal abuse towards both Doja Cat and their mother.
January 27, 2024: "Paint the Town Red" listed #1
On January 27, 2024, Doja Cat's single "Paint the Town Red" was listed #1 in Australian radio station Triple J's (JJJ) listener poll for the annual Hottest 100 competition.
April 5, 2024: Released Scarlet 2 Claude
On April 5, 2024, Doja Cat released a deluxe edition of the album, Scarlet 2 Claude, named after the Claude Frollo character from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
August 2024: Dating Joseph Quinn
As of August 2024, Doja Cat is dating actor Joseph Quinn.
