Doja Cat returns to pop with her new album Vie, exploring love, romance, and self-growth while blending rap and refined production techniques.
Doja Cat is set to return to her pop roots with her forthcoming album, Vie, marking a notable shift from her 2023 declaration of “no more pop.”
In an interview with V Magazine published on July 1, the 29-year-old Grammy winner admitted that while she once felt her chart-topping pop records (Planet Her and Hot Pink) were merely “cash-grabs,” she now embraces the genre’s broad appeal.
“I do want to be self-aware enough to admit the fact that this is a pop-driven project,” she told the magazine. “I know that I can make pop music, and pop is just that it’s popular.”
Doja Cat acknowledged that pop often attracts both adoration and skepticism. Some listeners treat it like a spectator sport, enjoying its beats without respecting its artistry.
“There are some people who don’t see it as music,” she said. “They see it as if this is some kind of football for girls and gays.”
By owning the label “pop-driven,” she hopes to dispel the notion that catchy hooks and polished production lack substance.
Thematically, Vie centers on love, romance, sex and the complex conversations that arise in relationships—including the relationship one has with oneself.
Though contemporary pop frequently explores heartbreak and jaded perspectives on men, Doja Cat reserves that angle for a single track.
The rest of the record channels her optimism and forward-looking vision of intimacy: “Vie is very much about love in a way that reflects how I want it to be in the future—my hope, my hopefulness. What I hope it could be.”
Musically, Vie won’t abandon Doja Cat’s rap roots. She plans to incorporate substantial rap verses alongside melodic hooks, leveraging her growing understanding of her voice as an instrument.
“I have a lot more knowledge of how to use my voice as an instrument, more than I ever have in my life,” she noted.
Beyond songwriting, Doja is honing the technical aspects of her craft. She’s diving into mixing decisions—questioning whether certain instruments are necessary and fine-tuning vocal takes.
“It’s how things sound that makes the music worth listening to,” she explained. This meticulous approach underscores her commitment to artistry over commercial metrics; she’s prepared to embrace whatever reception Vie receives without undue disappointment.
Scheduled for release later this year, Vie promises to marry Doja Cat’s pop sensibilities with her rap prowess and personal reflections on love, aiming to strike a balance between mainstream appeal and artistic integrity.
