Doja Cat is a multitalented artist that rocked the music industry with her chart-topping songs.
Her song, Say So, went viral on TikTok in 2020, pushing her fame to new heights.
The artist can be spotted sporting an eccentric fashion sense, and her looks took the internet by storm.
Her rise to fame has been well-received by her followers, but she’s raised a few eyebrows along the way; Fans adore her, while her critics hate her for how outspoken she is.
Here are 39 fun facts about Doja Cat that even the most die-hard fans may not know.
Her real name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini. Her stage name used to be “M,” but she later changed it to “Doja Cat” when she entered high school.
Doja Cat is 29 years old. She was born on October 21, 1995, in the Tarzana neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. Her family then moved to Rye, New York, soon after her birth.
Doja Cat’s birthday falls under the zodiac sign Libra and the Year of the Rat. Her birthstones are opal and tourmaline, and her birth flowers are marigolds.
Her father, Dumisani Dlamini, is a South-African performer who starred in the Broadway show Sarafina. Her mother, Deborah Sawyer, is an American graphic designer.
Doja Cat’s father moved their family to the Sai Anantam Ashram in Santa Monica’s Mountains when she was eight. The family, consisting of Doja Cat, her brother, and her parents, lived there and practiced Hinduism for four years.
Doja Cat learned how to dance an Indian classical dance called Bharatanatyam while living in the Ashram.
They moved to Oak Park, California, after the Ashram, where Doja Cat learned to breakdance and skateboard.
Doja Cat started her musical journey early, learning her first instrument, the piano, at age four.
Doja Cat wrote her first song, a song for her mom, at the age of eight. It was the first and only song Doja Cat wrote for her mom.
The pop star is a self-taught artist. She used the app Garage Band to help her learn how to sing, rap, and create her music.
Doja Cat’s rise to fame can be traced back to her early work, which she uploaded to SoundCloud, where she first received recognition for her music.
As a child, Doja Cat aspired to be a dancer. She was part of a dance crew and competed in organized dance battles around Los Angeles.
Doja Cat’s Aunt, a vocal coach, gave her voice lessons to help her audition at Central Los Angeles Area New High School #9, a performing arts school in LA.
At 16, she dropped out of high school to focus on music after realizing that “performing and music was all she ever cared about.” She admitted that life after dropping out was “messy.”
In interviews, Doja Cat often mentioned that she felt “stuck in one spot while everybody else is constantly progressing.” She largely attributed this feeling to her Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).
Doja Cat spent most of her days inside her bedroom after she dropped out of school, searching YouTube and other music platforms for beats and music she could use for her songs.
Doja Cat calls her fans Kittens.
Her song on SoundCloud So High kickstarted her rise to fame and helped her sign a joint deal with record producer Dr. Luke’s Kemosabe Records and RCA Records.
In 2020 Doja Cat was the fourth-most Googled musician in the US.
When Doja Cat got 12 views for her So High Soundcloud release, she was overwhelmed with emotions and broke down in tears of happiness.
Several artists greatly influence Doja Cat’s music, including Nicki Minaj, Lauren Hill, Busta Rhymes, Rihanna, Beyonce, Missy Elliot, and Christina Aguilera. She recalled teaching herself how to sing by listening to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.
Doja Cat’s novelty song Mooo! reached viral success and garnered over three million views within a week. The song was meme-worthy and was created and edited in under 24 hours.
Haley Sharpey, a TikTok user, helped Doja Cat’s song Say So rise to fame when she performed a dance routine to it and uploaded her video on the platform.
The official music video for Say So later featured Haley Sharpey and Doja Cat doing Haley’s iconic dance several times.
According to Doja Cat, her album Hot Pink is inspired by her African roots, and she is very proud of her heritage.
The remix version of Doja Cat’s Juicy debuted at number 83 on Billboard’s Hot 100. It peaked at number 41 and received a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.
Doja Cat’s Say So single was her first top-ten single after it peaked at number 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
In 2020 Doja Cat was listed in Forbes Magazine’s 30 under 30.
Doja Cat’s song Boss Bitch was featured in the 2020 film Birds of Prey soundtrack.
In 2020 Doja Cat and SZA were the first black women to win the Best Pop Duo Grammy Award. It was her and SZA’s first Grammy Award as well.
Doja Cat’s first hosting gig was the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, where she scooped five nominations and won 3 awards.
On top of her Grammy MTV awards, Doja Cat has won 5 Billboard and 5 American Music Awards.
Billboard ranked Doja Cat number 5 on the Top New Artists of 2020 and Top Female Artist of 2020 based on her US sales.
The Wall Street Journal described Doja Cat as “a skilled, technical rapper with a strong melodic sense and a bold visual presence.”
Doja Cat is particularly attracted to people with big noses.
Her favorite cartoon is Family Guy, having watched each season at least ten times.
Doja Cat is average height, standing 5’5″ (165 cm) tall.
In March 2022, Doja Cat voiced her feelings about her music career and said she is not enjoying it anymore after her fans slammed her with hurtful comments after a show in Paraguay was canceled due to bad weather.
Doja Cat donated $100,000 to the Justice For Breonna Taylor fund to honor the life of Breonna Taylor, an ER technician who was shot in her bed while sleeping by police officers who broke into her home.
From her upbringing in a Hindu ashram to her breakout success with viral hits like “Say So” and “Mooo!,” Doja Cat’s journey has been a wild ride.
Fans love her music and eccentric fashion sense, but her outspokenness has caused her a few problems along the way.
Despite all the controversies, Doja Cat has stayed true to herself and her music, inspiring her fans worldwide.
