Doja Cat taps into past beats to craft sonic history lesson for modern ears

Following the rambunctiously experimental Scarlet album pair, Doja Cat (Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini) has released her fifth full length album. The succinctly named Vie dropped on September 26 to an above average commercial reception of 57,000 records sold in the first week, which put her at number four on the Billboard top 100. For an artist as popular as Doja, however, this felt like  a disappointing turnout. The single off the album “Jealous Type” peaked only at number 28 in the US, a far cry from the chart shattering hits like “Paint the Town Red” and “Kiss me More” that Doja’s known for. 

Critically, however, “Jealous Type” was recognized by critics for its unique, ethereal sound. Undeniably, the track takes significant inspiration from 80s disco, somewhat of a surprise based on the modern pop music landscapes’ abundance of early 2000s sounds. Nonetheless, with little hint as to the album’s composition, the populace was left to assume that, due to Doja Cat’s rap and RNB roots, the song stylistically would be a one off. 

photo courtesy of Doja’s Instagram

A more incorrect assumption couldn’t be made, as the entirety of Vie is a time capsule returning listeners to the funkiest era in music history. The wacky 80s themed synth-heavy production can largely be attributed to Jack Antonoff, who engineered the majority of the album. Most known for his work with Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and other pop vocalists, Antonoff is renowned for exactly this type of production. The twangy sounding synths and sometimes ridiculous classic drums create a fleeting atmosphere for Doja’s varied singing throughout the album. 

Also contributing to the record’s behind the scenes creation are Kurtis Mckenzie (The Arcade) and Ari Starace (Y2K). The former is a British hip-hop producer celebrated for his work with Childish Gambino and Iggy Azalea, while the latter is notorious for hit single “Lalala” with BBNO$, as well as for composing for Doja Cat herself in the past. 

Starace’s past composition and production with Doja was primarily for the album Planet Her, while he was left out of Scarlet and Scarlet 2 CLAUDE. This makes a lot of sense, for as much as the Scarlet duology was a reincarnation of Doja’s rapping, Vie is a return to her more mystical, cerebral pop sounds like on Planet Her and the even earlier Hot Pink. 

The album opens, somewhat ironically, with “Cards,” beginning with Doja screaming, a classic in her other songs. But this short tease proves to be a misdirection as the beat changes wildly, and Antonoff’s involvement becomes clear as the synths start up. It seems Doja, no stranger to trolling fans, essentially parodied herself before pivoting, showing listeners right away that Vie is very unlike other albums. 

This is true not only in its production and vibe, but in the album’s message as well. Doja on her other albums is wild, provocative, sometimes angry, and while she doesn’t lose those core aspects of her musical personality on Vie, she comes across more calm, disappointed even. And who else to be disappointed in? Men. Doja on a variety of her previous work, even a plurality of it, sings about sex. But on this album, as she matures perhaps, it becomes more about love. Finding someone to settle down with. She struggles with keeping her standards achievable while also finding a man who won’t ruin her life. 

This is seen perhaps most chiefly in the third song, “AAAHH MEN!” in which she blatantly sings about how, if she had enough common sense, she would stop dating men who violate her trust and go behind her back. She says on the track, “You ugly and fine as shit,” seemingly a contradiction, Doja is referring to the all too common stereotype of boys who are attractive on the outside but not on the inside. In the very next song, “Couples Therapy,” she refers to a relationship, perhaps with one of these boys, that is beyond the breaking point. But, she’s still trying to repair it.

The album takes a turn on the standout hit, “Gorgeous,” perhaps one of the most musically unique. Doja combines rapping, singing, and samples with beautiful lyrics about her experience in Hollywood. She gives voice to beauty standards, and the ugly side of plastic surgery. She even references a very public period in her life where she shaved her hair off and wore a wig. She also alludes to diet culture, and the “heroin chic” body trend, feeling pressured to be gorgeous for all the cameras around her. 

On the next couple tracks, “Stranger” and “All Mine,” Doja shares a vision of her life with her man. He doesn't have to be perfect, according to her, as long as he’s cute and kind. She claims that she’s ready to take a leap of faith in her life for the right guy. 

When the album was initially announced, the claim that there would be a collaboration with fellow artist SZA sparked much excitement, largely for their extremely successful song “Kiss Me More.” To say that lighting struck twice with “Take Me Dancing”  might be an overstatement, but it certainly brings a uniquely catchy commercial pop sound to the project. The song builds both on the previous SZA collaboration, but also adds to the album's theme, as Doja fantasizes about a man who is attractive enough for sex but also romantic enough to take her dancing.

The next thematically important song is “Silly! Fun!”, in which Doja breaks out the sarcasm and trickery, trying to convince a man that it might be silly if they fully settled down with a family and pets after just one night out. It is clear not only on this song but throughout the album that Doja is getting impatient with the dating process and cycle. She’s ready to take it to the next step and she feels like she’s running out of time.

The album slowly continues with ballads, “Make it Up” and “One More Time,” where Doja romantically sings about her longing and loving with a would-be partner.

On “Happy,” Doja interrupts a seemingly contented marriage or partnership, as she gets anxious that her significant other was happier with an ex. She cleverly sings, “tell me you don’t tell her what you told me.” Doja wants to be the only one in this man's life, she’s seeking monogamy, perhaps for the first time, and she sees how hard it is. 

Finally, through “Come Back,” it seems that Doja has ended up back where she started. After breaking up, she resents a man for wasting her time and refuses to return to him even when he begs her to come back. It may be sad to see that a relationship has ended this way with all the romance she has injected into it, but it’s also realistic. In order for a leap of faith not to just be a jump, there has to be an element of risk. It would also be antithetical for Doja Cat to have found love on an album where she sings so consistently about how hard it is to do. 

Overall, the album provides a relatively complete and hardened perspective about dating and relationships in the modern age. Listeners get a little peek into the life of Doja Cat, what she goes through on a regular basis trying to find a good man. As much as that story might be unrealistic for a lot of people, and Doja isn’t saying anything groundbreaking, it is still a fun album and an interesting story nonetheless. Also, disregarding any overarching themes, it is impossible to say Doja and co-conspirators aren’t bringing their A-game in terms of the production, singing, rapping and lyricism.

Grade: A

Doja returns to her silly pop side for Vie, like she texted nostalgia and forgot she was left on read.

by Isaac Considine

Published November 3, 2025

Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue II