Photo Credit: David LaChapelle

On Planet Her Doja Cat is a shapeshifter who demands attention on each track, out today, the release features appearances from Young Thug, SZA, JID, and Ariana Grande. 

Doja Cat’s highly anticipated album has finally arrived: Planet Her. 

As a singer, rapper, songwriter, and entertainer Doja has led her fans on a rambunctious journey equipped with snappy lyrics, live video streams, outlandish outfits, and memorable viral moments. It’s not just the music that gets her fans riled up, it’s also her live performances which typically are infused with a touch of eccentricity.

A year ago she denied being a part of racist chat rooms which was what some individuals online pointed to, this uproar online didn’t last long. Planet Her is a direct conversation with naysayers and her army of fans who support her with a rabid hunger. The features on the release include SZA, Ariana Grande, Young Thug and JID. 

On Planet Her Doja Cat is a shapeshifter who demands attention on each track. There’s no stone left unturned, she legitimizes what it feels like to be infatuated, coy, lovestruck, and also horny. But there are moments where she unleashes a braggadocious version of herself. There are some tracks where the songwriting is mostly vulnerable and emotional. But, when you think Doja is going to keep serving up thought-provoking songs, she rises to the occasion and serves up something a bit more uptempo tinged with sex-centric lyrics. 

After a first listen our top picks for best tracks on the album are “Woman,” her stunning album intro, “Naked,” “Payday” with Young Thug, “Get Into It (Yuh),” “Need To Know,” “I Don’t Do Drugs,” “Options,” and “Kiss Me More.”

“Woman” was not at all what we expected to hear to begin Planet Her. But it’s a bop and we think it was perfect to kick off the entire album which explores thoughts, emotions and the woes of being a woman. “I’m a motherf***** but they got a problem,” “I could be the CEO,” and “They wanna pit us against each other when we succeed” are all quotables. 

“Naked” is a great listen. It’s something about Doja’s voice commanding the beat that really, really works. Also, the way she declares “When can we take off all our clothes?” comes across as a bit coy, and we’re here for that. Towards the end, she shares a few bars that make us think of how Azealia Banks entered the rap game years ago.

Hearing Doja on the same track as Young Thug is a treat. Both of these artists are animated so the track is a dream come true. It’s another upbeat song on the album, it needs a video ASAP. The production by Y2K is unreal on it.

On “Get Into It (Yuh)” also produced by Y2K the singer/rapper shares a moment of gratitude for Nicki Minaj, one of her biggest inspirations. But what she also manages to do is showcase her wordplay. We definitely caught the Batman/Joker reference she throws in on this track. “Need To Know” which was co-written and produced by Dr. Luke, a troubled and problematic figure who is also head of Kemosabe Records is a strong genre-blending single. 

“I Don’t Do Drugs” is an R&B and pop mash-up. Y2K provides an ideal playground for Doja and Ariana Grande to share how love has them “fucked up” as they share in the first few seconds of the cut on the chorus. Both of their voices mesh well together.

Y2K’s hands are also all over “Options,” for this cut Mayer Hawthorne is also credited as a producer. For this one, Doja and JID drop off memorable lines and provide yet another upbeat song for Planet Her. This should definitely be a single. 

Planet Her is another chapter in Doja Cat’s artistry that is often referred to as problematic. Her talent shines through brilliantly throughout the album. Even though the first half of the release seemed to be more packed with excitement, we’ll take it and bask in the stunning production. Throughout the entire release, it becomes evident that femininity and sex are two driving forces she hoped to explore, and this was done well alongside a space-focused theme. As a whole, the album proves that she built herself from the ground up similarly to how she built her fanbase from scratch years ago. If you’ve ever been unsure of why she has a dedicated fanbase, this album should clear up any doubts you may have. Doja Cat is a star and she’s here to stay.