Doja Cat has continued to double down on the growing disconnect between herself and her fans.
The “Say So” singer has recently been involved in a series of spats with her fans which began when the singer called her first two albums “cash-grabs.” The public declaration of apathy towards what her fans think of her and her art resulted in a loss of over 250,000 followers from her social media accounts. The events also prompted many of her fan accounts to deactivate. Some of the protests against the singer are also centered on disapproval of her current relationship with Jeffery “J” Cyrus.
Regarding the follower loss, Doja Cat maintains that she is okay with it.
“Seeing all these people unfollow me makes me feel like I’ve defeated a large beast that’s been holding me down for so long,” she wrote, “And it feels like I can reconnect with the people who really matter and love me for who I am and not for who I was. I feel free.”
A Swift Change
Doja Cat, who recently appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar’s 2023 Icon issue, has been making radical changes to her artistry as well as her artistic image. She has tried her hands at gender-blurring fashion, shaving her hair off and ditching the soft, feminine edge she began her career with. The “Attention” singer has also been leaning heavily into the gore aesthetic. A choice that hasn’t gone over well with many of her fans. She was recently called out for adding devil imagery throughout the music video of her latest single, “Paint The Town Red”. The song, which samples Dione Warwick’s “Walk On By” has gone on to earn her a place just below the top ten list on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
Along with her unbothered reaction to losing followers, Doja Cat has also recently scolded her fans for calling themselves “kittens” or “kittenz.” She took to the Threads App to tell fans she doesn’t like the nickname.
“That means you need to get off your phone and get a job and help your parents with the house,” Doja scolded.
This came even as a fan pointed out that it was the name she gave her fan base.
“When i was an alcoholic teen,” Doja wrote in response to that point.
The back and forth, which she deleted afterwards, resulted in criticisms and expressions of disappointment from her fans. One user even wrote an open letter recommending that she holds herself accountable.