Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, professionally known as Doja Cat, has carved out a unique space in the music industry. She is celebrated as an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as the "Queen of Pop-Rap", she is known for her versatility, live performing skills, internet personality and stage presence.
Born on October 21, 1995, in Los Angeles, California, Doja Cat’s diverse background has significantly influenced her artistic identity. Let's delve into her family, heritage, and the cultural influences that have shaped her career.
Family Background
Doja Cat was born to Deborah Sawyer, an American graphic designer, and Dumisani Dlamini, a South African performer and actor of Zulu descent. Her middle name, Zandile (zuh-ndee-lè), is a Zulu name meaning “they have multiplied.”
Parents
- Mother: Deborah Elizabeth Sawyer, a white American graphic designer of Jewish heritage.
- Father: Dumisani Dlamini (Dumisani Wiseman Dlamini), a black South African actor, composer, dancer, and film producer of Zulu background. He co-starred in the film Sarafina!
Doja Cat was raised partly in Rye, New York, and then in Oak Park, California. Her upbringing was significantly influenced by her mother's cultural background.
Baby(miracles) unreleased 2018 by Doja Cat her soundcloud era
Jewish Heritage
Doja Cat’s Jewish heritage comes from her maternal side. Her mother is of Lithuanian-Jewish descent, and this cultural influence played a significant role in Doja Cat’s upbringing.
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Doja Cat’s maternal grandmother was born Harriet Diamond (the daughter of Morris Diamond and Jean/Jennie Berkowitz). Morris was born in New York, the son of Philip Diamond and Lillian/Lena Burk/Bank, who were Austrian Jewish immigrants.
South African Roots
Doja Cat's father, Dumisani Dlamini, is from Durban and is of Zulu background. While her connection to her South African roots is less pronounced due to her limited relationship with her father, she has maintained a strong connection to her Jewish identity through her mother.
Dumisani Dlamini
- A black South African actor, composer, dancer, and film producer.
- Best known for starring as Crocodile in the original Broadway cast of the musical Sarafina!
Dumisani Dlamini
Music Career
Doja Cat began making and releasing music on SoundCloud as a teenager. Her song "So High" caught the attention of Kemosabe and RCA Records, with which she signed a recording contract prior to the release of her debut extended play Purrr! (2014).
After a hiatus from releasing music and the uneventful rollout of her debut studio album, Amala (2018), she earned viral success as an internet meme with her 2018 single "Mooo!", a novelty song in which she makes humorous claims about being a cow. Capitalizing on her growing popularity, she released her second studio album, Hot Pink, in the following year.
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Her versatility as an artist is reflected in her ability to blend different genres and cultural influences, which can be partly attributed to her diverse heritage. Doja Cat first gained attention as a teenager by posting music on SoundCloud, where her unique blend of R&B, hip-hop, and electronic music started to gather a following.
The album eventually reached the top ten of the US Billboard 200 and spawned the single "Say So"; its remix with Nicki Minaj topped the US Billboard Hot 100. Doja Cat's third studio album, Planet Her (2021), spent forty-one weeks in the Billboard 200's top 10 and became the 10th best-selling album globally of 2021. It produced the top ten singles "Kiss Me More" (featuring SZA), "Need to Know", and "Woman". Her fourth studio album, Scarlet (2023), adopted a hip-hop-oriented sound and peaked within the top five of the Billboard 200. Its lead single "Paint the Town Red" topped the Hot 100, the Billboard Global 200, and numerous charts internationally.
A remix version of Doja Cat's song "Juicy", from the deluxe version of Amala, added a verse from American rapper Tyga and was released alongside a music video in August 2019 as the lead single from her second studio album. Following the release of the remix, the song debuted at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Doja Cat's first entry on the chart, and ultimately peaked at number 41. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) would later award the song a platinum certification in the United States.
Artistic Influences and Style
Doja Cat's music has been described as pop rap, hip-hop, pop and R&B. She draws inspiration from her background engaging in online activities and delving into subcultures as a suburban teenager, as well as the artists her mother exposed to her as a child, such as Fugees, Erykah Badu, Jamiroquai, Earth, Wind & Fire, Black Eyed Peas, Seal, Tupac, Aaliyah, DMX, India Arie, and TLC. The Hindu culture of her childhood as well as Japanese culture have also been noted as sources of inspiration for Purrr!
Additionally, Doja Cat has cited Rihanna, Beyoncé, D'Angelo, Missy Elliott, Christina Aguilera, Pharrell Williams, and Lil' Kim as major influences. When asked about her legacy, Doja Cat revealed that in future she would like to be remembered for her versatility in not only music but also visual art and dance.
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Awards and Recognition
Doja Cat has received many accolades throughout her career, including one Grammy Award from nineteen nominations, six Billboard Music Awards from twenty-three nominations, five American Music Awards from eleven nominations, six MTV Video Music Awards from twenty-five, and eight iHeartRadio Music Awards (including six Titanium Awards for 1 billion total audience spins) from thirty-one nominations. Billboard ranked Doja Cat at number 24 on its 2025 "Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century" list "in just five years as a Billboard-charting hitmaker".
| Award | Nominations | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Grammy Awards | 19 | 1 |
| Billboard Music Awards | 23 | 6 |
| American Music Awards | 11 | 5 |
| MTV Video Music Awards | 25 | 6 |
| iHeartRadio Music Awards | 31 | 8 |
Doja Cat won the award for Push Best New Artist at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, where she also performed a medley of the songs "Say So" and "Like That". She was credited as a lead artist on the remix for Chloe x Halle's song "Do It", which also featured City Girls and Mulatto, the following month.
