in living colour: doja cat
The alchemist spends their days transforming, or at least attempting to, base metals like copper or lead into precious metals like silver or gold so that they may extend the life of an otherwise common item. Part science, part magic, alchemists are in the business of transformation. Taking materials that have been otherwise overlooked and turning them into something shiny and new.
Nothing is more transformative and alchemical than the Internet. It’s the only place where barbies can become cowboys with one viral Tik Tok challenge and cows can become cats by simply pressing “record” on a little ol’ Macbook.
Artists like Lil Nas X and Doja Cat have managed to take a viral hit and extend their career’s shelf life, introducing their bodies of work to folks who wouldn’t have noticed them otherwise. Much like the “Old Town Road” superstar, 24-year old Doja Cat manufactured a viral hit releasing “Mooo!” back in 2018— a record that came out of an IG Live and 12.5 hours spent on her laptop.
Therein lies the magic that is Doja Cat. Teetering the line of art and comedy, the golden kitty captures your attention with her clever punchlines and dreamy vocal arrangements and makes you double over in laughter after poking fun at Cardi B’s vocal inflections on, “Press.”
She’s giving you full performance— all while singing about boobs and butts. A renaissance woman, truly.
In the latest installment of In Living Colour, a series where we take a look at how some of our faves use color to tell stories, we dove headfirst into Doja Cat’s Hot Pink Wonderland.
Standouts: Let’s take a trip!
Emotions: Mind-altering, Psychedelic
Significance: By washing the frame with pinks and purples and increasing the saturation, we’re immediately transported to another world. One sorta like Wonderland but with more recreational drug use. Not necessarily one of Doja’s strongest videos but this is the launchpad for her ever-expanding POV we get to see flesh out with later projects.
Standouts: Let them eat cake!
Emotions: Whimsy, Saccharine
Significance: Marie Antoinette, eat your heart out! There’s an innocence conveyed by Doja as she dons a mint green wig and pastel pink latex catsuit. The subtlety of these pastel hues juxtaposing these sort of brash lyrics about fellatio adds to the playful factor of the video. Playful is a very good word to describe Doja. You can just tell she’s a good sport.
Standouts: Tutti Frutti
Emotions: Power + Playful
Significance: Doja’s use of color in her super smash, “Juicy” is quite impactful. The shots are quite simple— Doja, her booty, a few dancers, some more booty. Have you noticed the way your eyes are guided towards it in a way that doesn’t feel super intrusive but more jolly? The rich cherry red lets the audience know that she has ownership over her space and her body. She’s in control. She tops her own damn cake.
Standouts: Head Honcho
Emotions: Power, Majesty, Dominance
Significance: Doja establishes herself as the head kitty in charge by donning a royal purple amongst a very neutral-colored desert. In typical Doja fashion saturation is played with and the purple trench and hat become center stage. It’s clear she means business— words aren’t needed. Speak softly and carry a big stick, if you will.
Standouts: Intergalactic E-Girl
Emotions: out-of-this-world, intimate, futuristic
Significance: What a time to be alive. The audience takes on a sort of voyeuristic behavior— watching as Doja makes love to her computer. Or through her computer, rather. Director, Jack Begert uses a sensual color palette of pinks and purples to spell out a particular kind of pleasure. Contrastly from the pinks and purples used in the “So High” video, they’ve managed to crank the saturation up, turn the contrast down, and utilize key lighting to mimick the glow of a computer screen in a dark room. Now we’re stuck with a teaser for Zenon: Z4.
Standouts: Disco Inferno
Emotions: Vibe, Feel, Warmth
Significance: And there you have it. The fruit of Doja’s success is a visual debut unlike any other. This neutral palette seems very mineral rich, giving that Hollywood girl feel — what the desert looks like behind rose tinted frames. Doja gives groovy glam to its highest caliber, taking Studio 54 out of business and indeed saying so.