What Does Doja Cat’s ‘Paint the Town Red’ and Its No. 15 Debut Tell Us About Her New Era?
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Doja Cat officially became one of the biggest and most exciting pop stars in the world with third album Planet Her, an inspired set that took over radio and streaming for a good year and a half. It proved that the singer-rapper’s “Say So” breakout from 2020 was far more than a viral fluke, and ensured that her upcoming fourth album would be one of the early decade’s most anticipated releases.
But Doja — whether sincere, trolling or some combination — has since derided her prior two albums and expressed a desire to move away from their top 40-friendly sound, instead making music that allows her “to express the way I feel about the world around me.” To that end, she’s released two new singles: The more hip-hop-forward “Attention,” which debuted at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June, and the Dionne Warwick-sampling “Paint the Town Red,” which bows at No. 15 this week.
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What do the new songs tell us about where Doja is really at right now as an artist? And what kind of commercial potential does “Red” have? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
1. “Paint the Town Red” debuts at No. 15 on the Hot 100 this week. Is that higher than, lower than, or about where you would have expected?
Rania Aniftos: Definitely where I thought it’d land. If she didn’t alienate her fans so much and debut a pretty controversial, horror-inspired image recently, the song would have made the top 10 because it really is classic Doja circa Hot Pink era.
Katie Atkinson: About where I would expect. In all her impressive chart history over the last three years, Doja has yet to be the artist who makes a particularly splashy week-one showing; she’s the artist who has Little Songs That Could – tracks that improbably claw their way up the Hot 100 for a full year. Prime example: “Woman,” which peaked at No. 7 last year and spent exactly 52 weeks on the chart. “Red” is an out-of-the-gate fantastic, re-listenable song, so while it’s not a No. 1 or top 10 debut, it is the highest unaccompanied debut of her career so far.
Kyle Denis: Considering the lukewarm reception to “Attention” and the fact that Doja doesn’t have many splashy fist-week showings for solo singles, No. 15 is a bit higher than I expected. Part of me isn’t all that surprised because, unlike “Attention,” “Paint the Town Red” is much closer in sound to the singles that made Doja one contemporary pop’s biggest stars. Nonetheless, snatching a top 15 debut amid her various controversies is certainly nothing to scoff at.
Jason Lipshutz: It’s where I expected. Doja Cat is no stranger to the top 10 of the Hot 100, but “Attention,” the single that preceded “Paint the Town Red,” debuted and peaked at No. 31 upon its June release. “Red” is a more immediate single, though, with a stronger hook and a smart flip of Dionne Warwick’s “Walk on By”; plus, a lot of her past singles have grown into top 10 smashes after lower debuts on the chart. A No. 15 start for “Red” sounds about right, then.
Andrew Unterberger: A little higher than I would’ve predicted on first listen, but about right after a couple days. Initially the song sounded kinda messy to me — I’m still not totally sure about that chorus or title — but after hearing it a couple times and especially after seeing the music video, it sounds more like another Doja crossover smash to me. And No. 15 is a pretty decent start for it.
2. Previous single “Attention” debuted at No. 31 and fell off the chart entirely just a few weeks later — do you think the chart run of “Red” will closer to that or to one of Doja Cat’s enduring Planet Her smashes?
Rania Aniftos: “Red” has a catchier, more TikTok-friendly hook, and as we’ve seen in the past, that’s one of the main driving forces in Doja’s career. If it picks up more on the app, I could see it sticking around on the Hot 100 for a while longer.
Katie Atkinson: I do think it’ll be like those big hits. I love “Attention,” but I also think it was a purposely unconventional single tied to Doja making an explicit “rap album” after owning pop radio with Planet Her. “Paint the Town Red” still showcases Doja’s obvious rap skills (was there really ever any doubt?) but also has a memorable hook that gets lodged in your head, like all the best earworm pop hits (“Yes, bi—, I said what I said…”). I predict this will have staying power.
Kyle Denis: Based on its first week, I think that “Red” is well on its way to a run that mirrors the Planet Her singles. Now, I don’t think “Red” will end up matching that album’s biggest songs like “Kiss Me More” (with SZA) or “Woman,” but it should still have a successful run. Not only is “Paint the Town Red” closer to the Planet Her sound than “Attention,” “Red” is also more upbeat and has a much stronger hook, which should bolster its chances at radio.
Jason Lipshutz: I’d expect “Red” to grow from here. Doja Cat has been adamant about adopting a more rap-leaning aesthetic for her Planet Her follow-up, and while she sounds as nimble as ever on the verses here, “Red” also contains a sneakily huge pop chorus – that “Mmm, she the devil” bit will get stuck in your head for hours. A top 20 debut is nothing to sneeze at, but I’d look for a top 10 push in the coming weeks.
Andrew Unterberger: I think it’ll stick. It’s still performing consistently on streaming nearly two weeks after its release, and its radio play is already starting to explode. It seems well on its way to getting a good deal more attention than, well, “Attention.”
3. Doja has talked a lot about putting her past work behind her and doing something completely different for her next work — do you see “Red” and previous single “Attention” as signs of a major career reinvention, or do they more feel in line with her past hits?
Rania Aniftos: Sorry Doja, but neither of those songs offer anything notably different to me — especially given her comments lately. They have the same sing-rap vocal pattern she’s known for, the radio-ready hook and a wide-appealing melody. If you’re gonna talk the talk, you gotta walk the walk!
Katie Atkinson: I don’t think they’re major departures, but there does seem to be less singing in general on both. Aside from the trip-hoppy chorus of “Attention,” in general, she seems to be more focused on rap this time around, as promised. But sonically, I think both of these productions would fit right in on Doja’s past projects.
Kyle Denis: Although she drew on boom-bap for “Attention” and increased the amount of rapping she normally does on both songs, I don’t think either track is a sign of a major career reinvention. “Attention” was pointing in an interesting, and genuinely different, direction, but “Paint the Town Red” wouldn’t sound out of place on either of her last two studio albums. Sonically and structurally, everything still feels very familiar. To Doja’s credit, her lyrics have shifted to reflect her thoughts and feelings on her recent controversies and perception by the public — and that’s a significant shift from most of her past rap verses.
Jason Lipshutz: They both denote a pivot away from the vibrant pop textures of songs like “Say So” and “Kiss Me More,” but some of the best parts of Planet Her showcased her ability to rap circles around her competition, including the most ecstatic bars of “Woman,” “Need to Know” and “Get Into It (Yuh).” “Attention” and “Paint the Town Red” feel less like transitions into a new aesthetic and more like accentuations of the approach that Doja has previously explored, as if she’s stepping inside a room that she’s gestured toward previously.
Andrew Unterberger: “Attention” was a little more of a detour, but both still feel quintessentially like Doja Cat. Which is not a bad thing! Whether you consider her more of a pop star or a rapper — and there’s no actual need to choose there — she’s been one of the most creative, compelling and all-around electric new artists from any genre of the past decade. I don’t really believe she’s that ashamed of her past work, either; she’s just a a true child of the internet, forever saying unpredictable stuff to see what kind of reaction it gets.
4. She’s also taken some heat in recent months for her somewhat contentious ongoing dialogue with fans over social media — which has reportedly cost her hundreds of thousands of followers. Do you think this backlash will end up actually being consequential for Doja’s career, or is it just one of many small hiccups for the artist on her otherwise upwards pop star trajectory?
Rania Aniftos: Depends on where she goes from here. If she continues to double down on her anti-fan dialogue, it’s going to affect her career greatly and alienate not only her current fans, but others who might be interested in her music in the future. If she grows into a more mature headspace, I can see us as a society putting that little hiccup behind us.
Katie Atkinson: I think it’s a hiccup. Her online persona has always been testy, whether she’s interacting with fans or haters. Doja’s supporters can’t possibly expect this woman to fawn over them like some artists do with their fans. That is simply not her way. If anything, this latest dust-up adds to her cryptic image.
Kyle Denis: Given that she just snagged her highest solo Hot 100 debut with a song in which she directly addresses said contentious dialogue, I think Doja will be fine. I don’t think any of the recent controversy will be consequential for her career. For what it’s worth, she’s weathered bigger storms than this when she was a comparatively less established artist. Now, if ticket sales for her tour start to significantly slow down the closer we get to the album release and opening night, then I think there should be cause for concern.
Jason Lipshutz: “Yeah, bitch, I said what I said / I’d rather be famous instead.” That’s how Doja Cat starts “Paint the Town Red,” a callback to her claim that she’d rather be famous than a false idol to be worshipped – and while that point of view clashes with modern stan culture, it’s a refreshingly honest perspective that differentiates Doja from other artists. Maybe Doja has lost a few followers on social media, but remaining her authentic self won’t slow her down one bit.
Andrew Unterberger: Eh. If the music was bad (and got a poor response) then that would make for a tough combination with a partial fan backlash. But if the music is good and people like it — usually a smart bet with Doja — she’ll probably be just fine. She’s weathered worse.
5. The Dionne Warwick “Walk on By” sample: Fair or foul usage of one of the greatest pop songs ever?
Rania Aniftos: I don’t know if everyone would agree, but I like it! I appreciate when an artist takes a sample and makes it completely fresh and different, so it doesn’t feel like a rip-off. We’ve been seeing it a lot with various pop artists lately, and I for one think it’s fun.
Katie Atkinson: Fair! I especially love the way the horns are used. And guess who else loves it? Dionne Warwick.
Kyle Denis: Eh, it’s not foul, but it’s not a particularly interesting or innovative flip of the sample, which is something of a disappointment considering how strong Doja’s musical ear is.
Jason Lipshutz: Very fair! I love the way Doja re-contextualizes a classic single for a new generation, something we’ve seen across the now 50-year life span of hip-hop. Plus, the manner in which Doja flips the meaning of Warwick’s refrain – instead of a sense of loss, “walk on by” becomes a suggestion to naysayers – is incredibly smart. Great sample, great use of sample.
Andrew Unterberger: Not totally sure yet, to be honest. “Walk on By” is pretty sacred to me, and while it’s been covered, sampled and reinvented pretty consistently for 60 years now, I’m still not sure I see it really fitting into the bigger picture of what Doja is doing here musically or thematically. Still, the song is growing on me, so perhaps the sample’s part in that will too. (And love to see “Walk” still having a central place in pop music, particularly so soon after Burt Bacharach’s death.)
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