Atwood Magazine’s writers dive into Doja Cat’s vibrant and genre-blending fifth album Vie, a playful and passionate homage to love, lust, and late-night fantasy – unpacking her flirtations with romance, her flair for nostalgic glam and theatrical spectacle, and her transformation into a more liberated and self-assured pop provocateur.

Featured here are Atwood writers Ashley Littlefield, Eric Schuster, Josh Weiner, and Kendall Graham!

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To start, what is your relationship with Doja Cat’s music?

Eric Schuster: I started properly listening to Doja Cat around 2021 when she released the one-of-a-kind album, Planet Her. It was hard to classify, but she straddled the pop and hip hop world with a unique sensibility that channeled brilliant artists before her like Missy Elliot, Young Thug (who has a standout feature on Planet Her), and Nicki Minaj. Since then, she has (deservedly) skyrocketed to super stardom, putting together breathtaking performances and consistently releasing quality music.

Ashley Littlefield: I was introduced to Doja Cat in 2019 with “Say So.” However, I really started listening to her in 2023 with her fourth album, Scarlet. I was immediately drawn to the Scarlet’s riveting bass lines and the massive success of its chart-topping hits: the two-time RIAA platinum staple “Agora Hills” and four-time platinum “Paint the Town Red.” Both tracks showcase her blend of R&B vocals, melodic groove, and attitude in a way that is entirely her own.

Kendall Graham: I’ve been a Doja fan since her Purrr! EP in 2014. “Nunchucks” really sold it for me. There was something so immediately charismatic about her that I latched on to. I played that EP into the ground over the years! I knew she had the chops then, but I think what really did it was getting into Hot Pink in 2019 after falling off from her music for a few years. I think she has a very singular presence as a musician, and Hot Pink felt like the cooler older sister of Purrr! and it put me right back in her web. The shenanigans (and borderline transgressions) over the years have given me a bit of a love-hate relationship with her as an artist, but she’s equal parts problematic and talented, in my opinion.

Josh Weiner: I guess I’m a mix between Eric and Ashley in the sense that I first was introduced to Doja Cat via her inescapable 2019 hit “Say So,” and then got to know her better as an artist once her next album, Planet Her, was released two years later. I’m now a seasoned Doja Cat fan, and was lucky to catch her on 2023’s Scarlet Tour in Boston, where she put on a memorable performance.

What are your initial impressions and reactions to Vie?

Eric: Vie is a return to form for Doja Cat. She partnered with the most in-demand producer in the music industry, Jack Antonoff, and the sound is as crisp and fun as anything she has released. Her lyrics and melodies are much happier than Scarlet. Based on the lyrics on “Acts of Service,” it seems that Amala Dlamini is in love (perhaps with Joseph Quinn).

Ashley: The album elevates the soundscape to a new atmosphere. The drum patterns are strikingly nostalgic, evoking 808s, 909s, and soft snares that nod to the ‘80s and ’90s – shaping grooves that carry her charisma from track to track.

Kendall: I had reservations about getting into Vie, mostly because of the way Doja described, and essentially disparaged, her previous albums. I kept questioning, “Is this going to matter to me if, now or at some point in the future, she decides it doesn’t matter to her?” I guess there was a certain pointlessness I felt when I started with “Cards,” the opening track. But, after going through the album, she sounds like she’s genuinely enjoying herself and having fun with this throwback pop sound, and honestly, how could anybody not have fun listening to music that sounds like this?

Josh: I agree with what everyone has had to say so far, and I gotta go along with Kendall’s remark that this album, most fundamentally, is just a lot of fun to listen to, and that alone wins it a lot of favor with me.

How does this album compare to 2023’s Scarlet – what are the most striking similarities or differences?

Eric: Dlamini had something to prove on Scarlet. She was in the midst of dealing with superstardom and trying to establish appropriate boundaries with her fans. She was also out to prove that she is one of the best rappers alive, and successfully did so. It reminded me of Tyler, the Creator’s album Call Me If You Get Lost, in that these were multi-talented artists that were returning to their roots and flexing their rapping abilities. On Vie, Dlamini is having more fun. The album seamlessly bounces between genres.

Ashley: “Acts of Service” features drum patterns similar to those of Scarlet, but Vie stands out with uplifting harmonies – marking a creative chapter for Doja Cat.

Kendall: It’s looser than Scarlet (and CLAUDE, by extension), and more coquettish than the more outwardly-sensual Planet Her and Hot Pink. I agree with Eric in that it definitely seemed she had something to prove on Scarlet; it almost seemed like she was taking something out on herself and us, via auditory assault, but with Vie she’s kind of shaking her shoulders out, so to speak; it feels more relaxed, in theory if not always in practice. Scarlet was definitely heavier and more bitter than anything I’ve heard on Vie.

Josh: I talked a fair amount about this in my recent review, but to keep it brief this time around, I think Scarlet and Vie are very distinct albums, with the first being more abrasive and shock-oriented, and the latter being more lighthearted and uplifting. It’s actually relatively jarring to see an artist release two such different-sounding records a mere two years apart from each other, but I do appreciate her willingness to take risks and go for reinvention.

The French word “vie” means life. Doja Cat describes Vie as her own interpretation of romance and relationships – of love, sex, romance, pain, and wonder. Does this capture the spirit of these songs, and where do you hear or feel it most?

Eric: Absolutely. Vie is full of life and eccentricities and captures many of the gambits of human emotion, which is what music is meant to do. It’s an album that deserves the listener’s full attention. This album sounds like it was made by someone in the midst of early love.

Ashley: “Take Me Dancing,” featuring SZA, captures the romance and sparks the spontaneity of relationships. “Gorgeous” is a self-assured wonder of confidence that casts a warm, glowing spell of affection throughout the record.

Kendall: This album definitely projects “romance,” lyrically and visually/aesthetically when the project was being rolled out. Several songs make these themes abundantly clear, like “Acts of Service,” “Silly! Fun!,” “Jealous Type” and “All Mine.” Doja makes love and sex and wonder sound so playful (would it be redundant to say that she injects a certain feline-like energy into these songs?) I definitely hear the infatuation in Doja’s delivery across much of this album, even, and especially, when she’s being sarcastic or sardonic. And recording these songs at Miraval Studios in France definitely seemed to underscore these motifs.

Josh: Kendall taught me something! I didn’t realize that much of the album was actually recorded in France and that influenced the French title. Guess it makes sense, though 🙂 But anyways, I agree that those are the themes we hear a lot throughout the course of the album, all the way down to the final track, “Come Back,” on which Doja Cat tells her former partner that she “[realizes] we learned a lesson from lovin’ on one another. Nothin’ shows more strength than gunnin’ for ex-lovers.” It makes sense to end the album with an encapsulation of its principal themes in such a manner.

Doja Cat calls Vie an homage to the music of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, with her own “personal modern twist.” Where do you hear those eras come through most strongly?

Eric: I definitely think Dlamini achieved what she was striving for, and was able to do so perfectly with the help of Antonoff. “AAAHH MEN” would have been done well with a Prince or Madonna collaboration. On “Take Me Dancing,” Doja and SZA reunite to put together another timeless single. Vie captures the fun and carefree Cyndi Lauper vibe of the 80s.

Ashley: The use of drum machines stands out in Couples Therapy,” giving it a new-wave-meets-vintage ‘90s glam feel and hints of ‘80s vocal influence in “Jealous Type.”

Kendall: It was an absolute power move to work with Jack Antonoff across more than half of this album; across the board, he’s got a great ear for the styles inherent to those time periods. Personally, I hear those eras coming through strongest via the synths and percussion on tracks like “Cards,” “Stranger,” “Silly! Fun!,” “One More Time,” “Jealous Type” and “Take Me Dancing.” In the production, I definitely picked up on the particular musical vibes of artists like Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Prince.

Josh: Well, everyone seems to have done a solid job of identifying the ‘80s artists who would’ve been able to ride these beats just fine back in their day. So, I’ll just echo the praise that’s been given to Jack Antonoff who, during an off-year from working with Taylor Swift, delivered a fine chunk of production to his new client, Doja Cat. A hugely entertaining album has resulted from their new partnership.

Which song(s) stand out for you on the album, and why?

Eric: “Jealous Type” is a perfect pop single that only Doja Cat could create. The combination of the singing, rapping, and her dancing and live performances of the song is unmatched. The chorus gets stuck in my head for days whenever I hear it. “AAAHH MEN” is a fun song with a bouncy beat that propels the album forward. “Couples Therapy” features some of the best rapping and singing on the album. “Take Me Dancing” is a fun track as well. When Doja Cat and SZA team up, I don’t think they’re capable of making a bad song.

Ashley: “Couples Therapy” and “Gorgeous” feature lyrics and drums that evoke a nostalgic experience for me when I listen.

Kendall: It’s meant to as a single, but “Gorgeous” absolutely stands out to me because it’s just such a well-constructed song with a poignant but cheeky theme. Also, “Make it Up” because it doesn’t sound like anything else on Vie, and calls me back to me Planet Her in a good way, even if it kind of recycles the vibes a bit.

Josh: I like them all! But “Cards” and “Gorgeous” are two of my favorite, since they have especially good beats and make the most of Doja Cat’s dual abilities as a singer and a rapper. They’re pretty darn catchy, too.

Do you have any favorite lyrics so far? Which lines stand out?

Eric: When I listen to music, the first thing I listen to is the harmonies and melodies. It takes me a few listens to really digest the lyrics, and the ones that stick with me are usually due to the way they are delivered within the song’s framework, rather than their meaning. Some of my favorites on the album come on “Acts of Service.” It’s not easy to come up with new ways to deliver lyrics about love.

Would it mean that I found my person
When the language is acts of service?
Baby, how do I know for certain?
Does a key to your flat mean girlfriend?
Girlfriend?

Ashley: “Gotta undo my selfish habits,” in “Couples Therapy,” because there is so much honesty when it comes to reflecting on yourself through the looking glass of your partner’s lens.

Kendall: I keep thinking about the refrain in “AAAHH MEN!” where she says: “And I have too much tolerance / You ugly and fine as s*** / and if I had more common sense / Then I would grab my ride and dip,” because the equal parts of frustration and desire are relatable on a personal level, and I’m sure on a wide scale, too. Plus it’s just fun to hear over and over. And have we not all been there at one point or another, in some way, shape or form?

Josh: “It’s a crime to be gorgeous” is a simple but powerful line that gives a lot of perspective as to what’s going through Doja Cat’s mind as a music star. As a Francophile, I enjoyed the dosage of French lyrics sprinkled cross songs like “Happy” – “Brise mon coeur encore ce soir.” It seems amusing, until you realize what it translates to and see that it adds up to Doja inviting another round of heartbreak. Perhaps calling the song “Happy” is a touch deceiving? Clever cat.

Where do you feel Vie sits in the pantheon of Doja Cat’s discography?

Eric: I would put Vie on the second tier of her already illustrious discography alongside Hot Pink. I would put Planet Her sitting alone at the top Tier. Her first album, Amala, and Scarlet, although both great albums with some standout songs, would go on the third tier.

Ashley: The album is a nostalgic gem that captures her creative process in an elevated realm for her unique artistry. She draws on her influences naturally, with a French flair of “life” drenched in romance, love, and art.

Kendall: Planet Her and Purrr! are tied at the top of my personal Doja Cat discography, and I don’t imagine that’s going to change anytime soon. Both projects solidified her (at points with about a decade between them) as an artist with a firm vision and the drive to successfully execute the ideas she set out to achieve, respectively. Planet Her, even though she’s dismissed it as a “cash grab,” among other things, carries pure heavyweight pop energy, and I believe it’ll stand the test of time in our post-2000s American musical lexicon. I think I need a little more time with Vie to more accurately place it among her work; but in the time that it’s existed so far, I would put it after the above two projects, after Hot Pink and Scarlet, and before Amala, her debut album.

Josh: It’s presently my second favorite after Planet Her, followed by Hot Pink and Scarlet. I still need to listen to Amala and Purr! but so far, that’s where my ranking stands. I agree with Kendall that it takes a few listens for me to accurately rank any artist’s catalogue, but the fact that Vie has fared so well with me right off the bat is pretty commendable.

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:: stream/purchase Vie here ::

:: connect with Doja Cat here ::

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Stream: “Stranger” – Doja Cat

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 © Greg Swales

Vie

an album by Doja Cat