With the release of “Hot Pink” 3 years ago, Doja Cat‘s meme-like status has shifted. The project catapulted her into the mainstream platform and has paved the way for her latest released album, “Planet Her.”
The 14-track project was released on June 25 and was loved by her fans and casual listeners alike. “Planet Her” is more than just an album; it is a statement by Doja Cat herself. It speaks of many themes; from lust to empowerment, she could fit everything without under-delivering.
Doja Cat maintained her style, which has been present for her many projects since her success started in the social media platform TikTok. “Planet Her” is more than just diverse, but it is cohesive so that the album feels whole. She retains her witty lyricism and the classic catchy hooks that have been present on most of her pop-induced tracks.
“Planet Her” is carried by its two singles before it was even released. “Kiss Me More” presented Doja Cat as more than just a lustful songstress. Instead, it showcased her versatility as an artist, together with the track’s feature, Sza. The song is infectious, with its groovy melodies and guitar chords are too good to be ignored. It’s also safe to say that “Kiss Me More” is a bit reminiscent, all thanks to its 70s vibes that have been the central theme of Doja Cat‘s “Hot Pink” project.
“Need to Know” is the other single, which is also perhaps the highlight of the whole album. It’s a direct mirror to the latter single, bombarding our ears with 808s and out-of-the-world instrumentals. Doja Cat retains her lustful take to lyricism, which is also a callback to her past projects, mainly her track “Cyber Sex.” The song’s popularity has also skyrocketed, thanks to TikTok, with many users finding valuable ways to incorporate the audio with their content.
Aside from these two singles, “Planet Her” is still filled with excellence and a more excellent showcase of her range as an artist. We see her transform into a mumble rapper on her track “Get Into It (Yuh),” and in the track “Woman,” Doja Cat bodied an instrumental she had never touched before.
The track “Imagine” is as straightforward as it can get. It’s Doja Cat‘s dip to flex culture, although she never truly encapsulates what she wants to convey, so the track falls flat as if we have been left for a cliffhanger.
Despite the album being cohesive in style, it somewhat fails in structuring and song sequencing. For instance, her song “Alone” was a gorgeous track, but when followed by her acclaimed single, “Kiss Me More,” it loses its meaning, compared to how “Naked” and “Woman” followed each other, which both share the sentiment of sexual exploration and empowerment.
Doja Cat never settles for less when it comes to features, and although they’re only present in three songs, at least they don’t disappoint. Young Thug’s verse on “Payday” highlights his classic, playful vocals that never fail to create a whole vibe.
Ariana Grande‘s appearance on “I Don’t Do Drugs” isn’t that much surprising as we know that she’ll have a collaboration with Doja Cat anytime soon. Doja Cat’s soulful vocals complement well with Ariana‘s flavor, and together they formed a pop/hip-hop banger and an anthem at the same time.
“Your Right” features award-winning RnB/pop figure, The Weeknd. Doja Cat effortlessly cruises on the sparkling instrumental while building up for The Weeknd’s soulful and soft verse. There’s nothing much to be said about this track, as the combination is more than enough as a statement.
“Planet Her” successfully allows Doja Cat to express her creative vision while putting her in a good place. With the success of her past project “Hot Pink” and, more specifically, “Say So,” Doja Cat struggled and was vocal about her frustration, saying she was tired of repetitively performing. Finally, she’s here, serving us with a new taste of her talent.
