Isabella Flores
Doja Cat's Paint the Town Red is a massive commercial success, topping the charts in 19 countries, including the US, where it became the first solo female rap song to reach #1 in Spotify history. The song's lyrics see Doja Cat address common criticisms of herself, including her toxic fanbase, her controversial opinions, and her relationship with J. Cyrus, who has been accused of racism, harassment, and emotional abuse. The song's music video features demon imagery, which has been interpreted as Doja Cat trolling the conspiracy crowd who said she sold her soul to get famous.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Doja Cat |
| Songwriters | Doja Cat |
| Producers | Earl on the Beat, Rubin, Jean-Baptiste, and DJ Replay |
| Sample | Dionne Warwick's "Walk on By" |
| Genre | Rap |
| BPM | 100 beats per minute |
| Key | G minor |
| Album | Scarlet |
| Release Date | August 4, 2023 |
| Record Label | Kemosabe and RCA Records |
| Lyrics | Addressing criticisms, asserting her identity, and embracing her new, darker aesthetic |
| Symbolism | Demon imagery, satanic imagery, and references to Wiccan mythology |
| Commercial Performance | Topped charts in multiple countries, including the US and UK; broke streaming records on Spotify |
| Live Performance | 2023 MTV Video Music Awards |
| Social Media | Used in over 618,000 videos on TikTok |
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What You'll Learn
The song's success despite widespread pushback
Despite facing widespread pushback, "Paint the Town Red" became a massive commercial success for Doja Cat. The song topped the charts in 19 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Switzerland. It also reached the top ten in over 15 other countries, including France, Germany, and Sweden.
The song's success can be attributed to several factors, including its catchy melody, intriguing lyrics, and groovy beat. The song also gained traction on TikTok, with its audio being used in over 618,000 videos on the platform. Additionally, the song's music video, directed by Nina McNeely, sparked interest with its unique symbolism and imagery.
"Paint the Town Red" is an unapologetic anthem in which Doja Cat addresses her critics and asserts her identity. The lyrics see her acknowledging common criticisms and addressing her controversial opinions and behaviour on social media. She also references her arguments with fans and her disapproval of a name used by a significant portion of her fanbase.
The song's success is particularly notable given the pushback it received. Some listeners took issue with the "'satanic imagery' in both the song and its music video. The song includes lyrics such as "she the devil, she a bad lil' bitch, she a rebel," and the video features scenes of Doja Cat dancing with the grim reaper and a demon-like figure. This imagery is likely a tongue-in-cheek response to conspiracy theories that the singer had "sold her soul to get famous."
Despite the controversy, "Paint the Town Red" resonated with fans and became a massive hit for Doja Cat, showcasing her ability to create compelling music that captures the attention of listeners and pushes the boundaries of her artistic expression.
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Doja Cat's new aesthetic
The lead single, "Paint the Town Red", showcases this new aesthetic. The song's music video features demon imagery, with Doja Cat dressed as a demon, riding a green devil, and standing with the grim reaper. This is a tongue-in-cheek response to conspiracy theories that she sold her soul to get famous. The video also features blood-soaked dancers, further emphasising the darker theme.
The lyrics of "Paint the Town Red" also reflect this new aesthetic. Doja Cat addresses the fact that she has been labelled a "devil" and even calls herself a "demon lord", owning the title rather than being offended by it. She also references Maison Margiela, a fashion house built on the principles of non-conformity and rebellion, which aligns with her new rebellious image.
The song's verses see Doja Cat acknowledging criticisms of herself, including her controversial opinions about her fans, her sex life, and her controversial boyfriend, J. Cyrus. She also addresses her previous statements about her pop albums being cash grabs and her shaved head look, which some fans weren't keen on.
In addition to the demon imagery, the music video for "Paint the Town Red" also features a pink eyeball-like shape with a cat inside, which fans have interpreted as a nod to her previous bright pink era, indicating that she is moving on from that style of music.
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The song's meaning and message
"Paint the Town Red" by Doja Cat is an unapologetic anthem in which the singer addresses her critics and asserts her identity. The song's message is that Doja Cat will continue to do whatever she wants, regardless of what others may think of her. The lyrics see her acknowledging common criticisms of herself and her previous behaviour on social media, including her disapproval of a name used by a large part of her fanbase and subsequent arguments. She also addresses her controversial opinions about her fans, her sex life, and her controversial boyfriend, J. Cyrus.
The song's opening lines set the theme: "B I said what I said, I'd rather be famous instead / I let all that get to my head / I don't care, I paint the town red." Here, Doja Cat expresses her willingness to embrace the spotlight, even if it means stirring controversy with her opinions. She embraces the power that comes with fame and chooses to ignore negative comments, focusing on enjoying her success.
The pre-chorus sees Doja Cat addressing the dark side of her album "Scarlet" and rumours of her being a devil worshipper. She sings, "She the devil / She a bad lil' b, she a rebel / She put her foot to the pedal / It'll take a whole lot for me to settle." She even refers to herself as a ""demon lord," poking fun at those who label her as such due to her new demonic aesthetic. The music video for the track embraces this imagery, featuring Doja Cat riding a green-looking devil and donning a similar appearance herself.
The song's verses see Doja Cat boasting about her musical prowess and her belief that she is revolutionizing music. She showcases her rebellious spirit by referencing Maison Margiela, a fashion house known for its principles of non-conformity and rebellion. The song's success further emphasises her impact, as it broke streaming records on Spotify and became the first solo female rap song to reach #1 in various chart categories.
The phrase "paint the town red" itself means to go out and have a good time, which is reflected in the song's upbeat and confident tone. Doja Cat's performance at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards further emphasised this energy, as she took the stage dressed in a preppy grey suit and glasses, accompanied by blood-soaked dancers.
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The song's performance and impact
"Paint the Town Red" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her fourth studio album, Scarlet, released in 2023. The song was written by Doja Cat and produced by Earl on the Beat, Rubin, Jean-Baptiste, and DJ Replay. The track samples Dionne Warwick's 1964 song "Walk on By".
Upon its release, the song became a massive commercial success, topping the charts in 19 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Switzerland. In the US, it became Doja Cat's second single and her first solo song to top the Billboard Hot 100. It also topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts for three weeks. In the UK, it became the first solo song by a female rapper to top the UK Singles Chart. The song also broke several streaming records on Spotify, becoming the first solo female rap song to top the platform's US Top 50 daily chart and the Global Spotify 200 daily chart. It also became the fastest solo female rap song to amass 100 million streams.
The song also gained traction on TikTok, with its audio soundtracking over 618,000 videos on the platform. Its popularity on TikTok fuelled the song's performance, helping it reach number one on the Hot 100 in September 2023.
The song's success is notable given the context of Doja Cat's controversial statements and her polarising relationship with her fanbase in the period leading up to its release. The song's lyrics address these controversies, with Doja Cat rapping about her disregard for other people's opinions of her and asserting her own identity. She also addresses the negative reactions to her relationship with her boyfriend, J. Cyrus, and her controversial opinions about her fans.
The song's music video also attracted attention for its "satanic imagery", featuring Doja Cat dressed as a demon and riding a green-looking devil. This imagery has been interpreted as Doja Cat trolling the conspiracy crowd who accused her of selling her soul to get famous.
Doja Cat's performance of "Paint the Town Red" at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards was also well-received, with writers praising it as one of the best moments of the night. The performance featured the singer dressed in a grey suit and glasses, trailed by blood-soaked dancers.
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The song's production and composition
"Paint the Town Red" is a rap song by American singer and rapper Doja Cat. It was released on August 4, 2023, as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Scarlet. The song was written by Doja Cat and produced by Earl on the Beat, Rubin, Jean-Baptiste, and DJ Replay.
The song samples Dionne Warwick's 1964 song "Walk on By", and is composed in G minor with a tempo of 100 beats per minute. The track is backed by a bouncy production that features a subtly brassy, finger snap-laden beat. Earl on the Beat, one of the song's four producers, crafted the instrumental for the song two years prior, which included a brass instrument loop and smooth, rhythmic claps. He then tweaked the beat before sending it to Doja Cat.
The song's central focus is that Doja Cat will continue to do whatever she wants, regardless of what people think. This is reflected in the opening lines: "B, I said what I said/ I'd rather be famous instead / I let all that get to my head / I don't care, I paint the town red." The song also addresses common criticisms of herself, including her controversial opinions about her fans, her relationship, and her sex life. She also alludes to her shaved head, singing, "I don't need a wig to make you like it".
"Paint the Town Red" broke several streaming records on Spotify. It became the first solo female rap song to reach No. 1 in US Spotify history and the fastest solo female rap song to reach 100 million Spotify streams. It also topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Doja Cat's first solo US number-one.
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Frequently asked questions
"Paint the Town Red" is an unapologetic anthem in which Doja Cat makes it clear that she doesn't care about other people's opinions of her. She embraces her fame and power, ignoring negative comments and focusing on enjoying her success.
The song references Doja Cat's previous controversial behaviour on social media, including arguments with fans and her disapproval of a name used by a significant portion of her fanbase.
"Paint the Town Red" topped the charts in 19 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. It also became the first solo song by a female rapper to top the UK Singles Chart and the US Spotify chart.
"Paint the Town Red" is the lead single from Doja Cat's fourth studio album, Scarlet. It was released on August 4, 2023, through Kemosabe and RCA Records. The song gained popularity on TikTok and helped fuel the album's success.
