Photo courtesy of Jacob Webster

Doja Cat’s newest album “Scarlet” — released on Friday, Sept. 22 — is a mixed bag. 

On the album, Doja ditches her more traditionally pop soundscape — like “Say So” and “Kiss Me More” — and goes almost entirely in a hip-hop direction. 

Her rap tracks can be separated into two categories — chill and high-energy. 

The “chill” tracks vary immensely in quality, with songs like “Paint the Town Red” and “97” being chores to get through, while “Skull and Bones” and “Can’t Wait” guide the audience through incredibly smooth pop-rap tracks with catchy choruses and great production. 

The “high-energy” tracks, on the other hand, are either offensively bad — like “Demons” and “Wet Vagina” — or intently sharp like “Attention” and “Shutcho.” 

Tracks that do not fall directly into any of these categories exist in a vacuum, with the composition and production of songs like “Balut,” “Gun” and “Go Off” failing to be definitive enough to stand out. 

The lyrics on Doja’s album are referential, with the artist calling out rapper Roddy Ricch, mentioning singer Billie Eilish and using the outdated “What are those!” meme. 

Doja also mentions her new haircut, which is a stark contrast to her established style from the past couple of years. Her shaved head is used as a metaphor for her newfound personal freedom from the expectations that come along with fame. 

“Lookin’ good, but now they all sayin’ that I’m ugly/Boo-hoo, my n*gga, I ain’t sad you won’t f*ck me,” Doja raps. 

Doja’s rapping ability is a lot more confident on this album, and it shows in tracks like “Love Life.”

She effortlessly repeats the “I love” motif, rattling off things she adores while also passive-aggressively taking shots at things that make her upset. 

“We all gon’ make mistakes and it’s cool, I love how you grew/You offer me tools that make my life feel simple/I know it, that you lovin’ me down/Man, I love y’all big and I love it when my life’s like this,” Doja raps. 

Among the other lyrical references on the album, Doja also brings up her recent controversies involving bashing her fans, as well as the prevalent news coverage that followed.

“I don’t give a f*ck what you think about my personal life I never have and never will, goodbye and good riddance miserable hoes,” she replied in a Twitter thread. 

It could be said “stan culture” in itself is toxic, however, Doja herself is just adding fuel to the fire. 

“Girls don’t let girls live, but that ain’t killin’ me/Now f*ck you, ho, you need a cookie ’cause you hatin’,’” Doja raps in “FTG.” 

Her lukewarm attacks on her fans, haters and herself do not detract from “Scarlet,” but rather play into the album’s mediocrity. 

Doja’s tendency to create an attention-grabbing spectacle usually results in each era of her musical career being exciting, however “Scarlet” appears to be the exception to this rule. 

“Scarlet” is not offensive, it is not shocking, it is not cathartic, not sexy, not chaotic, not anything special. There are highlights on the album, but they are ultimately overshadowed by the monotony of other tracks. 

Whatever Doja does next, I hope it will serve as a transitional piece for her next genuinely eye-catching era. 

Rating: 2.5/5 stars