SZA has been on her SOS tour for much of this year. She’s made headlines numerous times for artists she’s had on stage with her and those that have attended. But now she’s found the time to pop up at somebody else’s show, Doja Cat. The pair have worked together before, teaming up for the 2021 hit “Kiss Me More.” Doja’s Scarlet tour took off late last month and sees her and opening act Doechii playing some of their biggest hits and fan favorites. Check out the videos of SZA dancing at the concert below.
SZA herself isn’t done playing big shows either. Lollapalooza just announced a number of the headliners for their international festivals and her name popped up multiple times. She will be playing Lollapalooza festivals in Brasil, Argentina, and Chile next year. Alongside the R&B hitmaker other artists like Blink-182, Sam Smith, and Paramore were also tapped as headliners. South American fans who haven’t gotten the chance to see SZA perform yet will get the chance next year.
SZA’s massive 2023 has continued to generate critical attention for her. Just this week Variety named her their 2023 Hitmaker of the year. She was the first artist to appear at the number one spot on the Hot 100 twice this year. The first time she did so with “Kill Bill” the week she dropped a remix of the track with Doja Cat. The second time was her Drake collaboration “Slime You Out” which debuted at the number one spot.
She’s also developed quite a strong friendship with Sexyy Red. The pair both appear on another song from Drake’s new album called “Rich Baby Daddy.” They’ve linked up to perform the song together live multiple times. Subsequently, SZA was even a part of Sexyy Red’s pregnancy announcement with a pic of the pair together making its way to Instagram. What do you think of SZA attending one of the stops on Doja Cat’s tour? Let us know in the comment section below.
Getty Image / macrovector_official on Freepik/Derrick Rossignol
There were plenty of narratives swirling around Doja Cat heading into the launch of her Scarlet Tour. Questions surrounded the size of the venues on the tour, her first honest-to-goodness tour since falling into her glittering success era in the middle of a global pandemic; whether she’s been going through some kind of breakdown after shaving her head and seemingly going on a year-long crusade against her most devoted fans; whether or not she’s a “real” rapper.
It’s a shame the people propagating such narratives probably weren’t in attendance at Staples Center in Los Angeles Thursday night (alright, fine… Crypto.com Arena. UGH). Not only did the Los Angeles native handily address each of those narratives but she and her opener Doechii also batted down a few of those that have been bandied about concerning the state of so-called “female rap” (gross) for the past few years (and especially the past few days).
With much of Doja’s success coming during the live music shutdown of 2020 and her opening slot on The Weeknd’s recent stadium tour nixed after surgery, there were observers — loud ones — who thought that Doja wasn’t “ready” for arenas, or that she wouldn’t be able to sell out an arena tour, especially after pissing off “core” fans by insulting “stupid” stan account admins who clung to their parasocial connection like a life raft in a hurricane at sea.
Well, consider that myth busted; it’s fitting that Doja’s hometown show brought all the drama to Tinseltown — and none of the gimmicks that far too many other acts half of her stature have resorted to for attention. Born and bred on the internet, Doja’s well-versed in the online chatter about her, and systematically dismantles every complaint in her Scarlet Tour set, which is presented in five acts and finds her confronting both the haters and the unhinged alter ego her latest album is titled after.
Accusations of Satanism are skewered by a churchy staging of “Shutcho,” while Doja assumes a classic Jesus pose during “Attention” that irreverently takes the piss out of worrywarts who read malintent into something as commonplace as a bat tattoo. She subtly knocks down criticisms of her struggle with her biracial origins (her mom’s white, her dad’s South African) with an African traditional dance to open “Woman.”
Then she adds Brazilian bossa inflections to her biggest hit, “Say So.” This is telling. She’s previously reinterpreted the disco-pop hit as a rollicking rock anthem and alien EDM dance floor bop, saying she got sick of performing the song the same way over and over during the pandemic. By infusing it with diasporic influences, she revels in her heritage, recapturing a part of herself so many seem so eager to snatch away.
She proves her rap chops again and again throughout the night, but also her singing. The Badu impression on “Often” reaches fully-fledged neo-soul vocalist dimensions on her Hiatus Kaiyote cover “Red Room.” And I shouldn’t need to point out that her stagecraft at this point is beyond even some of her predecessors.
On Thursday, the native Angeleno even incorporated a Staples tradition, the in-game kiss cam, imbued with her own meme culture-obsessed humor, and handled an unplanned mic malfunction with her signature humor, pulling a face I really wish I’d gotten a photo of. And you want to talk props? How about a massive robotic spider, like something out of The Matrix, hovering over her head, or being flanked by a giant walking eyeball during “Paint The Town Red,” complete with attached optic nerve?
More than anything else, it looks like the narrative she is most interested in debunking is one she has maybe fed into a bit herself. On stage Thursday night, she looked like she was actually having fun performing… Check that. She looked like she was having the time of her life, like all the effort and time and money she’s put into this thing was actually worth it for the 90 minutes she spent up there captivating and communing with her audience — the “real” fans.
The ones who bought tickets, who overlooked or ignored the narratives, who put the music first, the way she does, the way she always has. She put on a show, not just for them and not just for Doja Cat, but also for Amala, the girl who loved music so much she made it her life against all odds (and sometimes her better judgment). She made Amala proud.
Doja Cat and Doechii have embarked on The Scarlet Tour promoting Doja’s new album Scarlet, kicking off the tour in San Francisco on Halloween and continuing to Los Angeles tomorrow night. In addition to showing fans the setlists they’ll be playing for the next month and a half, they also previewed an upcoming collaboration on night one. The massive screens onstage played what appears to be a snippet of a music video for the song, with Doechii and Doja cruising in a convertible in a clear visual homage to Thelma & Louise.
It’s a fitting reference for the duo, who are both individually known for breaking rules and upsetting the status quo like the 1991 classic’s titular heroines, who break away from their dull, depressing daily existences for a road trip that gets them not only out of their ruts but into a whole heap of life-changing trouble.
According to some social media users, Doechii previously teased the track during her Coachella debut earlier this year, although it wasn’t the only song she previewed for fans during her set. It’s apparently called “Shots” and while they did not yet allude to a release date, one imagines that it can’t be all that far off.
You can follow Uproxx’s coverage of The Scarlet Tour, including setlists and helpful information, here.
Last night (October 31), Doja Cat kicked off her Scarlet Tour at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Many of the songs throughout the night were live debut performances from her recent album, Scarlet. With Doechii and Ice Spice as the tour’s opening acts, fans who are attending one of the upcoming dates might be wondering exactly how long the concert is — so they can prepare, schedule-wise.
Doja’s next show is in Los Angeles on November 2, and she will be continuing to perform across North America through December. A complete list of dates, along with more information, can be found here.
Continue scrolling for Doja Cat’s setlist from the Scarlet Tour‘s opening night, via Setlist.fm.
Last night at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Doja Cat kicked off The Scarlet Tour with Doechii, giving fans the first glimpse of the setlist she’s going to play for the next month and a half — as well as the merch she’ll be slinging along the way.
We also know what time Doja — and her openers — will be hitting the stage, thanks to social media users confirming that they’ll be sticking to the run-of-show “to the minute.” Doechii hits the stage at 7:30, while Doja herself goes from 8:30 to 10:15.
The Scarlet Tour Dates
Here are the remaining dates for The Scarlet Tour:
11/02 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *
11/03 — Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena *
11/05 — San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena *
11/06 — Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center *
11/08 — Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center *
11/10 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena *
11/13 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center *
11/15 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center *
11/16 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center *
11/19 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena *
11/21 — Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center #
11/24 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena *
11/26 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center #
11/27 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena #
11/29 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center #
11/30 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center #
12/02 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden #
12/04 — Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena #
12/07 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center #
12/08 — Omaha, NE @ CHI Health Center #
12/10 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena #
12/11 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena #
12/13 — Chicago, IL @ United Center #
If you were wondering what time Doja and her opening act, Doechii, went on stage at last night’s tour-launching show in San Francisco, don’t worry; we wouldn’t leave you hanging. According to the run-of-show from a publicist, doors open at 6:30 pm, the opener goes on at 7:30 pm, and Doja hits the stage at 8:30. A post on the Doja Cat subreddit confirms those times, with one commenter adding that the schedule is followed “to the minute.” So, if any of you cool kids in Los Angeles were planning on doing that LA thing — you know, “everything starts late in LA” — just know you’re gambling with missing a bunch.
The Scarlet Tour Dates
Here are the remaining dates for The Scarlet Tour:
11/02 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *
11/03 — Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena *
11/05 — San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena *
11/06 — Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center *
11/08 — Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center *
11/10 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena *
11/13 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center *
11/15 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center *
11/16 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center *
11/19 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena *
11/21 — Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center #
11/24 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena *
11/26 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center #
11/27 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena #
11/29 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center #
11/30 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center #
12/02 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden #
12/04 — Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena #
12/07 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center #
12/08 — Omaha, NE @ CHI Health Center #
12/10 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena #
12/11 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena #
12/13 — Chicago, IL @ United Center #
Last night (October 31), Doja Cat kicked off her hotly-anticipated Scarlet Tour at Chase Center in San Francisco. Over the course of the past few years, Doja has built quite an impressive catalog. However, as many of her songs and viral moments through songs like “Say So” and “Kiss Me More” took place amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been awhile since Doja was able to do a full-fledged tour.
Fans (whom she assured she loves, by way of her quirky merchandise) are dying to know which song she’s going to perform on stage.
Luckily, she goes through pretty much all of her eras. On the set is “Tia Tamera” from her 2018 debut album Amala, “Say So” and “Streets” from 2019’s “Hot Pink,” “Woman” from 2021’s Planet Her, and several others. Though much of the set is comprised of songs from her most recent album, Scarlet, fans can look forward to a comprehensive, career-highlighting performance.
You can see the full setlist (per setlist.fm) below.
There have been four albums, and even more rebrands, but the artistic excellence of Doja Cat has yet to be called into question. It’s evident with her latest project, Scarlet, which has received praise from fans and critics alike. However, one particular album of Doja’s will remain a fan favorite for years to come, especially since she admitted that we may never see that side of her again.
Planet Her, which was released in 2021, became a huge breakout record for a then-rising Doja Cat and her best-selling album to date. With her 2019 sophomore album, Hot Pink, she had already begun a smooth and steady ascent to the top. However, Planet Her made Doja Cat inescapable from public consumption. While she has sworn off the sound, it’s impossible to downplay the album’s significance, especially as it contributed to her widespread mainstream success.
Planet Her moved 109,000 units in the first week, making it the best first-week performance of her career. Although Scarlet was widely anticipated, only 72,000 units were sold, failing to surpass its predecessor. In the same vein, Hot Pink sold just 7,900 in its first week. Moreover, Planet Her maintained its momentum in its second, moving 68,000 units.
While this was already considered a major feat for Doja Cat, the album kept thriving in the following weeks commercially. In the United States alone, it has sold over two million copies. The UK and France follow suit, with platinum certifications for shipments of over 300,000 and 100,000 units, respectively. In Brazil, however, it earned a Diamond certification with over 160,000 units sold.
Five songs were released as official singles on the album. The first was the Grammy-winning “Kiss Me More,” which became a viral success. Owing to its widespread popularity, it has since been certified 5x Platinum in the United States. Moreover, with over 8 million units sold worldwide so far, the single is steadily on pace to secure a Diamond certification.
Subsequent singles also enjoyed great commercial success, albeit not as impressive as “Kiss Me More.” “Need to Know,” which featured The Weeknd, has achieved a 4x Platinum RIAA certification for over four million sales, and the equally viral hit “Woman” follows with a 3x Platinum certification. Finally, “Get Into It (Yuh)” and “You Right” have both moved over two million units in the United States. In summary, the impressive selection of singles greatly boosted the album’s overall performance commercially.
Planet Her: Entering The World Of Doja Cat
Planet Her was released in June 2021, and its summery-pop and Hip Hop hybrid mix made it a huge hit. Doja Cat also collaborated with multiple, notable stars on the project, including Ariana Grande, SZA, Eve, and The Weeknd, among others. However, a couple of things made Planet Her a major standout- the sonic production, and the rapper’s undeniable versatility. It’s no wonder the album earned her multiple Grammy nods and one win.
As aforementioned, five singles were released from the album, with each track receiving considerable success on the charts. They also all made waves on TikTok. Furthermore, Doja Cat was praised for utilizing more innovative approaches, a great leap forward from her previous albums. In summary, she was able to create a sonic landscape that resonated with listeners, while still embracing Hip Hop. Additionally, even though the music on the album is widely considered pop, Doja’s rap skills were still prevalent. It became evident that she could seamlessly blend multiple genres, and be comfortable in each of them. As a result, Planet Her triumphed commercially.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 17: Doja Cat performs during Triller Fight Club: Jake Paul v Ben Askren at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on April 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for Triller)
In all of her albums, Doja Cat has maintained a visual path that’s boosted the appeal of her singles. More often than not, she has opted for unconventional, colorful music videos that helped to carve out a specific aesthetic. Early on in her career, she was favorably compared to Nicki Minaj and her Pink Friday album, which offered a blend of bubblegum pop and hardcore rap. For many of her fans, Doja was following in Nicki’s footsteps, and the pair would eventually collaborate on a song.
Before this, however, the late 2010s were important for Doja Cat. Singles like “Mooo!”,” “Tia Tamera,” and “Candy” had begun to gain viral success. She was quickly starting to gain fame as a colorful rapper, and Hot Pink stamped this image. Between 2019 and early 2021, Doja Cat was pumping out singles that would perform well on social media, particularly TikTok. With the release of the remix of “Say So,” which featured Nicki Minaj, both artists received their first Hot 100 chart-topper. By this time, Doja Cat had built a loyal fandom, and the people clamored for new albums to be released.
In Summary
Although Planet Her was blocked off the Billboard 200’s top spot, it sat comfortably at the penultimate position. Furthermore, the album became the first album by a female rapper to spend 33 weeks in the top 10. Evidently, younger listeners fell in love with the star. Since then, the album and its singles have continued to perform well and enjoy great airplay on radio. Despite a limited physical release, Planet Her has been certified 2x Platinum with over two million units sold. However, it’s only a matter of time before it’s triple-certified. Of all the albums in her discography, Doja Cat owes a lot to Planet Her.
Doja Cat’s long-awaited Scarlet Tour kicked off tonight (October 31) in San Francisco. Joined by fellow rappers Ice Spice and Doechii on select dates, Doja Cat is set to perform one of the buzziest concerts of the year. And with a line-up this exciting and several hits in Doja and company’s repertoire, fans are certainly going to want to have something to remember this tour.
In clips shared by fans via Twitter, Doja’s merch consists of internet-themed, Y2K-inspired shirts ($45). One of the shirts looks like a digital collage comprised of Microsoft WordArt. This particular shirt has a white fabric and reads “DOJA CAT LOVES HER FANS” in large block letters.
There is also a manila-colored crop top ($45) which reads “Scarlet Tour USA” in red lettering.
One of the sassier options is a simple white tee with lowercase black lettering, reading “i f*cking hate doja cat.” Another one is a shirt that reads “I love penis,” with the latter word crossed out and replaced with “Jesus.” Both of these are $40.
Doja Cat’s Scarlet Tour is headed to Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena (or Staples Center, as it is still known to locals), and in addition to helping you find parking, Uproxx has a handy rideshare guide right here to make sure you get inside in time to catch the opening act. As long as, you know, you account for LA traffic (a hint: those freeways are a TRAP!).
Cryptoarena.com has directions from just about anywhere in LA or its adjacent counties, but if you’re an Uber/Lyft user, there are two main spots for drop off and pickup: The white zone on Chick Hearn Ct. (Eastbound) between L.A. Live Way and Georgia St. and the white zone on Figueroa St. (Southbound) between 12th St and Pico. However, from personal experience, pickup is usually easier if you walk down to the Convention Center and then request, as the white zones can get a little crowded. Alternatively, you can walk a couple of blocks in pretty much any direction and reliably catch an Uber or Lyft out of downtown.
Meanwhile, there’s also the Metro, with a rail station letting out just across the street from Crypto/Staples on Pico Blvd. The Crypto website still refers to the Metro lines by their old color designations, but recently, Metro has decided to rename each rail line with a letter, so the Blue Line is now A Line, the Red Line is B, the Green Line is C, the Purple Line is D, the Expo line is now E, the Orange Line is F, and the Silver Line is G.
