What Year Did Doja Cat Come Out? Tracing Her Music Beginnings

Karli Koch III

28 Jul, 2025

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Have you ever wondered about the exact moment a music star truly steps into the spotlight? It's a common thought, isn't it, especially when someone like Doja Cat seems to appear everywhere all at once. People often ask, "What year did Doja Cat come out?" when they're thinking about her initial rise to fame and when her unique sound first reached a wider audience. This question, you know, really gets at the heart of how an artist builds their presence in the very big world of music.

Her journey to widespread recognition wasn't a single event, but rather a series of releases and viral moments that built up over time. It's not just one specific date, but a progression that helped her gain a following. So, if you're curious about her early days and how she began to make such a big splash, we're here to share the details.

We'll look at the specific years and key releases that truly marked her arrival as a significant voice in contemporary music. This way, you can get a clearer picture of when she started making waves and, you know, when her distinctive style truly began to capture people's attention.

Doja Cat: A Quick Look at Her Life
The SoundCloud Era and Early Releases
Breakthrough Moments and Viral Hits
Album Releases and Growing Stardom
Doja Cat Today
Frequently Asked Questions About Doja Cat

Doja Cat: A Quick Look at Her Life

Doja Cat, whose birth name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, is an American rapper, a singer, a songwriter, and a record producer. She grew up in Los Angeles, which is where she began her music journey as a teenager. She started by putting out tracks on SoundCloud, which, you know, is a pretty common way for new artists to get their stuff heard these days.

Her background includes South African heritage, which is a detail about her family history. She is the child of Dumisani Dlamini and Deborah Elizabeth Sawyer. Regarding her schooling, Doja dropped out of high school when she was in her junior year, so that, you know, happened before she really got into music full-time.

Personal Details and Bio Data

Detail	Information
Full Name	Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini
Stage Name	Doja Cat
Birthplace	Los Angeles, California, USA
Nationality	American
Occupations	Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer
Parents	Dumisani Dlamini, Deborah Elizabeth Sawyer
Education	Dropped out of high school in junior year
Origin of Stage Name	As a teenager, she was somewhat of a stoner ("doja") and always had cats coming in and out.

The SoundCloud Era and Early Releases

The very beginning of Doja Cat's music career, you know, really took root on SoundCloud. This platform became her early stage, a place where she could share her developing sound with listeners. Her first songs, in a way, were packaged into an album called “Purrr!” which came out on August 5, 2014. This marked her initial foray into putting out music for the public to hear.

One of her early tracks, “Candy,” was released on March 23, 2018. This song, you know, was one of the pieces that started to build her presence. Another track, "Freak," was initially uploaded only to SoundCloud on November 18, 2018. It was later repackaged and released more broadly on August 7, 2020, which is kind of interesting, how some songs get a second life.

The song "Roll With Us" was Doja Cat’s first release after a four-year break from putting out music. That track came out in February 2018, so it was, you know, a significant return. In March of that same year, "Go To Town" came out as a lead single, further showing her return to making and sharing music.

Breakthrough Moments and Viral Hits

While she had been putting out music for a few years, Doja Cat really started to gain momentum in 2018 with her viral hit, “Mooo!” This song, you know, captured a lot of attention and helped introduce her to many new listeners. It was a moment that showed her playful and creative side, which people seemed to really enjoy.

It wasn’t until late last year, meaning late 2019, that she truly took the world by storm. This suggests that her fame wasn't an instant thing but rather a gradual build-up, with "Mooo!" being a big stepping stone. Her song “Streets” was released on November 7, 2019, which, you know, became another important track in her growing collection.

Another major hit, “Say So,” also came out on November 7, 2019. This track, you know, was a big one. It was later sent to pop radio on January 28, 2020, as a single from her second studio album, "Hot Pink" (2019). This release schedule shows how a song can gain traction and become a much bigger deal over time, sometimes after its initial release.

Album Releases and Growing Stardom

The release of Doja Cat’s albums has spanned quite a bit of time, from her very first songs on SoundCloud, which were part of “Purrr!” on August 5, 2014, all the way to her most recent studio album, “Scarlet,” released on September 22, 2023. This shows, you know, a steady progression in her career over nearly a decade.

Her second studio album, "Hot Pink," released in 2019, contained some of her most well-known songs, including “Say So.” This album, you know, helped solidify her place in the music scene. The track “Kiss Me More,” featuring SZA, is from her third studio album, "Planet Her" (2021), and it came out on April 9, 2021, as a single. This particular song really showed her ability to collaborate and create chart-topping hits.

Her music has been recognized and celebrated, with many people sharing facts and insights about her songs and artistic journey. The world’s biggest collection of song lyrics and musical knowledge, Genius, is a great source for this kind of information. You can explore more about her music and its background there, which, you know, is pretty cool if you want to get into the details: Learn more about Doja Cat's music on Genius.

Doja Cat Today

Doja Cat continues to be a prominent figure in music, with her work spanning various genres and styles. Her stage name, Doja Cat, is certainly recognizable, and it came from her teenage years when she was, you know, somewhat of a stoner, and she always had cats coming in and out of her home. This origin story, in a way, gives a little peek into her personality and how she came up with her unique moniker.

She has, you know, been known to hint at queer themes in her work, even though she hasn't formally come out or openly stated her sexual orientation. She has said that she likes people she can have sex with, which, you know, is a straightforward way of putting it. This shows her openness and, in some respects, her willingness to express herself authentically.

Sometimes, artists take breaks, and Doja Cat is no different. She deleted her Instagram account at one point and told her fans she was taking a break from the service. She described the atmosphere there as toxic, which, you know, is a very real concern for many people online. This decision allowed her to give herself some time off, which, arguably, is important for mental well-being.

Her music continues to evolve, and she keeps her fans engaged with new releases and projects. For instance, her latest studio album, “Scarlet,” came out on September 22, 2023. This shows, you know, her ongoing commitment to creating and sharing her art with the world. You can learn more about her journey on our site, and also check out this page for more insights into her career path.

Frequently Asked Questions About Doja Cat

When did Doja Cat's song "Freak" first come out?

The song "Freak" by Doja Cat was initially released on SoundCloud on November 18, 2018. It was later made available on all streaming services on August 6, 2020. So, you know, it had a staggered release, starting on one platform and then moving to wider availability.

What year did Doja Cat release "Say So"?

Doja Cat released “Say So” on November 7, 2019. It was later sent to pop radio on January 28, 2020, as a single from her second studio album, "Hot Pink" (2019). That, you know, is when it really started to get a lot of airplay.

What was Doja Cat's first song release after her hiatus?

After a four-year break, Doja Cat’s first song release was "Roll With Us," which came out in February 2018. This track, you know, marked her return to putting out new music.