Every morning, my sleep-deprived self does a deep-dive into Spotify in hopes of finding new music, not only to write my column about, but also for some new, personal discovery. If I’m being quite honest, I have not been able to find extremely enticing music to write about. Alas, I had hit writer’s block.
Then, one fateful morning, Spotify decided to kickstart my day by showing me a new single from one of the most versatile artists of the 21st century: Doja Cat and her new single, “Celebrity Skin.” This song is a cover of the original “Celebrity Skin” by Hole, however, Doja Cat reworked the lyrics with Hole’s lead singer, Courtney Love, for a more modern take. The original song talks about waking up and putting on makeup everyday so that you look good for paparazzi, and in Doja Cat’s take, she says the same but for posting on social media.
I didn’t really know what I was expecting as I listened – could it be a Doja pop vibe, a rap classic or something else? Doja Cat’s music discusses a variety of topics, more specifically feminism and crushing the stigma around women singing about sex. Her unreleased music often discusses her struggles with mental health, which targets an audience of people who seek emotional support through music.
On the other hand, her released and more popular songs are very upbeat and rap-like, which obviously reach more of a radio audience. Although “Celebrity Skin” is more of a pop-style song, it definitely qualifies as a rock song, which is out of character for Doja Cat.
Over the past few years, Doja Cat has gained popularity with her albums “Amala” from 2018, “Hot Pink” from 2019 and “Plant Her” from this past summer. She does incorporate some rap in her songs, with a mix of pop music.
“Celebrity Skin” seems like it will steer Doja Cat’s music into an entirely different direction. When I first played it, I thought I had clicked on the original “Celebrity Skin,” which begins with a late ‘90s rock guitar melody.
The song centers around the theme that celebrities aren’t viewed as real people. In turn, celebrities must develop a different “skin” in order to succeed. Doja Cat expands on how she does not feel as though she really has this “celebrity skin,” and the difficulties of following the beauty and personality standard.
The rock beat is almost the complete opposite of the very techno-type modern pop that Doja Cat usually uses in her rap and pop songs, making it such a “WOW” to see her cover of the song work be so successful. Just like any other rock song, the chorus singing is slightly more intense. You can really hear the passion in Doja Cat’s voice while she sings about her hatred of the celebrity beauty standard.
