Review | Doja Cat’s Scarlet Tour

Doja Cat is that gratifying form of celebrity where you can completely understand why she’s famous. She somehow manages to juggle the ideal popstar ingredients: the catchiest hooks that feel like they were formed in a lab; a cute and deliciously sweet voice with the perfect hint of rasp; a loud, polarizing online personality; and dance moves that sweep almost all of her contemporaries under the table. Her career trajectory was very true to the modern era of music, going viral (with french fries in her nose, no less), then building a loyal fanbase with hard work and talent. Dominating the music landscape with cute, pillowy, and polished beats on her first two albums, Hot Pink and Planet Her, Doja Cat opted for a more gritty and minimalistic sonic palette on her most recent release, Scarlet. Drawing more influence from older hip hop sounds, Doja Cat plays with more personal subjects in her verses, and isn’t afraid to shy away from tougher subjects (such as her polarizing online presence and recently shaved head).

Doja Cat’s Scarlet Tour sees her playing a range of hits, as well as most of the songs from Scarlet. Starting off the night at the Honda Center in Anaheim with her most recent cuts, the electric “WYM Freestyle” has Doja Cat rapping with just a microphone, a full band playing on the floor of each side of the stage. A gigantic spider then appears behind her as she starts the pulsating “Demons,” then “Tia Tamera” is complete with fire shooting during each chorus. Fan favorite “Agora Hills” shows a softer side to the singer, with dreamy, romantic beats and slow, rhythmic spins as she smiles and sings “I wanna tie the knot, I wanna show you off,” under a prismatic spotlight. Her dance moves during “Gun” are hypnotic, with not a single move off beat, as she effortlessly leads her slew of backup dancers behind her in perfect sync.

Mid-show, Doja Cat performs her earlier hits, such as “Ain’t Shit,” “Woman,” “Need To Know,” and “Kiss Me More.” As expected, the crowd screams in delight as they chant every lyric. After her dancers exit in slow motion from the stage, with heavenly, golden rays of light enveloping them, Doja Cat reinvents her breakout hit “Say So” with a more organic rendition. With more of a focus on band instrumentals than the slick disco sounds of the studio track, it successfully shows her artistic progression since its release, while simultaneously keeping the integrity of the tune with its kittenish melodies and lively delivery.

Doja Cat ends the show with more from Scarlet, including the ultra-smooth “97” and “Can’t Wait,” where she lays down as her dancers take turns crawling over her. One of her dancers is dressed as a character from her music videos, Scarlet, and joins the circle of dancers at the last minute. It’s a visually striking way to incorporate her online presence with her live show, with her dancer painted bright red. 

“Wet Vagina” is the perfect song to close the set, as she shows off her most energetic moves of the night. As the song concludes, she and her dancers run backstage as they’re washed in a cloud of scarlet light. A tremendous feat for her very first run of arenas, Doja Cat’s Scarlet Tour combines the intel of a star that’s perfected her craft with the hunger of an artist who blew up during the pandemic, finally making the stage her own.