Amala (album)

Last updated
Amala
Dojacatamala.png
Standard edition cover [a]
Studio album by
Doja Cat
ReleasedMarch 30, 2018 (2018-03-30)
Recorded2016–2018
StudioThe Himalayas
(Los Angeles, California)
Genre
Length45:13
Label
Producer
Doja Cat chronology
Purrr!
(2014)		Amala
(2018)		 Hot Pink
(2019)
Singles from Amala
  1. "Go to Town"
    Released: March 9, 2018
  2. "Candy"
    Released: March 23, 2018

Amala is the debut studio album by American rapper Doja Cat. It was released on March 30, 2018, by Kemosabe Records and RCA Records. The album's deluxe version was released on March 1, 2019, and featured her breakthrough singles "Juicy", "Tia Tamera", and "Mooo!". Her first commercial release in four years, Doja Cat has expressed strong disdain towards the record for a number of reasons.

Contents

Upon its release, Amala was initially a commercial failure and was largely ignored by critics. [1] [3] [4] [5] In August 2018, the album and Doja Cat gained attention when her novelty song "Mooo!" became an internet meme. [6] [7] As a result, songs "Candy" and "Juicy" became sleeper hits, and the album debuted on the Billboard 200 chart in August 2019. Amala would eventually peak at number 138 on the chart in November 2019, coinciding with the release of her second studio album, Hot Pink .

Background and release

On March 27, 2018, Doja Cat's label announced the album via Twitter. In addition to announcing the release date of the album, they also revealed the title of the project and its cover. [8] When "Roll With Us" was released in February 2018 as the first promotional single, the album was originally titled Baby.[ citation needed ]Amala was later repackaged with a deluxe version on March 1, 2019, which added three new songs: "Juicy", "Tia Tamera", and "Mooo!". [6]

The album isn't so much of a conceptual piece. It's more of a compilation and I think it shows more of my versatility as an artist. The thing about the album is that I've written so many songs on that album that are from years and years ago. And there are some songs on it that were totally new, so the album consists of three phases in my life.

— Doja Cat on the background of Amala [9]

Doja Cat herself has expressed strong disdain toward the record, claiming that it does not entirely represent her as an artist. [10] She has also stated that she believes it is not a "finished album", partially due to her constantly partying and being high on marijuana during its recording. [11] [12] Her first commercial release in four years, she revealed that it was also rushed in order to meet deadlines, and that it was made in a "difficult time" as she received "almost no support" before its release. [13]

Singles

"Roll With Us" was released as the album's sole promotional single on February 1, 2018, [14] and entered the Spotify's Global Viral 50 chart upon release. [15] The album's lead single, titled "Go To Town", was released on March 9, 2018, along with a music video. [15] [16] Doja Cat further went on to promote the single by appearing on Genius' show "Verified". [17] In an interview with Elle in May 2022, she stated she regretted putting the song out, stating that her not being vocally and lyrically evolved makes the song "really difficult to listen to" for her. [18]

A week before the album's release, "Candy", was released as the album's second single on March 23, 2018. [19] Only a year later would the track become a sleeper hit after a dance challenge on the app TikTok went viral in late 2019. [20] Consequently, the single charted in countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States, the latter having the song peak at 86 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her first solo entry on the chart. [21]

The song "Mooo!" was originally released on August 10, 2018, exclusively to YouTube as a music video. The track would be the first of Doja's to become a viral phenomenon, [22] [23] and would eventually surpass over eighty million views on YouTube as of October 2020. The track was subsequently released commercially on streaming services, [24] and would later serve as the first single off the deluxe edition of the album. [25]

The second single from the deluxe edition (fourth overall), titled "Tia Tamera", featuring American rapper Rico Nasty, was released on February 20, 2019. [26] A music video was released on the next day. [27] [28]

Critical reception

Ranking it among their favorite albums of the first half of 2018, NPR described Amala as a "13-track collection of bubbly, hip-hop-influenced indie pop" and "manifesto of a young woman striving to take ownership of her craft, her image and her sexuality, mixing genres like dancehall, trap, house and R&B with a healthy dose of sass and humor." [1]

Track listing

Amala standard edition track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Go to Town"
3:37
2."Cookie Jar"
3:19
3."Roll with Us"
  • Dlamini
  • Sprecher
  • Chahayed
  • Powell
  • Yeti Beats
  • Tizhimself
  • Chahayed
3:00
4."Wine Pon You" (featuring Konshens)
  • Yeti Beats
  • Troy Nōka [b]
3:39
5."Fancy"
  • Dlamini
  • Sprecher
2:59
6."Wild Beach"
  • Dlamini
  • Collins
  • Sprecher
  • Elizabeth Getz
  • Terence Coles
  • Troy Nōka
  • Yeti Beats
3:24
7."Morning Light"
  • Dlamini
  • Sprecher
  • Cameron Bartolini
  • Aaron Miller
  • Aaron Harmon
  • Jordan Reyes
  • Yeti Beats
  • Cambo
3:59
8."Candy"
3:10
9."Game"
  • Dlamini
  • Sprecher
  • Adrian Eccleston
  • Bartolini
  • Yeti Beats
  • Adrian X
  • Cambo [b]
3:15
10."Casual"
  • Dlamini
  • Collins
  • Sprecher
  • Carlos Muñoz
  • Getz
  • Troy Nōka
  • Yeti Beats
  • Loshendrix
4:00
11."Down Low"
  • Cambo
  • Alizzz
3:31
12."Body Language"
  • Dlamini
  • Rytchi Pronzola
  • Bartolini
  • Richie Beats
  • Cambo [a]
4:05
13."All Nighter"
  • Dlamini
  • Sprecher
  • Doja Cat
  • Yeti Beats [a]
3:13
Total length:45:13
Amala — Deluxe version (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Juicy"
3:20
15."Tia Tamera" (featuring Rico Nasty)
3:32
16."Mooo!"
  • Doja Cat
  • Troy Nōka [a]
  • Yeti Beats [a]
4:45
Total length:56:10

Notes

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for Amala
Chart (2019)Peak
position
Australia Hitseekers (ARIA) [29] 10
US Billboard 200 [30] 138
US Top R&B Albums (Billboard) [31] 16

Certifications

Certifications and sales for Amala
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [32] Platinum40,000‡
Poland (ZPAV) [33] Gold10,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [34] Silver60,000‡
United States (RIAA) [35] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for Amala
RegionDateFormatVersionLabelRef.
VariousMarch 30, 2018Standard [36]
March 1, 2019Deluxe [37]

Notes

  1. ↑ The deluxe edition cover art depicts Doja Cat in a different pose, facing sideways while in a kneeling position. The word "deluxe" is printed in capital letters on the top right corner of the aforementioned cover art.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doja Cat</span> American rapper (born 1995)

Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, known professionally as Doja Cat, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she began making and releasing music on SoundCloud as a teenager. Her song "So High" caught the attention of Kemosabe and RCA Records, with whom she signed a recording contract prior to the release of her debut extended play, Purrr! in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mooo!</span> 2018 single by Doja Cat

"Mooo!" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat. Originally self-published exclusively as a music video on August 10, 2018, it became a viral internet meme and amassed over 578 million views. It was subsequently released as the lead single from the deluxe edition of her debut studio album Amala. The viral success of "Mooo!" is considered a major factor in Doja Cat's internet fame, ultimately "setting the tone for her career", despite being considered by Doja Cat herself as a "throwaway" and a "joke".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tia Tamera</span> 2019 single by Doja Cat featuring Rico Nasty

"Tia Tamera" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat featuring fellow American rapper Rico Nasty. It was written by Doja Cat, Kurtis McKenzie, David Sprecher, Lydia Asrat, and Rico Nasty, while being produced by the former two. It was released for digital download and streaming on February 20, 2019, by Kemosabe Records and RCA Records as the second single to the deluxe edition of Doja's debut album Amala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doja Cat discography</span>

The discography of Doja Cat, an American rapper and singer, consists of four studio albums, one extended play (EP), 44 singles, 33 music videos, and nine promotional singles. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Doja Cat has sold 34 million certified albums and singles in the United States as a lead artist. Doja Cat self-released her debut single, "So High", before releasing her debut extended play (EP), Purrr! (2014). Following the release of Amala (2018) and a viral success of the song "Mooo!" in August of that same year, all of these songs such as "Candy", "Tia Tamera", and "Juicy" became sleeper hits, prompting Doja Cat to release the deluxe edition of Amala in early 2019. Capitalizing on her growing popularity, her second studio album, Hot Pink (2019), ultimately charted in the top ten on the US Billboard 200; as well as the top 20 of countries such as Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands and New Zealand. Hot Pink spawned the breakthrough single "Say So", and a remix featuring Nicki Minaj became Doja Cat's first number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100.

"Juicy" is a song recorded by American rapper and singer Doja Cat. It was included on the deluxe edition of her debut studio album Amala, released on March 1, 2019. A remix version featuring American rapper Tyga was released as the lead single from her second studio album Hot Pink on August 15, 2019. The song was written by Doja Cat, along with Lydia Asrat and producers Yeti Beats and Dr. Luke, under his pseudonym Tyson Trax.

<i>Hot Pink</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Doja Cat

Hot Pink is the second studio album by American rapper Doja Cat. It was released on November 7, 2019, by Kemosabe Records and RCA Records. A departure from the sound of her debut album Amala (2018), Hot Pink is a pop, hip hop, and R&B record containing elements of funk and soul. The album features production from Doja herself, Yeti Beats, Tyson Trax, and others, with guest appearances from Smino, Gucci Mane, and Tyga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rules (Doja Cat song)</span> 2019 single by Doja Cat

"Rules" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat, released on October 24, 2019, as the third single from her second studio album Hot Pink (2019). The song was written by Doja Cat, Yeti Beats, Lydia Asrat, Uptown AP of R. City, and producers Salaam Remi, Tyson Trax, and Ben Billions. Soon after its release, the song became popular on Twitter, and Doja Cat's performance was noted to be influenced by Kendrick Lamar.

"Cyber Sex" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat. It was released alongside a music video through Kemosabe and RCA Records on November 7, 2019, as the fourth single from her second studio album Hot Pink, which was released on the same day. Written by Doja Cat, Yeti Beats and Lydia Asrat, the song was also produced by Kool Kojak alongside Tizhimself. It features "90s-esque synth-heavy bubblegum raps".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say So</span> 2020 single by Doja Cat

"Say So" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her second studio album, Hot Pink (2019). The song was written by Doja Cat with her manager Lydia Asrat, Jamie Parker, and Dr. Luke, who handled production for the song under the pseudonym Tyson Trax. Originally an album track, the song was serviced by Kemosabe and RCA Records in January 2020 as the record's fifth single after it gained traction on TikTok, where a dance set to the song went viral. A pop song, it features elements of 1970s funk, disco, and pop rap. Directed by Hannah Lux Davis, the music video earned praise for its matching retro 1970s aesthetic. In both the video and the song's lyrics, Doja Cat explores flirting and invites a stranger with whom she feels a connection to come over and talk to her.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Like That (Doja Cat song)</span> 2020 single by Doja Cat

"Like That" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat featuring fellow American rapper Gucci Mane. It was written by both artists along with Theron Thomas, Lydia Asrat, David Sprecher, and producers Dr. Luke and Mike Crook. Originally included as a track on Doja Cat's second studio album Hot Pink (2019), it became a single on May 12, 2020, following a viral dance challenge using the song on the app TikTok.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streets (song)</span> 2021 single by Doja Cat

"Streets" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her second studio album, Hot Pink (2019). She wrote it with David Sprecher and Lydia Asrat, alongside its producers Dominique and Darius Logan. In "Streets", an R&B ballad with elements of trap music, Doja Cat sings and raps about her desire to return to a former romantic partner. Some critics who reviewed Hot Pink praised the song for demonstrating her versatility as a musical artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candy (Doja Cat song)</span> 2018 song by Doja Cat

"Candy" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat for her debut album, Amala (2018). Released on March 23, 2018, as the second single from the album, through Kemosabe and RCA. The song was written by Doja Cat alongside producers Budo & Yeti Beats and additional producer Cambo. "Candy" peaked at number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boss Bitch</span> 2020 single by Doja Cat

"Boss Bitch" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat, featured on the Birds of Prey soundtrack Birds of Prey: The Album (2020). It was released as the soundtrack's third single on January 23, 2020. The song was written by Doja Cat alongside Ashnikko and producers Sky Adams and Imad Royal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yeti Beats</span> American producer and songwriter (born 1981)

David A. Sprecher, known professionally as Yeti Beats, is an American record producer and songwriter. In May 2020, he signed an exclusive administration agreement with Warner Chappell Music following the release of Doja Cat's singles "Say So", "Juicy" and "Candy". He has been the lead producer and collaborator on all of her albums: Amala (2018), Hot Pink (2019), and Planet Her (2021). Prior to primarily working with Doja Cat, he had written and produced reggae, R&B, and rap albums by groups such as Rebelution, Konshens, Los Rakas, Dark Waves, and Mellow Man Ace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">34+35</span> 2020 single by Ariana Grande

"34+35" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande, released on November 3, 2020, by Republic Records as the second official single from her sixth studio album Positions (2020). Written by Grande, Albert Stanaj, Courageous Xavier Herrera, Scott Nicholson, Steven Franks, Tayla Parx, Victoria Monét, and its producers Peter Lee Johnson and Tommy Brown, the song has a title and chorus that both reference the 69 sex position, while the rest of its lyrics feature several sexual puns, double entendres, and sex jokes.

"Motive" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande and American rapper and singer Doja Cat. The two wrote the song with Victoria Monét, Nija Charles, Jeremy McIntyre, Steven Franks and its producers Murda Beatz and Tommy Brown. It was released by Republic Records on October 30, 2020, as the third track on the former's sixth studio album Positions.

<i>Planet Her</i> 2021 studio album by Doja Cat

Planet Her is the third studio album by American rapper Doja Cat. It was released on June 25, 2021, by Kemosabe Records and RCA Records. The album, titled after a fictional planet created by Doja Cat, is an amalgamation of pop, hip hop, and R&B styles. Lyrically, the album touches on femininity, solitude, romance, and sexuality, among other topics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freaky Deaky (song)</span> 2022 single by Tyga and Doja Cat

"Freaky Deaky" is a song by American rappers Tyga and Doja Cat. It was released on February 25, 2022, as the intended lead single of the former's upcoming eighth studio album. Written by the performers alongside Alyssa Cantu and producers Brandon Hamlin, Dr. Luke, Mike Crook, and Ryan Ogren, it is a pop-driven track featuring a lullaby-like hook built around an interpolation of the 1987 song "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega, who received a songwriting credit. The track sees rappers discussing their sexual preferences over a catchy and upbeat tune. Conceived around two years before the release, the single marks the second collaboration between the rappers since 2019, when Tyga was featured on the remix of Doja Cat's "Juicy".

<i>Scarlet</i> (Doja Cat album) 2023 studio album by Doja Cat

Scarlet is the fourth studio album by American rapper Doja Cat. It was released through Kemosabe and RCA Records on September 22, 2023. Disillusioned with pop music and dissatisfied with music critics questioning her status as a rapper, Doja Cat felt inspired to create a "masculine" follow-up to her third studio album, Planet Her (2021). Her first project with no features since her debut extended play, Purrr! (2014), the record marks a departure from the pop-driven sounds of its predecessor, being predominantly centered around the genres of hip hop and R&B.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Scarlet Tour</span> 2023–2024 concert tour by Doja Cat

The Scarlet Tour was the second concert tour and debut arena tour by American rapper and singer Doja Cat, in support of her fourth studio album, Scarlet (2023). The supporting acts were American rappers Ice Spice and Doechii. The tour began on October 31, 2023, at Chase Center in San Francisco and concluded on September 28, 2024 at the Global Citizen Festival at Central Park in New York City.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Voynovskaya, Nastia (June 26, 2018). "NPR Music's 40 Favorite Albums Of 2018 (So Far)". NPR . Retrieved August 13, 2020. Amala [...] didn't get much attention from critics at the time of its March release
  2. ↑ Collar, Matt (March 13, 2018). "Doja Cat - Amala Album Reviews, Songs & More / AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  3. ↑ Zhang, Cat (October 30, 2020). "The Mystery of Doja Cat's Unimpeachable TikTok Reign". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 30, 2020. the uneventful release of her debut album, Amala
  4. ↑ Janes, DeAnna (February 27, 2020). "Doja Cat Is the Artist Behind This Catchy Song You've Heard on TikTok". Oprah Magazine . Retrieved October 30, 2020. the release dropped with barely a whisper
  5. ↑ Bassett, Jordan (August 29, 2018). "Doja Cat, you've been cancelled: how the novelty rapper became 2018's 'Milkshake Duck'". NME . Archived from the original on May 21, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020. the moderate success of her album 'Amala'
  6. 1 2 Mench, Chris (August 29, 2019). "Chart Climber: Doja Cat Moves Past The Meme With "Juicy"". Genius . Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  7. ↑ Tan, Brandon (October 14, 2019). "Doja Cat: There's No Going Backward On Killer Frequencies". Flaunt. Retrieved December 4, 2020. Before 'Mooo!,' we hadn't really gotten any viral hits, or had any hits, period. We were doing okay, but things weren't at their fullest potential. That was the most significant part about 'Mooo!' going where it did—it allowed all my other work to have a foundation and have a pull.
  8. ↑ RCA Records [verified account] [@RCARecords] (March 27, 2018). "THE WAIT IS OVER! @DojaCat's #Amala album arrives on 3/30" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ↑ Meyer-Horn, Maxim (March 10, 2019). "Interview: Meet Doja Cat, the Artist Behind the Legendary Song 'Mooo!'". Enfnts Terribles. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  10. ↑ B Swift (October 15, 2019). "Doja Cat Is Not A Fan Of Her First Album". Hot 96.3 . United States. Retrieved October 30, 2020. Event occurs at 3:31{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  11. ↑ Cho, Regina (November 22, 2019). "Doja Cat Feels Liberated and More Focused Than Ever: 'I'm So Pumped For My Life Right Now'". Billboard . Retrieved November 6, 2020. A lot of people liked Amala, and that's great. However, I don't think it was a finished album. I was smoking hella weed. I was high all the f--king time and it wasn't even helping me perceive what was going on musically. I was just really out there partying and it was a crazy time for me.
  12. ↑ Penrose, Nerisha (November 11, 2020). "Doja Cat Just Wants to Make Rap Colorful". Elle . Retrieved November 6, 2020. she chalks it up to being high as a kite while recording her first album, Amala. "I had no idea what was going on 90 percent of the time," she admits. "I was young and partying every day and I was enjoying myself a little too much. I was also doing nothing a lot, so that whole era was really a blur for me."
  13. ↑ Northman, Tora (April 11, 2019). "Doja Cat Interview: Music, Fashion and Career". Hypebae. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Roll With Us - Single by Doja Cat". Apple Music . Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  15. 1 2 Friedman, Michael H (March 9, 2018). "Doja Cat releases 'Go to Town'". Skope. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  16. ↑ Doja Cat (March 9, 2018). "Doja Cat - Go To Town (Official Video)". YouTube . Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Doja Cat "Go To Town" Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified". YouTube . Genius. June 22, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Doja Cat Rips Shots & Spills Tea On Her Social Media and A Song Release Regret on Thirst Trap | ELLE". YouTube . Elle. May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Doja Cat Releases New Track "Candy" From Her Forthcoming Debut Album 'Amala' Due Out March 30th Via RCA Records". RCA Records. March 23, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  20. ↑ Juarez, Sierra (November 25, 2019). "Teens on TikTok are obsessed with Doja Cat's 'Candy'". The Daily Dot . Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Doja Cat Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard . United States. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  22. ↑ Pache, Juliana (August 14, 2018). "Doja Cat explains how she made her viral hit "Mooo!"". The Fader. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  23. ↑ Skelton, Eric (August 14, 2018). "Doja Cat Explains How Her Viral Banger "Mooo!" Came Together". Complex . Archived from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  24. ↑ Hussein, Wandera (August 27, 2018). "Doja Cat will release an updated version of "Moo" on Spotify and iTunes". The Fader . Archived from the original on October 28, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  25. ↑ Rouse, Isaac (March 2, 2019). "Doja Cat Shares a Deluxe Version of 'Amala'". Hypebeast. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Tia Tamera (feat. Rico Nasty) - Single by Doja Cat". Apple Music (US). Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  27. ↑ Saponara, Michael (February 21, 2019). "Doja Cat & Rico Nasty 'Tia Tamera' Video: Watch". Billboard . Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  28. ↑ Wass, Mike (21 February 2019). "Doja Cat & Rico Nasty Team Up For The Hilarious "Tia Tamera"". Idolator . Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  29. ↑ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing - 30 September 2019 - Issue #1538" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . September 30, 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  30. ↑ "Doja Cat Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  31. ↑ ""Doja Cat Chart History (Top R&B Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Brazilian album certifications – Doja Cat – Amala" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil . Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  33. ↑ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 25, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Amala in the search box.
  34. ↑ "British album certifications – Doja Cat – Amala". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  35. ↑ "American album certifications – Doja Cat – Amalas". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Amala by Doja Cat". iTunes Store . Archived from the original on August 16, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  37. ↑ "Amala (Deluxe Version) by Doja Cat". iTunes Store . Archived from the original on August 16, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.