Doja Cat Wants To Explore 'Unfiltered, Hardcore Punk' Music

4 February 2023 | 11:57 am | Mary Varvaris

The 'Say So' singer cites British post-punk group Idles as an inspiration.

Doja Cat & Joe Talbot from IDLES

Doja Cat & Joe Talbot from IDLES (Source: Supplied, Clare Hawley)

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Doja Cat has discussed her next musical era in a new interview with Variety, where the Say So singer and rapper discussed her presence in current pop culture, fashion, Grammy awards, and her love of hip-hop and punk music.

Speaking of music, Doja Cat recalled that hip-hop music was her first love, but at the moment, she's been blasting the British post-punk band, Idles for hours on end. She called them her favourite band of 2022.

Discussing her next era, Doja Cat said, " I want to explore punk. But not pop-punk," she clarified. "I feel like we have enough pop-punk artists right now. And if there needs to be more, then let there be more, but I don't think I'm the one to do it. I want to explore more of a raw, unfiltered, hardcore punk sort of thing. It's just something that I'm doing for my own personal fun — getting some drummers and guitarists together. And I don't even know if that's gonna make it out there."

We know that she has a natural prowess for rock music - just watch her perform Say So in a nu-metal style at the 2020 MTV EMA event.

In September, Doja Cat revealed that she was in a phase of enjoying '90s rave culture.  

"We just have so many ideas, and making those ideas consistent is the challenge right now. I can’t really tell much. I just know there’s a lot going on," she told CR Fashion Book.

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"I’m very into this ’90s German rave kind of vibe right now, and it’s really fun. I know that’s kind of the trend at the moment, but I loved that stuff as a kid and now that I can express it.

"I’m sort of embracing that. That’s kind of a hint to the album. Rave culture, not house."

IDLES returned to the stage on Australian shores on Halloween with a taste of their 2018 release, which they toured on the last visit, Colossus, revving up the crowd with the lyric "goes and it goes, and it goes". Following the song, frontman Joe Talbot asked the room to split, which turned into a contained mosh. By the second song, guitarist Lee Kiernan seemed to find himself sitting atop a portion of the crowd in the first row.

"These boots are made for stomping," from Never Fight A Man With A Perm, set the tone for the remainder of the night, the crowd stomping across the wooden floor, which shook the entire venue.