Doja Cat is the epitome of the modern-day superstar. In a world where achieving a delicate balance between being unique and capitalizing on the mainstream trends of the day is a key ingredient to success, she has mastered both – and in a very short amount of time.

For starters, all three of her Hot 100 Top 10 hits (Say So, Kiss Me More and Need To Know), possess all of the familiar, mainstream characteristics that one would expect from a contemporary R&B artist – a fusion of R&B, pop and hip hop influences, sung and rapped vocals, and the use of popular instruments like synths, synth bass and electronic drums. And, in addition to seamlessly fitting in with her target genre, Doja also has a knack for quickly adapting to the ever-changing trends of the day.

• Two of her three Top 10s – Say So and Kiss Me More – feature dance, disco and retro 1970s influences and were timed perfectly with these influences’ peak levels of popularity. When Say So hit the charts in Q2 2020, all three influences were at a high, accounting for roughly one-third to half of non-hip hop hits.  And when Kiss Me More hit the Top 10 a year later, all three were notably on the rise again after falling over the previous year.

• All three have a hooking up lyrical theme, which has historically been very popular among R&B hits (39% over the last five years, second only to love/relationships). This lyrical theme also jibes with Doja’s personal brand as an unapologetically sensual and explicit artist, as well as disco’s roots in hedonistic indulgences.
• All three songs fall under 3:30 in length. Since 2019, the 3:00-3:29 length range has been in the top two most popular ranges along with the under 3:00 range. This trend towards shorter songs was sparked by shortening attention spans, streaming platforms and the increasing popularity of short-form content on platforms like TikTok.

And speaking of TikTok, it’s hard to imagine Doja’s mass success without her expert navigation of the app and its trend culture. A young Millennial herself, Doja has proven herself able to cater to TikTok’s Millennial and, even more notably, Gen Z demographic, using an array of techniques to get her songs to the top of TikTok’s algorithms:

• Her very first Hot 100 hit, Juicy (feat. Tyga), had a highly danceable groove that lent itself to dance trends along with its fun, youthful lyrics such as “I keep it juicy juicy, I eat that lunch / she keep that booty booty, she keep that plump,” “Can’t trust a big butt and a Gemini” and “I just slipped into my savage.”
• Her first Top 10 hits Say So (feat. Nicki Minaj; note that the Minaj remix overtook the original version in charting) and Kiss Me More (feat. SZA) resulted in two of the most popular TikTok dance trends in the 2020/2021 rotations, both of which were used by famous TikTokers including Charli D’Amelio, Addison Rae, the Stokes Twins and Loren Gray. Notably, both songs had funky, up-tempo grooves primed for dance trends, one of which was even used in the official Say So music video.
• Doja’s most recent Top 10 hit, Need To Know, has also been used in an array of videos, the most notable of which feature the sensual bridge (“You’re exciting, boy come find me…”) in a “thirst trap” trend, which tend to have a high level of success on the app.
• Outside of the Top 10, Doja has also had notable success on TikTok with other songs including You Right, Get Into It (Yuh), Streets and Woman.

But the true cherry on top of Doja’s success as a Gen Z-era popstar is her ability to be unapologetically herself. This generation is one that rejects the traditional, curated, “fake” celebrity and embraces authenticity and relatability, a fact supported by swaths of data on their preferences towards businesses and pop culture icons alike.

Doja has made this a cornerstone of her fame. Whether it’s spotlighting her quirky, infectious personality during talk shows, showing off her personalized dance moves during performances, or posting her own relatable, viral TikToks – often showing herself at home, makeup and styled wardrobe-free – Doja has won the hearts of today’s young consumers largely by just being herself. This combined with her expert knowledge of trends, unique musical vision and skill with personal branding have successfully made her a staple of today’s charts.