What is Doja Cat’s real name?

Like many artists, Doja Cat is a stage name for the rapper and singer born and raised on the West Coast. So, what’s her real name?

Doja Cat started uploading music to SoundCloud when she was a teenager. Her knack for melody and wordplay fueled her to passionately pursue a career in pop music. It was “So High” that put her on the map, catching the attention of RCA Records and Kemosabe.

It wasn’t until her meme-music single “Mooo!” that she hit on a viral level and was further thrust into superstardom. More singles came, including “Say So,” featuring a remix with Nicki Minaj, “Kiss Me More,” and “Woman,” as well as several records.

Across four studio albums, including 2023’s Scarlet, she’s more than solidified her place in modern music. Despite controversy and at times strange behavior, Doja Cat is one of the best in the business. But what’s behind the glitzy stage name? Who is the person we’ve come to love and adore?

Where is Doja Cat from?

Doja Cat was born in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles to mother Deborah Sawyer (a graphic designer) and now-estranged father Dumisani Dlamini (a South African performer known for starring in the Broadway musical Sarafina!). She and her family moved around for several years, bouncing between coasts, from Rye, New York, and then back to California.

With a ferocious spirit and a desire to breakdance, she quickly learned in high school that music was the only way forward for her. The girl who would become Doja Cat is known affectionately to her friends and family as Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini.

On the origin of Doja Cat, she told Dazed that it stemmed from her love of cats (literally) and of course, weed. “I was heavily addicted to weed and weed culture, so when I began rapping I thought of the word ‘doja’ and how it sounds like a girl’s name,” she told the magazine.

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