Doja Cat isn’t letting the criticism get to her. After her performance at the 97th Annual Academy Awards stirred up mixed reactions online, the rapper finally broke her silence and shared her thoughts on the backlash.
On March 2, Doja, along with collaborators Lisa and Raye, took the Oscars stage for a special James Bond tribute, performing a medley of iconic 007 songs. Doja took on Diamonds Are Forever, originally sung by Shirley Bassey, but not everyone was a fan of her rendition. While some praised her bold approach, others weren’t as impressed, and social media was quick to explode with opinions.
Rather than shying away from the criticism, Doja addressed it head-on. She took to Instagram, posting a series of glamorous shots from Oscar night and thanking the Academy and Vanity Fair for giving her the chance to perform.
“I never get to sing like that and what I did was brave and scary for me,” she wrote in the caption.
Acknowledging that her performance received a mixed response, she added, “I know a lot of people didn’t like it but a lot of people did and I feel good that I pushed myself.”
She even poked fun at herself, admitting, “The song is a classic and I put a lot of work into it but the nerves got to me and a b***h hit some flats.”
Despite the online chatter, Doja made it clear that she has no regrets. Wrapping up her post, she shared, “I can’t wait to do something like that again. What a blessing that was. I feel amazing about the whole thing.”
The Bond tribute performance featured a full production, starting with a dance sequence by Margaret Qualley, paying homage to past Bond girls. The show continued with Lisa singing Paul McCartney & Wings’ Live and Let Die, Doja taking on Diamonds Are Forever, and Raye closing out the medley with Adele’s Skyfall.
Love it or hate it, Doja Cat proved once again that she’s not afraid to take risks—and she’s definitely not afraid to speak her mind.