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Jessie Reyez

Photo: Philip Harris

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Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Jessie Reyez's Best Urban Contemporary Album Nomination Is For Her Parents

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Ahead of the 62nd GRAMMY Awards, Jessie Reyez opens up about her Best Urban Contemporary Album nomination for her second EP, 'Being Human In Public'
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 14, 2020 - 5:46 pm

Being Human In Public, Jessie Reyez says, is about "being untouchable from other people's opinions."

The seven-track EP released in 2018 is a continuation of what she began on 2017's Kiddo: tough, yet vulnerable songwriting featuring strong vocals over R&B beats.

"You ain't scared to f**k, but you scared of being lovers/ Why is that, huh?" she calls out in "F**k Being Friends." But the tough-talking Reyez isn't afraid to let her guard down either. We see a softer side to her on "Apple Juice." 

"You should know that I'm at your mercy/ I've spent my life searching for you," she sings, demonstrating how even the most walled-off hearts are susceptible to love's power. Reyez's way of navigating matters of the heart as a 20-something has earned her more than 13 million streams a month on Spotify. Her talent has led her to become the "voice to watch out for," and her second EP, Being Human In Public, has nabbed her a 2020 GRAMMY nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

Jessie Reyez | Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee

Chatting with the Recording Academy ahead of the 62nd GRAMMY Awards, Reyez said that being nominated for an EP feels "unreal." (She joins the likes of H.E.R. in being nominated without having released an official full-length album yet.)

Since gaining traction online in the mid-2010s, Reyez has collaborated with the likes of Calvin Harris, Tory Lanez, Eminem, Normani, 6lack and Sam Smith on the singing and songwriting front (she co-wrote Harris' pop hit "One Kiss" featuring Dua Lipa). But as much as she enjoys writing for others, her focus is on her own artistry, and that includes nurturing her Latina roots.

Born to Colombian parents in Toronto, Canada, Reyez became interested in music thanks to her family. She would sing with her dad in church, her brother played the clarinet and a lot of records were heard around her house. Her father would play cumbia records all the time when she was growing up. In other interviews, she's mentioned the impact Colombian artists like Carlos Vives (who brought Vallenato, a kind of folk music in Colombia to other parts of Latin Americain and beyond) have had on her. 

She features her first song in Spanish on her GRAMMY-nominated album. Co-written with GRAMMY-winning Argentine singer/songwriter Claudia Brant, "Sola" touches on the expectations placed on women in relationships. 

When asked about what featuring a Spanish-language song on her album means to her, Reyez has a simple answer: "It means I'm being myself. Being me is being Canadian, being Colombian."

Before releasing a Spanish-language song, Reyez incorporated Spanglish in her music effortlessly: "F**k it, remember back when I told ya/ That I'm a loca Colombiana (Yo te lo dije)," she sings on "F**k it."

Outside her album, Reyez has teamed up with big names in Latin music too. Among them are Latin GRAMMY winner Karol G, GRAMMY-nominated heavy-hitter urbano producer Tainy and GRAMMY-nominated bachata/pop singer Romeo Santos.

Amidst the success Latin urban is seeing, Reyez isn't jumping on a trend; she is simply being herself: a leading young Latinx artist showing the mainstream that you can't make an artist choose between one of their identities. She's also an artist who understands that there's power in a platform.

In her song about long-distance love, Reyez touches on the undocumented immigrant experience. "You're still a world away/ And you're still waitin' for your papers/ Been feelin' like the government wants us to break up," she croons. "I feel what you feel when you're far away/ It's been a hundred days/ Since I kissed your face."

"

The song's video features images of President Trump along with scenes of ICE separating family members. Reyez is proud to come from immigrant parents and always felt welcome growing up in Canada. "Canada has this really cool way — specifically Toronto —  of encouraging you to wave both flags, if you've been born there, like wave your flag and then wave your parent's flag too and be proud of it," she told the Recording Academy in 2018. 

Today, Reyez says her nomination is as much for her as it is for her parents. "They have so much to do with who I am. They're responsible for how I was raised," she says. "It's because of them that I am who I am, so of course this is for them."

And that's exactly who was there when she found out she was nominated for a GRAMMY. In a video posted to Instagram, Reyez opens the door seemingly just haven woken up and gets greeted by her parents with a huge hug and the news of her nomination. "They're my best friend. They're the people who look out for me the most," she says. 

Her nephews also act as a stabilizing force, never letting her head get too big. "Oh Tia, are you saying that you can sing now?" one of them joked after she explained how they could pursue a career in graphic design if they wished (after all, she's making a living from her dreams).  

"That's how they keep me grounded," she said laughing about the moment. Although a light-hearted exchange, Reyez takes it as a reminder that she is always working on becoming better. In her words, she's "hella meticulous" about her craft. 

Being Human In Public is one manifestation of her drive. But one thing's clear, she wants to reach the top by being herself. That's a major theme behind her album and the reason behind her album title. Being real is something that can be hard to achieve in the age of Instagram when everything and everyone seems so polished. "I don't want to dress up. I don't want to put on makeup. I don't want to be fake nice to anybody, I just want to be myself," she says. 

At the moment, she feels in control of her narrative on social media but says that that could change as her career grows. Whatever happens, "Nobody's gonna say [she] didn't give it all," as she declares in "Saint Nobody."

2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List

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How 1996 Became The Year Of The Pop Diva

(L-R) Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston

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Big Voices, Ballads and Blockbuster Hits: How 1996 Became The Year Of The Pop Diva

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Shortly before Spicemania took hold, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion ushered in a more grown-up wave of girl power
Jon O'Brien
GRAMMYs
Mar 31, 2021 - 11:51 am

Mariah, Whitney and Celine—a.k.a. the holy trinity of pop divas with pyrotechnic vocal ranges—had enjoyed triumphant years before. Carey scored the biggest-selling album of 1991 with her self-titled debut, which spawned four consecutive No. 1s. Houston achieved the same feat in 1986 and 1993 with her eponymous first LP and The Bodyguard OST. And the chart-topping success of Celine Dion's "The Power of Love" in 1994 helped push its parent album The Colour of My Love to sales of more than 20 million. 

In 1996, the stars aligned for all three powerhouse singers to reach the pole position on Billboard’s singles chart. The trio essentially monopolized its first six months. You had to wait until May 18—when the distinctly non-pop-diva-like Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s hip-hop eulogy "Tha Crossroads" replaced Carey’s "Always Be My Baby"—to hear someone else at the top of the US Hot 100. 

This remarkable pop diva merry-go-round had actually started back in September 1995 thanks to "Fantasy." Sampling Tom Tom Club and featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard, the sublime Daydream cut pioneered the soon-to-be ubiquitous hip-hop sound. At eight weeks, it also became the longest-running of Carey’s first nine No. 1s before being unseated by her biggest rival’s "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)." 

That, in turn, was knocked off the top spot after just seven days by another Carey collaboration, with the slick vocal harmonies of Boyz II Men replacing the gonzo, growling rhymes of ODB. A tribute to the loved ones who they’d lost to the AIDS epidemic, "One Sweet Day" remarkably remained the nation’s most popular single until March of the following year. The song’s record-breaking 16-week stint wouldn’t be surpassed until another much less likely duet 23 years later, Lil Nas X’s and Billy Ray Cyrus’ hick-hop smash "Old Town Road."

The artist who finally toppled "One Sweet Day" ended up truly dominating 1996. Although Dion had already released a string of albums before Houston and Carey had set foot inside a recording studio, the Canadian only began making waves outside the Francophone market with 1990’s Unison. It would be another four years before she started being mentioned in the same breath. But by the end of her fourth English-language album’s campaign, Dion had become the new queen. 

A true blockbuster of a record, Falling Into You reportedly shifted a colossal 32 million copies, placing it in the same bracket as The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Eagles’ Hotel California. It spawned two No.1 hits: the slow-building theme to the Robert Redford/Michelle Pfeiffer romance Up Close and Personal, "Because You Loved Me," and the epic-from-the-get-go "It’s All Coming Back to Me Now." And it saw Dion recognized at every major award ceremony, including the Oscars, Golden Globes, and, most notably, the GRAMMYs. 

Of course, Houston had previously shared the Album of the Year award for her contributions to The Bodyguard OST. However, Dion was the first of her peers to achieve the accolade entirely independently: despite some rather snooty predictions, Carey’s Daydream had failed to win the category, or indeed any of the five others it was nominated for, in 1996. Falling Into You, which was additionally crowned Best Pop Album at the same 1997 ceremony, even beat another Houston-heavy soundtrack, Waiting to Exhale, to the glittering prize.

Proving her double-threat credentials once again, Houston not only held her own against Angela Bassett in Forest Whitaker’s directorial debut, but she lent her unmistakable voice to three of its songs as well. "Why Does It Hurt So Bad" and CeCe Winans’ duet "Count on Me" later joined "Exhale" on Houston’s tally of Top 30 entries, as did "I Believe in You and Me" from The Preacher’s Wife OST later that same year, too. 

Houston wasn’t the only pop diva to score hits from the 12 million-selling Waiting to Exhale, which placed fourth behind Falling Into You, Daydream and Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill on 1996’s year-end album chart. Mary J. Blige’s defiant slow jam, "Not Gon’ Cry," became the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul’s biggest single to date before the sweetly-sung funk of Brandy’s "Sittin’ Up In My Room" followed in its footsteps by also peaking at No.2. Meanwhile, Toni Braxton’s emotive ballad, "Let It Flow," effectively topped the charts thanks to its memorable double A-side. 

Braxton had a remarkable 1996 herself, following up the No. 1 success of "You’re Makin' Me High" with the year’s defining power ballad, "Un-Break My Heart" (its parent LP Secrets went eight times platinum, too). Although she wasn’t entirely averse to bombast, Babyface’s musical protégé proved you didn’t have to shatter glasses to be considered a ‘90s pop diva. Alongside Brandy, Monica and another Waiting to Exhale contributor, TLC’s T-Boz, Braxton’s strengths lay in the kind of rich lower register that could melt butter.  

On the other end of the spectrum, the featherlight vocals of Aaliyah had found their perfect foil in the shape of Timbaland and Missy Elliott’s futuristic production on One In a Million. The sparse robotic funk of "If Your Girl Only Knew" was a prime contender for single of the year. Then there was Lauryn Hill, busy sowing the seeds for her frustratingly erratic solo career as the gritty but beautifully melodic voice behind 1996’s biggest hip-hop act, Fugees.

And although the States would have to wait until the following year for Spicemania to take hold, there were still plenty of groups bringing the girl power. SWV scored their final Top 10 hit with "You’re the One," 702 put themselves on the map with the slick street soul of "Steelo" and Total provided the sugary melodic hook for LL Cool J’s bedroom song "Loungin’." The self-ordained funkiest bunch of divas, En Vogue, also launched their comeback single, "Don’t Let Go," which in 1997 saw them come agonizingly close to the top spot for the third time. 

The new guard of pop divas, however, hadn’t completely shut out the old. Barbra Streisand reached the Top 10 for the first time since 1981 with "I Finally Found Someone," the Oscar-nominated Bryan Adams collaboration taken from her self-directed starring vehicle, The Mirror Has Two Faces. Gloria Estefan’s soaring "Reach" was chosen as the official anthem for the year’s biggest sporting event, the Atlanta Olympics. And Cher ("One By One"), Tina Turner ("Missing You") and Chaka Khan & Gladys Knight ("Missing You") all made deserved returns to the US Hot 100. 

Perhaps the most interesting pop diva development, though, arrived at the tail end of the year. Madonna had already settled into the demure balladeer phase of her career with the hits compilation Something to Remember. But she made an even more concerted bid for respectability with the leading role in Evita. The First Lady of Pop’s performance as the First Lady of Argentina was deemed the strongest in her filmography. Simultaneously, the accompanying soundtrack—recorded with musical impresarios Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice—silenced those who believed she didn’t possess the range. 

Of course, Madge would soon reinvent herself as the Earth Mother of electronica on 1998’s magnum opus Ray of Light, completely abandoning the showboating love songs that had become Carey, Houston and Dion’s forte. Yet whereas the latter went on to double down on the histrionics with Streisand duets and disaster movie themes, her two vocal counterparts also began to explore much more credible directions.

Carey roped in Q-Tip, Missy and P. Diddy for the urban pop of 1997’s Butterfly, a clear statement of independence following her split with manager husband Tommy Mottola. Houston, meanwhile, surprised everyone with 1999’s My Love Is Your Love, a masterful comeback guided by a who’s who of contemporary R&B including Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef Jean and Soulshock & Karlin.

By this point, VH1 had belatedly recognized that we were in a golden era for female vocalists, launching their own charity concert series simply titled Divas. The annual show celebrated artists both established and emerging during its initial seven-year run, with Houston, Carey and Dion all making regular appearances.

However, thanks to their dominance of the Billboard charts and the emergence of countless names they inspired, 1996 remains the year when the pop divas—or perhaps more aptly, the elusive chanteuses—truly reigned supreme.

For The Record: Inside The Historic Legacy Of Carole King’s 'Tapestry' At 50

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Pandora LIVE: HAIM, Brittany Howard, CHIKA

Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Pandora

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HAIM, Brittany Howard and CHIKA Deliver Dynamic Performances and Tease A Collaboration During Pandora LIVE's Countdown To The GRAMMY Awards

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The GRAMMY nominees sang songs off their latest projects, spoke on their processes and bonded over their shared eagerness to get back on stage
Taylor Weatherby
GRAMMYs
Mar 18, 2021 - 6:40 pm

Between the nominees and performers for the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, female artists are an undeniable force to be reckoned with this year. Pandora LIVE's Countdown To The GRAMMY Awards on Thursday, March 12, was further proof of the abundant girl power, honoring GRAMMY nominees CHIKA, Brittany Howard and HAIM. Hosted by Chair & Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason jr., the virtual GRAMMY Week event featured dynamic performances and an insightful interview with all of the above women.

Before the performances began, everyone spoke on the releases that resulted in their GRAMMY nominations. CHIKA remarkably earned her first nod following her debut project with Warner Records, Industry Games (the rapper/singer is nominated for Best New Artist). Perhaps even more notable, the album arrived just as COVID-19 hit last year. "I haven't gotten the normal experience that an artist has once they put out their first project to see the reaction," she said. "So, to get this acknowledgment in such a high regard off of my first year out is incredible to me, but also still something I'm processing." 

Howard touched on the doubts that arise when making a new record but ultimately had one way to describe her five nominations: "I'm shooketh." HAIM, who told Howard they can relate to the uncertainty artists often feel, discussed how the process of their album Women In Music Pt. III—up for Album of the Year—aligns with the isolation the world has seen in the pandemic.

"When we wrote this record in particular, we were all collectively in a depressive spiral," Este Haim, the group's bassist, said. "I think we all felt really isolated, so a lot of the subject matter on Women in Music Pt. III is about feeling alone. And then, lo and behold, we put out this record in the middle of a pandemic, where everyone collectively feels some version of loneliness. We're just really happy that it resonated with people during this really insane, crazy time in our lives. We just want to make people not feel so lonely."

The women bonded over several things in their conversation, with the most significant commonality being how much they all miss touring. "That's what we're so excited about," Danielle Haim said. "People are going to want to see live music so bad that I hope we're going to just be playing our asses off." Echoed Este, "It's going to be the Roaring '20s 100 years later."

"Music is such an energy exchange that making it is ... if you're doing it right, you feel exhausted afterward," CHIKA added. "The way that humans typically recharge is being in an electrifying room with people who genuinely support you … But there is no recharge unless you've begun to pivot and adapt to the circumstances that we're all under right now."

It was easy to see that all three artists are itching to get back in front of an audience, as they each gave their performances their all. CHIKA was up first, delivering a captivating medley of her tracks "My Power" and "On My Way." She closed with a sultry song titled "FWB," the lead single from her latest EP, Once Upon a Time, which arrived just hours after the performance.

Another topic everyone agreed upon was their desire not to be defined by one genre. Howard's GRAMMY nods particularly prove that she really is genreless: Her album Jaime spawned nominations in the Rock, Alternative, R&B, and American Roots Music categories.

"I love everything, I like everything," Howard explained of her boundary-pushing sound. "I find life to be really suspenseful. Experiences, emotions, colors—it's just musical to me. All of that belongs in my music. I'm just putting out what I'm experiencing. The fact that I'm nominated across all of these genres makes perfect sense to me. That's how I absorb sounds, whatever it is."

Howard flexed her versatility with her four-song performance, playing Jaime tracks "Stay High," "Baby," "Goat Head," and "13th Century Metal." Her stage setup transported viewers to the venue, as she had a full backing band and a draped curtain backdrop illuminated by blue and pink lighting. The bridge of "13th Century Metal" felt like Howard was leading a congregation as she chanted, "We are all brothers and sisters!" and tromped around the stage with strobe lights flashing around her.

HAIM closed out the show with four effervescent tunes. Although they opted not to play their Best Rock Performance honoree "The Steps," the sisters did stick to tracks from Women In Music Pt. III, including "Summer Girl," "Gasoline" and "I've Been Down." For the final song, HAIM's lead singer Danielle tackled "Man From the Magazine" solo with an acoustic guitar, making for a powerful finish to the female-dominated event.

Before signing off, the women teased that this might not be the last time fans see them all in one place. "I'll produce beats for you, CHIKA," Howard offered, to which Haim's Este yelled, "I'll play bass!" CHIKA excitedly urged, "We need to trade contact info." If the night's performances were any indication, that would be one heck of a collaboration.

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Sounds of Change 2021

Sounds of Change 2021

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Here's What To Expect At "A GRAMMY Salute To The Sounds Of Change" 2021 Special

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Hosted by three-time GRAMMY winner Common, "A GRAMMY Salute To The Sounds Of Change" will feature Gladys Knight, LeAnn Rimes, Patti LaBelle, Terrace Martin, Leon Bridges, Brad Paisley and more
Morgan Enos
Recording Academy
Mar 16, 2021 - 5:24 pm

With the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show in the rearview and GRAMMY season winding down for the year, The Recording Academy and CBS will present "A GRAMMY Salute To The Sounds Of Change." The show will broadcast Wednesday, March 17, at 9–11p.m. ET/PT and will also be available via livestream and on-demand on Paramount+, ViacomCBS' newest global streaming service. The show will illuminate unforgettable songs that catalyzed social change, both reflecting and shaping their times.

Here's what to expect at "A GRAMMY Salute To The Sounds Of Change."

What To Expect At "Sounds Of Change"

Common Will Host The Event

The three-time GRAMMY-nominated rapper Common will be the master of ceremonies.

John Lennon Will Loom Large

Cynthia Erivo will perform a piano-led version of a solo Beatle classic.

John Prine Will Get His Due

As part of a section focused on environmentalism, the late John Prine will get the spotlight. (So will Marvin Gaye and Woody Guthrie.)

Two Generations Of Country Greats Will Meet

Chris Stapleton will perform a Willie Nelson classic.

Women's Empowerment Will Get The Spotlight

Expect classic GRAMMY performances from Shania Twain and Kesha.

Revisit A Classic Anti-Racist Anthem

Andra Day will sing a song Billie Holiday made immortal.

A Superstar Ensemble Will Sing A Prescient Classic

Gladys Knight, Sheila E. and more will join forces to perform a totemic Marvin Gaye tune.

The Recording Academy And CBS Announce "A GRAMMY Salute To The Sounds Of Change" Special: Gladys Knight, LeAnn Rimes, Cynthia Erivo, Brad Paisley, Chris Stapleton And More Confirmed

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Doja Cat_BET 2019

Doja Cat 

Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

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From Meme Queen To Popstar: Revisiting Doja Cat’s Inevitable Breakout

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Doja Cat’s rise to prominence speaks to her staying power and her ability to tap into today’s technology to reach new audiences—an indication of the artist she was destined to become
Jaelani Turner-Williams
GRAMMYs
Mar 12, 2021 - 3:21 pm

For Women's History Month, GRAMMY.com is celebrating some of the women artists nominated at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show. Today, we honor Doja Cat, who's currently nominated for three GRAMMYs.

First-time GRAMMY nominee Doja Cat was on the cusp of gaining mass popularity in 2019 after the release of her sophomore album, Hot Pink, when her rise into pop stardom faced a roadblock. COVID-19 shutdown the world in early 2020 and the rapper/singer from Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, had to place the album’s accompanying tour, a promotional vehicle for the album, on indefinite hiatus. Dlamini had gone viral in 2018 thanks to her meme-worthy "Mooo!" music video, but Hot Pink had promising staying power and 2020 was putting that at stake.

But it would turn out that the new social-distanced reality only grew music’s presence online, and Dlamini’s Hot Pink leading single "Say So" thrived on social media—The song received a streaming boost months after TikToker Haley Sharpe created the song’s signature dance in December 2019. As fans surged TikTok to recreate the dance, the app became a new tool for artist discovery, and Dlamini’s e-girl aesthetic topped with her colorful, kitschy, comical looks strengthened her online presence. "Say So" continued to gain popularity after a Nicki Minaj feature on a remixed version shot the song to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in May 2020.

How did Dlamini manage to gain success amid the pandemic? The digital-driven mindset she developed early in her career was key.

Doja Cat Talks Backstage At The 63rd GRAMMY Awards

Dlamini's rise to stardom wasn’t instantaneous, but like many other artists of her generation, internet fame was in her artistic DNA. When she was a teenager, she generated a small buzz on SoundCloud and it motivated her intention of becoming an artist after dropping out of high school at 16 years old. Self-taught at GarageBand and Logic, the rapper would scour YouTube for beats and instrumentals, using a built-in microphone to record songs that she would upload on her SoundCloud account. Often deleting songs shortly after posting, it was the marijuana-enthusiast ballad "So High" that remained on Dlamini’s page, landing her a joint deal with RCA Records and Kemosabe Records in 2014. The rapper’s debut EP Purrr! released in the same year made Dlamini an artist to watch. “So High” even graced a first season episode feature on Fox musical-drama series "Empire."

But despite her breakthrough and development as a signed artist, the attention on Dlamini fell flat as she took to the studio to revamp her style and creative approach. While the pivot from SoundCloud to a major deal was a triumph for her, there wasn’t a clear vision for her artistry. Taking ownership of her sexuality while remaining comedic, Dlamini refined her spunky charisma in preparation for mainstream domination. She became acquainted with a new team of producers and co-songwriters and continued working with Yeti Beats, who began producing for heri in 2013. Yeti Beats became Dlamini’s primary collaborator, masterfully capturing her unpredictability and eccentricity on wax.

In an interview with American Songwriter earlier this year, Yeti Beats spoke about his genre-crossing versatility and established rapport with Dlamini:

"When it comes to actually creating with [Doja Cat] though, I think what I try to do is just be prepared and make lots of different styles [and] collaborate with a lot of different producers and musicians, so that when she calls me and asks me, ‘Yeti what beats you got right now?’ I have fire to play for her—something unique and different and interesting."

After what seemed like a four-year hiatus, Dlamini released her long-awaited debut album Amala in March 2018. But it largely fell on deaf ears as it peaked at #138 on the Billboard 200 in 2019. Though songs on Amala were melodic and chart-worthy, without a concise marketing strategy and album rollout, Dlamini was back at square one. True to her internet origins, she was poised to meet the moment in August 2018 as she took to Instagram Live to collaborate on an impromptu song with her fans. Viewers commented their ideas using puns and metaphors while the rapper played a beat by producer Troy NōKA, but the humorous brainstorming session quickly became the impetus for Dlamini’s first viral hit. Writing and recording the song within six hours—along with creating a meme-inspired visual that circulated rapidly—"Mooo!" was the DIY springboard that made her a viral internet sensation. 

"I’ve had [the] intention of making—like—meme music that would maybe reach a wider audience that would make people go, ‘What the hell is this? I should share this'" she told Genius’ Verified series in 2018. "I’ve totally thought that sh*t that I’ve made would go viral."

Although Dlamini originally considered "Mooo!" to be a "throwaway" the song caught the attention of critics and new listeners alike, and the rapper had her first experience in a popular light, confidently releasing a deluxe version of Amala in 2019. Bolstered with an album-version of  "Mooo!" and body positivity anthem “Juicy,” Dlamini also had her first female-tag team collaboration with on-the-rise ferocious punk-rapper from the DMV Rico Nasty on "Tia Tamera," a euphemism likening their breasts to iconic twin actors Tia and Tamera Mowry.

With a new mainstream disposition thanks to a new production team, Dlamini returned to the drawing board for her follow-up album, even forgoing an overindulgence of smoking to redevelop her sound. Just one month shy of the release of sophomore album Hot Pink, predominantly produced by Yeti Beats and Dr. Luke, in late 2019, Dlamini spoke with Los Angeles Times about her new perspective:

"When I stopped and did this album, I’ve never been more concise and clear and level headed. People will love me and hate me for it: ‘Why doesn’t she sound like she doesn’t know what she’s talking about anymore?’ I used to write stuff where it didn’t matter. Now there are things I believe in, that get me excited and piss me off. I’m actually reflecting on who I am as a person."

Stepping up to the plate, Hot Pink was a reframing of Dlamini’s original meme-centric music, instead showing her versatility in hip-hop, R&B and pop. Still bubbly and humorous, the album proved Dlamini’s discipline as an artist and multi-genre reach. 

When 2020 arrived, women in rap flourished online during the start of the COVID-19 quarantine and it was Dlamini who arguably led the pack with her sound. Hot Pink delivered several singles, but "Say So" was a standout hit.

When the remix with Minaj went head-to-head with fellow Megan The Stallion TikTok hit "Savage" whose official remix featured Beyoncé, the kindred spirit between Dlamini and Minaj was undisputed. The chart-topping smash continued to rise with Minaj on the track, eventually, the song gave Dlamini and Minaj’s their first  No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 after what seemed like a battle in women’s rap was a simultaneous victory between both songs.

The rapper continued her virality through consistent interaction with fans through Instagram and Twitter. Ultimately, it was Gen-Z favorite TikTok that jolted Hot Pink to #9 on the Billboard 200 chart, just five days after "Say So" landed on the Hot 100. She pumped out seven singles from the album and later on in 2020 marketed her first clothing line partnership with Pretty Little Thing, a company with a large Instagram presence. 

Come November 2020, Dlamini nabbed accolades from the American Music Awards, People’s Choice Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, and the GRAMMYs— "Say So" earned two nominations and she earned one for Best New Artist— while flawlessly becoming a household name. 

In-house producer Yeti Beats remained as Dlamini’s wingman, sharing his reverence for her musical growth for American Songwriter:

"I consider [Doja Cat] a musical chameleon. It’s something that it took a while to develop what her sound and personality really was. The first EP that we did [together], she didn’t have any experience and it was kind of a new musical thing for us and these are time capsules. By the time we did [her] first album she had played on a handful of stages and then after the first album we toured a lot. When we got into the second album. It was a more confident character."

Dlamini’s rise to prominence speaks to her staying power and her ability to tap into today’s technology to reach new audiences—an indication of the artist she was destined to become. Being an influence of oddball female rap, Dlamini’s online and offline creativity transcends her stage presence, putting her ahead of the industry curve.

Future Nostalgia: How Dua Lipa Rose From Best New Artist To Massive Pop Star

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