Doja Cat’s longtime manager Gordon Dillard has revealed that the rapper created her 2023 album Scarlet in just 10 days, describing an intense studio period in which she completed multiple songs every day. The revelation offers a glimpse into the creative process behind one of the most rap-focused projects of her career.
“I watched her locked in the studio and produced three songs a day, not just hooks, like, [complete] songs!” Dillard said. “She was cooking. And she writes her own music. She had something to say. It was an obsession.”
According to Dillard, Doja Cat’s productivity during the sessions went far beyond recording ideas or assembling unfinished concepts. The rapper was reportedly completing roughly three full songs per day, channeling the momentum into a project that would eventually become Scarlet.
Released on September 22, 2023, through Kemosabe and RCA Records, Scarlet marked a sharp turn from the pop-heavy approach of Doja Cat’s previous album, Planet Her. She had grown increasingly frustrated with expectations surrounding her music and criticism questioning her abilities as a rapper, prompting her to embrace a darker, more rap-centered direction.
The result was Doja Cat’s first studio album without guest features since her 2014 EP Purrr!. Across Scarlet, she leaned heavily into intricate flows, confrontational writing and stripped-back hip-hop production, creating a project that felt intentionally removed from the polished pop formulas that had defined portions of her earlier work.
That shift did not come at the expense of commercial success. Scarlet debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, giving Doja Cat her third top-10 album on the chart, while its lead single “Paint the Town Red” became a career-defining hit. The track reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Doja Cat her first solo chart-topper on the U.S. ranking. “Paint the Town Red” also topped the Billboard Global 200 and the UK Singles Chart.
“Agora Hills” followed as the album’s second single and reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 10. Promotional releases “Attention,” “Demons” and “Balut” further showcased the more aggressive sound Doja Cat had pursued throughout the record.
Scarlet was also supported by The Scarlet Tour, Doja Cat’s first headlining arena tour. The album later received an expanded edition, Scarlet 2 Claude, on April 5, 2024, adding appearances from Teezo Touchdown and A$AP Rocky.
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