Doja Cat Confronts Fan Community, Loses Followers Amid Controversy

Famed singer Doja Cat, also known as Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, was involved in a controversial feud with her fan community, referred to as “Kittenz.” The “Kiss Me More” artist expressed her disapproval on social media of fans using her birth name as their screen name and referring to themselves as “kittenz.” According to Crowdtangle, a social media analysis firm owned by Meta, Doja’s outspoken comments led to a significant drop in her Instagram following. The singer lost approximately 237,758 followers immediately after her social media tirade, and the overall number of lost followers is nearing 300,000 over the past month. However, despite this significant reduction, she still boasts an impressive 25.7 million followers.

From Fandom to Friction

A sharp increase in searches for the rapper’s name accompanied the loss of followers, with an 82% spike after her series of posts. The fans, who were once ardent supporters of Doja Cat, found themselves at the receiving end of her wrath when she criticized them for calling themselves “kittenz” and using her given name. “If you call yourself a ‘Kitten’ or ‘Kittenz,’ that means you need to get off your phone and get a job and help your parents with the house,” Doja Cat tweeted. Her fans reminded her that the term “Kittenz” was one she had chosen for her fanbase in a 2020 Twitter poll. She also expressed her distaste for fans using her real name, going as far as to call it “creepy.” She recommended fans delete their social media accounts if they insisted on using her birth name.

Disappearing Threads and Rising Tension

The discord between Doja Cat and her followers was fueled further by her statement that “Kittenz” was a term invented by an “alcoholic teen” and that her fans don’t get to name themselves anything. The deleted threads containing these claims were difficult to verify independently at press time, and the artist’s representative has not returned a request for comment. Several fans responded, reminding the singer that she was the one who gave them the name “Kittenz.” Some even mockingly pointed out her contradiction, as Doja Cat, who was dressed as a cat at the Met Gala and had “meowed” through an entire interview, was now lashing out at fans using a cat-related term.

From Music to Meltdown

Doja Cat, who has had a complex relationship with the music industry, revealed in V Magazine that her follow-up to the successful 2021 album Planet Her was delayed as she’s tired of creating music that’s “palatable, marketable and sellable.” She admitted to throwing fits throughout her career because her music didn’t allow her to experience a “mental release.” Earlier this year, Doja also appeared to criticize Kittenz who were fans of her Planet Her and 2019’s Hot Pink albums. She labeled them as “cash grabs” featuring “mediocre pop,” taunting fans by saying, “Y’all fell for it.”

Settling Dust

Following the heated exchange, Doja Cat reportedly posted the lyrics to Velvet Underground’s “I’ll Be Your Mirror” on Instagram before shutting down her Threads account. The ongoing saga continues to unfold as fans and the public alike await a response from the artist or her team.