Doja Cat is an American singer and rapper who rose to fame in the mid-2010s with hits like “Mooo!” and “Say So.” She developed a massive online following, especially on TikTok, where many of her songs took off in viral dances and challenges. By 2020, Doja Cat had become one of the most popular artists on TikTok, with over 30 million followers on the app. Her songs like “Say So,” “Streets,” and “Kiss Me More” were used in millions of TikTok videos. According to this article, Doja Cat’s viral success on TikTok proved she was a star primed for the digital age.
The Original Profile Picture
Doja Cat’s original profile picture on TikTok was an anime-style illustration of herself. The cartoon avatar depicted Doja with long pink hair, cat ears, and bright green eyes. She had an innocent, cute expression on her illustrated face. This anime version of Doja became iconic and was instantly recognizable to her millions of fans on TikTok.
According to TikTok’s help center, the default profile picture for new users is a gray silhouette of a person’s head and shoulders. So Doja opted to customize her profile with a stylized cartoon version of herself instead of using the generic default icon. This illustrated avatar was unique to Doja and matched her quirky, playful personality and brand image. Her fans grew accustomed to the pink-haired cat girl version of Doja as her signature profile picture.
The New Profile Picture
On January 16, 2023, Doja Cat changed her TikTok profile picture to a cartoon image of herself depicted with a shaved head, drawn by digital artist Lil Bubblegum (source). The new profile picture showed Doja Cat with her signature blonde buzzcut hairstyle from 2021, but in animated cartoon form with exaggerated facial features like large eyes, full lips, and a pointed chin.
Initial Fan Reactions
Fans were shocked and confused when Doja Cat first changed her profile picture to the demonic face on March 9th. Many wondered if Doja was hinting at a new album or era with a darker theme. Comments flooded in asking “what happened to the pretty Doja Cat?” and saying they missed her previous cute and colorful profile picture.Some fans even speculated that Doja’s account had been hacked and that she didn’t actually choose the “creepy” new picture herself.
Overall, the initial response was predominantly one of surprise and unease, as fans tried to understand the meaning behind Doja’s unexpected profile picture change.
Doja’s Response
Initially, Doja seemed dismissive of fans’ frustration over the profile picture change. On Reddit, she responded to comments asking about the new picture by saying “it doesn’t matter.” Fans felt this response was flippant and showed disregard for their concerns over the jarring visual change.
As backlash mounted on Twitter and TikTok, Doja continued to brush off questions about why she changed her profile photo. In one TikTok comment, she replied “who cares” when a fan asked what was up with the “weird” new picture. Her dismissive tone only aggravated fans more.
Escalating Fan Frustration
Fans continued to express frustration and disappointment over Doja’s new profile picture in the comments of her posts. Many felt it was in poor taste and wanted her to change it back to something more positive. According to Billboard, some fans called the shirt “disrespectful” and questioned Doja’s decision to highlight someone with a history of bigoted views.
The backlash grew as more fans chimed in begging Doja to revert to her original profile picture. Fans seemed especially upset that she had changed it from something uplifting to the controversial Sam Hyde image. According to Yahoo! Entertainment, many fans felt it was a trolling attempt gone too far after her previous controversies. The escalating frustration indicated her followers wanted a more positive profile representation aligning with the empowering vibes of her music.
Doja Deletes Profile Picture
On March 9th, 2023, after just two days with the new demon profile picture, Doja Cat abruptly deleted it from her TikTok profile without explanation (https://www.tiktok.com/@aceshowbiz/video/7208778865521577242?lang=en). This removal came shortly after fans began expressing confusion and frustration over the disturbing new image.
Many speculated that Doja decided to delete the picture due to the overwhelmingly negative reaction from fans who found the image unsettling and inappropriate (https://www.eviemagazine.com/post/doja-cat-profile-picture-to-creepy-demon-deletes-videos-tiktok). After building a lighthearted, quirky persona on TikTok where she engaged playfully with fans, the jarring demon picture seemed out of character for Doja and left followers concerned.
With tension building as fans demanded an explanation, it appeared Doja chose to pull the profile picture just two days after uploading it in an effort to quell the growing backlash. However, she did not immediately address why she removed the photo or acknowledge fans’ complaints about it.
Doja’s Explanation
After deleting the controversial profile picture, Doja took to Twitter to explain the situation to disappointed fans. In a video posted to Twitter on March 10th, Doja apologized for the uproar caused by her profile picture change, saying she didn’t mean to offend anyone.
“I apologize to everyone I’ve offended,” Doja said in the video. “I want to make it clear…that was not my intention.” She went on to explain that she is a part of the metal community and was simply having fun switching up her profile picture to reflect that. However, Doja acknowledged that the picture was “ugly” and that she understood why people were disturbed by it.
“I see a lot of people are offended by it, and for that I’m very sorry,” Doja continued. “It was nothing major or crazy…I thought it fit the group well but I see a lot of people were very disgusted by it.” Doja reiterated that she removed the profile picture immediately once she realized how negatively it was being received. While it was meant harmless fun, she took responsibility for causing offense with the “grotesque” image.
Sources: Doja Cat’s video apology on Twitter
Fan Reactions to Removal
Fans were largely confused and upset when Doja Cat abruptly removed her new demon-like profile picture from TikTok without much explanation. Many fans felt whiplashed, first by her jarring new profile picture and then by its swift removal.
Some fans expressed anger and accused Doja of intentionally trying to stir up controversy for attention. They felt it was a manipulation tactic and resented the emotional rollercoaster she had taken them on. Many called the behavior problematic and attention-seeking.
Other fans pleaded for more transparency and open communication from the star. They wanted her to address the situation head-on and explain her thought process. Some worried the new disturbing picture signaled mental health struggles or an artistic breakdown that Doja needed support through. They hoped she would provide reassurance.
Overall, most fans agreed the entire ordeal felt chaotic, unsettling, and poorly handled by Doja Cat. They hoped she would learn from the backlash and be more considerate of fans before making such jarring artistic statements in the future. Her silence left many frustrated.
According to this Evie Magazine article, fans flooded Doja’s comment sections demanding an explanation for the profile picture change and its swift removal.
Impact and Aftermath
The impact of Doja Cat changing her TikTok profile picture was significant. Many fans felt betrayed and questioned whether Doja truly cared about her fans, especially those from marginalized groups. According to one Reddit post, fans felt “stabbed in the back” after strongly supporting Doja against accusations of racism in the past (source). The situation escalated quickly, with some fans calling for Doja to be ‘canceled’ while others wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.
In the aftermath, Doja ended up deleting the controversial profile picture less than 24 hours after changing it. She posted an explanatory video on Instagram Live, acknowledging she had upset people but stating it was an “innocent mistake” (source). Doja emphasized that she supports the Black Lives Matter movement and did not intend to mock it with her profile picture change. However, many fans remained upset even after her explanation and apology. The situation highlighted the strong emotions around BLM and racial justice issues, showing how quickly backlash can grow on social media.