Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red” anthem caught Dionne Warwick by surprise as she didn’t know she had been sampled on the Grammy-winner’s Hot 100 topping hit.
Despited having her classic “Walk On By” sampled throughout the 2023 track, Warwick revealed that she didn’t even know who Doja Cat was during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show earlier this week.
“I didn’t know it had been recorded by her,” she recounted. “My granddaughter called me and says, ‘Grammy, do you know you’re on a record with Doja Cat?’ I said, ‘Doja who?’
“Well, apparently, it’s a major hit for her. I’m thrilled. I hope ‘Walk on By’ is as good for her as it has been for me. They’re great songs, and finally [young people] are being exposed to some good music.”
“Walk On By” arrived in 1964 and reached No. 6 on the Hot 100, while “Paint The Town Red” served as Doja Cat’s second No. 1 hit when it topped the chart in September. The Los Angeles native previously achieved that milestone with 2020’s “Say So.”
“Paint The Town Red” ultimately landed on Doja Cat’s Scarlet album, released on September 22, and she’s currently touring the LP across the nation.
The Scarlet Tour came through Newark, New Jersey on Thursday night (November 30); but Doja ultimately had to apologize to her fans for a lackluster effort on stage.
“I’m so fuckin sorry New Jersey I don’t know what the fuck that was,” she wrote on her Instagram Story after the show. “I’m really not happy with my energy tonight.”
It’s to be noted, however, that she told the crowd she wasn’t feeling well the night prior at the Barclays Center.
According to Rolling Stone, she considered cutting the final song because she was sick, but ultimately powered through.
The show goes on for Doja Cat as she’ll bring the Scarlet Tour — which is supported by Ice Spice and Doechii — to Ohio, Nebraska and Minneapolis this week.
You can tell she’s very secure usually when people get sampled they hate on the artist that sampled them. She said she hopes the song works for her. Gotta respect the legends.
The original is still dope. I was skeptical at first when I heard the Doha sampled version bc I still bang the OG when I’m feeling a type of way, but Doha’s has grown on me. Way better than the dude that re-did Tracy Chapman Fast Car. Country covers can be dope, but that just doesn’t have the soulful history sound that Chapman delivered about growing up. It was Chapmans lesbian anthem. It’s funny how a cis white dude can sing it and the industry shoves it like this amazing cover.
The Isaac Hayes one is the dopest.