Doja Cat‘s “Paint The Town Red” was a smash hit upon its release, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in a row. But she wasn’t really a fan of the song when she made it.
Talking to Apple Music’s Ebro Darden in an interview published on Thursday (December 14), the hitmaker explained that the song felt pretty cheesy to her, but she knew that it would be the hit she needed it to be.
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“I thought ‘Paint The Town Red’ reminded me of like, Target or like Macy’s. It reminded me of like, GAP,” she admitted with a laugh. “I don’t why. It just kind of is that. And I know it starts with a curse word and it’s like a little bit edgy in that sense and I say, ‘I’m a demon, Lord!’ Like yeah, I get that, but that song just had a very pants-up-high vibe. And you know I think strategically because I can be strategic.
“I think it was a good addition to the album and a strong addition to the album. I know that it’s a strong song. And I did [expect it to be as popular as it is] and I was kind of running that from a little bit. I didn’t really want to have that pants-up-high song, the goofy, kind of palatable…
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She continued: “I wanted to make a little bit of a darker, slower album but I don’t think this was the time for that. I think keeping it on the album was a smart move because I want to slowly trickle into sort of moodier vibes creatively. Like, I’m not gonna be doing that forever.”
You can watch the full interview below. The “Paint The Town Red” convo happens at the 15:05 mark.
“Paint The Town Red” samples Dionne Warwick’s classic “Walk On By,” but during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show earlier this month, the legendary singer revealed she had no idea who Doja Cat was.
“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.”
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“Paint The Town Red” ultimately landed on Doja Cat’s Scarlet album, released on September 22.
