Doja Cat explains how she manages her public life when the cameras follow her outside of work. In a new interview, the singer said that she sometimes chooses to be “ugly on purpose” when the paparazzi are around because she wants a more normal experience in public. He said the attention upsets him, but instead of confronting people directly, he tries to deal with it in a more creative way and in a way that feels in his control.
Doja Cat’s paparazzi comments in the interview
On its April cover, Vogue reported that Doja Cat said she wanted to be able to shop without turning the outing into a public event. “It upsets me so much,” she said while discussing the unwanted paparazzi attention. He added that he doesn’t want to walk up to someone and say, “Stop filming me,” even if the filming bothers him.Instead, he said he handles the situation differently. “I don’t want to do that,” he said. “I think I would have preferred to do it in a creative way.” When asked what that meant, Doja Cat explained, “Sometimes I try to be ugly on purpose.” He added, “I make it a game.”
Doja Cat opens up about privacy and dating
The interview also touched on his need for privacy outside of work. Doja Cat told Vogue she was “agoraphobic, totally” as a teenager, adding: “I couldn’t leave my house.” He explained that some of these instincts still shape how he resets between projects.After the release of his album ‘Vie’ in September 2025, he stayed home in the suburbs of Los Angeles to recharge and rebuild his creative energy. He described the period as “reviving my creative bone”. He also said that being a “hermit” is part of that process. “When I’m at home, I’m at home with my cat,” she said. The report added that her friend SZA understood her need for solitude.Doja Cat also addressed her dating life in the cover story, following her remarks to Harper’s BAZAAR in 2023 about “possibly being a serial partner.” In the new interview, she said she still sees herself that way and shared that she’s dating someone now. She also said that therapy has changed how she manages distance in relationships. “That’s what therapy has done for me,” she said. She explained that she no longer spirals when someone is away and now feels calmer in those moments.
