An Analysis of “Demons”: Doja Cat’s Horror-Inspired Music Video
Image Courtesy: VEVO
Doja Cat has become a polarizing figure that has continuously pushed boundaries. With her recent music video release, “Demons,” the singer’s polarizing effect on mainstream culture is exhibited through her ability to always find intricate ways to display her vision. This is especially present in Doja Cat's use of symbolism and references to horror films, ranging from The Shining to Poltergeist. The content of the video has brought about a lot of opposing opinions, especially from religious communities, as it illustrates Doja in a demonic state. While “Demons” has caused a lot of discourse online, it doesn’t take away from the directing of the video itself, from the costuming to the flickering lights in specific scenes there are so many elements that were truly thought out.
The music video stars Christina Ricci as the mother of a family that lives in a house haunted by demons, all played by Doja Cat. Right from the beginning of the video, the audience is exposed to an ominous energy that sets the tone for the entire song. At the beginning of the video, we see Ricci lying flat on the bed unmoving, as Doja – in all black with blinged-out snake jewelry – is crawling all over the room. Here we can see that Ricci is experiencing sleep paralysis, with Doja showing up in her nightmares. It's been theorized by individuals on YouTube such as the channel Signs & Symbols, that Doja is portraying a specific type of demon, the succubus. As mentioned previously, Doja adorns snake-like jewelry, which could be referencing Medusa, a mythological succubus.
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Not only does Doja embody this horror-inspired creature in her video, but we hear in the song itself that, instead of going for her more well-known pop sound, she shifts to a more rap-focused performance. Along with her transformation in sound and music video style, her attitude and content in recent social media posts have also reflected a change in the artist’s expression.
Even throughout the“Demons” video, with her use of symbolism through the static TV, we can see she could be referencing the public and how she is being perceived online currently. It's almost as if she is saying that if you have criticisms of her work and character, you can shut the TV off, or like the music video’s depicted family, leave the house. Since Doja Cat was a director of the video, you can tell she took the time to make a lot of subtle and some very prominent references to both the current public climate and the horror films she was inspired by. Specifically, Poltergeist is heavily referenced, a film about a family of five who experience sinister events as a result of being haunted by demons. For example, the scene of the music video depicting a hand emerging from the static T.V. screen clearly parallels that same scene of the film.
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There is a major visual tone shift in the video when it switches from Ricci being terrorized by Doja to showing Doja sitting in a bathtub in a humanized state. This scene with Doja sitting in this light green bathroom references the bathroom scene in The Shining, as the bathrooms are almost identical, and both scenes depict naked women sitting in the bathtub. The Shining is an astounding horror film about a family that has to watch over a haunted empty hotel for the winter. The longer the family stays, the more they become negatively affected. We also see in this scene how Doja has an eyeball adorned behind her head. This could be in reference to a multitude of cultural phenomena and Doja’s personal struggles with fame, such as accusations of her being a part of the Illuminati or even being continuously watched by social media; where it seems that there are dwindling ways to keep one’s privacy. Doja forces us to look internally at our own inner demons and see what message she is trying to convey.
In essence, Doja Cat’s music video “Demons” depicts her willingness to push boundaries, even if it means receiving backlash and provoking discussions. It showcases her ability and dedication to her craft while finding references in a host of aspects of film. Whether one loves it or loathes it, there is no denying that Doja Cat's work continues to leave a lasting impression on today’s music and cultural landscape.
Strike Out,
Writer: Emily Montarroyos
Editor: Cristina Angee
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