Doja Cat Makes Her Point About Modern Fandom
Fans that have come of age in the digital era have an entirely unique relationship with their idols, from Rihanna’s Navy, to Nicki Minaj’s Barbz, to The BTS Army and more. These are no passive consumer segment, but instead they are inarguably responsible for the success and relevance of the core product. As Billie Eilish once put it, "I don't even call them fans. I don't like that. They're literally just a part of my life; they're a part of my family." The power of a modern, connected fan community, is undeniably a major asset to known IP and talent. The Federal Reserve even declared that Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, through the spending power of Swifties across various markets, is boosting the economy.
Doja Cat however, thinks it's time to establish some boundaries. Though she admits to spending "all day and night browsing the internet" while coming of age, Doja Cat just lost nearly 300,000 followers after she told super fans identifying as "kittenz" to "get off your phone and get a job". The drama follows in the footsteps of having multiple run-ins with demanding fans, but more broadly being in a creative position that is too reliant on giving an audience exactly what they want.
If a modern fan community is really more co-owner of their idol's success, influence, and relevance, to what debt are they owed? Doja's point is not unlike the critique of super fan culture visible in Swarm, The Idol, or why it was so disturbing that a fan threw human ashes at Pink during a recent live show. Even Star Wars has had its bout with toxic fandom. Doja, just like any other entertainment entity with a devoted social community, is speaking out about the catch 22 of being so in service to them. "I have thrown fits my whole career because I have been making music that didn't allow me to have a mental release. I have been making music that is palatable, marketable, and sellable," she recently shared in an interview. Behind Doja's sentiment is the larger question for entertainment development and marketing: at what point does being so in service of super fans actually hinder the ability to innovate and grow?
To quote Steve Jobs, "Some people say, 'give the customers what they want.' But that's not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they're going to want before they do".