I Was Wrong About Vie
Written by Riley Bounds on October 23, 2025
Before Doja Cat released her fifth studio album, Vie, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to hear from her. From the snippets and promotion to the the first single “Jealous Type,” I was anticipating something different. The opinion I had been building was heavily based on my love for her previous albums Planet Her and Scarlet.
Doja Cat has proven time and time again that she is a versatile artist. She finds a way to elevate each piece of work she puts out and herself as a performer, even if the public doesn’t agree. Vie is an eighties-inspired album with a smooth and fun energy to it. The instrumentals are airy, soothing and bouncy. Her vocals feel different, like there was more experimentation with her abilities. On “Jealous Type,” we hear how far she takes them. An element I always appreciate to hear in her music is her backing vocals. They stand out and add more dimension to the tracks with echoes and high-pitched shrills. She still steps out with rap verses that fit so naturally and capture the essence of Doja Cat.
Now, when I first listened to the album on the night of its release, I wanted to dislike it. I told myself that I didn’t and just picked a few songs that had stood out to me the most. It didn’t have that tight grip on me like her other albums did and I was looking for reasons to say it wasn’t like them. Which is true; it is different from them. It is something lighter and maybe even more honest.
There were two songs that initially captured me. This first being the album opener “Cards,” which set the tone of the album. The second was “Acts of Service,” a song that felt similar and as gravitating as her song “Agora Hills.” However, once those songs concluded, I was unmoving, which was shocking for an album that makes you want to sway along. One song that contributed to that feeling was “Lipstain.” Even though its instrumental matched the rest of the album, the vocals didn’t do much for me. They didn’t feel as smooth as other tracks and the rap verse almost seemed to clash with them.
Right when I felt like the album was losing me, I was pulled right back in by “Take Me Dancing.” It is the only song on Vie with a featured artist. With a more groovy and bouncy beat, the title feels very fitting. It is quite hard to stay still when listening to this song. Doja and SZA show once again how well they work together.
“Happy” is by far my favorite track on the album. The eight second instrumental in the beginning draws you in, and the lyrics tell a sorrow story. The usage of lyrics in French heightened it in the best way.
Focusing on the production and lyrics, Vie is a good album. It is yet another example that Doja Cat can make something beautiful. An album does not need to click on the first listen to be defined as good. Some can take time to really understand and appreciate, and that’s okay.
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Zachary O'Reilly On October 27, 2025 at 5:56 am
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