"I feel good that I pushed myself": Doja Cat opens up about criticism of her Oscars 2025 performance

The 97th Academy Awards saw a musical tribute to the James Bond franchise. The act featured performances from Doja Cat, BLACKPINK's Lisa, and Raye.

The trio took the stage in a medley of beloved Bond theme songs. Doja Cat performed a rendition of Diamonds Are Forever. The song was originally sung by Shirley Bassey. The performance received mixed reactions from audiences and critics. Below are some instances where netizens took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts over Doja Cat's performance in the Oscars 2025 Bond tribute:

"Why even get Doja Cat in the first place? Weird choice. Shoulda just got Jagger to do Live and Let Die as well," shared an X user.

"And what’s her excuse for her shitty recorded songs?", commented another.

"The issue isn’t really about her singing it’s about the pointlessness of the tribute it began with," added a third.

Now, Doja Cat has addressed the criticism. She has publicly acknowledged that she is proud of stepping outside her comfort zone.

She took to her official Instagram page to share a note on the matter. Doja Cat's long post read:

"I danced with sarah paulson last night also Flow is my favorite movie of all time cuz it is a story about friendship. Thanks to the Academy Awards and Vanity Fair for having me. I never get to sing like that and what I did was brave and scary as f*ck for me. I know a lot of people did not like it but a lot of people did and I feel good that I pushed myself."

Doja described the performance as a challenge. However, she remained positive about the whole experience. She continued:

"The song is a classic and I put a lot of work into it but the nerves got to me and a b*tch hit some flats. I can’t wait to do something like that again. What a blessing that was. I feel amazing about the whole thing. Bye. 🙏💓"

She added in the comment:

"Also ALL the girls chewed down last night God BLESS them all. Absolutely gorgeous performances from everyone 🥲"

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James Bond tribute at the Oscars 2025: Lisa, Raye, and Doja Cat's performance explored

The tribute opened with actress Margaret Qualley. She performed a choreographed dance in a red satin dress, which gave a nod to the Bond girls of the past.

Lisa from BLACKPINK kicked off the medley with Paul McCartney and Wings’ Live and Let Die. Doja Cat then took the spotlight for Diamonds Are Forever. She rocked a gown adorned with Swarovski crystals that hinted at the song’s theme.

Finally, Raye closed the performance with a rendition of Adele’s Skyfall, an Oscar-winning theme song from the 2012 Bond film.