Doja Cat‘s incredible creative and performing abilities have amazed many fans around the world. The more popular she gets, the more people seem to wonder whether her artistic talents run in the family. Indeed, Doja Cat does come from an artistic family, but she has undoubtedly carved her niche and made a name for herself in the industry with her style and talent.
Of late, past racism allegations against the “Juicy” singer have surfaced once again and got people talking about her identity and heritage. In response, Doja strongly denied the claims, bringing into light her being biracial and the culture that she has inherited from her parents. All this only grew more interest in her family and how she is with her family.
Doja Cat was born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, the daughter of Dumisani Dlamini, a South African actor, composer, and film producer, and Deborah Sawyer, a Jewish-American artist. The former is probably best known for his work in both the stage and film versions of Sarafina! while the latter is a painter who no doubt helped introduce Doja to art at an early age.
The budding Doja had grown up under her mother’s creative influences, which influenced her appreciation for the realms of music and performance.
Doja’s comments about their relationship have always been candid. With Doja citing a strained childhood and an absent parent, Dumisani has reciprocated his support with his expression of pride regarding her current state of affairs. Needless to say, such contrasting views by the duo on their family background had left many surprised.
In Doja’s career, her diverse cultural influences, both in her music and persona, really reflect her diverse upbringing. She has carved out her little lane in the industry, embracing herself while balancing personal and public life. As her star rises, interest among fans is always piqued to know about her family and experiences that have shaped this musician behind the hits.
Doja Cat’s Father Worked with Whoopi Goldberg
Doja Cat was born Amalaratna Zandile Dlamini on October 21, 1995 in Tarzana, California. Her mother, Deborah Elizabeth Sawyer, is Jewish-American and her father, Dumisani Dlamini is from South Africa, and reportedly of Zulu ethnicity.
Young Amala lived in New York and California while being raised by her single mother. Dlamini was reportedly not part of his daughter’s life for the most part.
Dlamini is a talented actor, film producer, musician, and dancer in his home country and has performed on Broadway. He is most famous for working alongside Whoopi Goldberg in 1992’s Sarafina film. He later reprised his character of Crocodile in the Broadway production.
After touring with the Sarafina stage production, he decided to live in the U.S., where he met Sawyer in the ‘90s. They have two daughters together.
Dlamini said that he became homesick after living and performing in the U.S. for over 15 years and wanted to return to South Africa. He wanted to take Sawyer and their daughters with him, but it didn’t work out and he returned alone.
Doja Cat said in 2019 that she had never met her father. Though she did say he comments often on her Instagram posts. Dlamini countered her claims, saying they have a healthy father-daughter relationship.
In April 2020, a video of Doja meeting Whoopi Goldberg was a hot topic on the Internet. Their encounter led to them chatting about Doja Cat’s estranged father. When the video went viral, her fans appealed to Dlamini to make more of an effort to meet his daughter.
But it doesn’t seem that the “Mooo!” rapper has any ill feelings toward her dad. When her mother showed her clips of her father performing, Doja expressed her admiration for his talent.
Doja Cat is currently embroiled in racism allegations. She has denied those accusations and expressed her pride in her South African roots.
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Doja Cat’s Mother Is an Artist
Something the controversial artist gushes about is her artistic family. Besides her father being a multi-hyphenate entertainer, her mother is an artist.
Deborah Sawyer went from painter to visual artist to digital graphic artist to clothing designer. She was born in the UK, grew up in Canada, and now has her career based in New York.
Sawyer raised her daughters by herself after Dlamini returned to South Africa. But unlike him, she hasn’t spoken about Doja’s estrangement from Dlamini.
She graduated from The College of New Jersey in Ewing with a BFA in Studio Art in 1993 and went on to acquire her MFA in painting from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn in 1995.
With a wide area of experience that covers painting, sculpting, and everything in between, Sawyer has held exhibitions and interned at art galleries. Doja Cat said that her mother’s latest career focus is designing a clothing line.