Social Media Drags Doja Cat’s ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ Performance at the Oscars

Doja Cat took the Oscars stage for what should have been a glamorous James Bond tribute, but instead, it turned into a social media bloodbath. The singer-rapper attempted to channel Shirley Bassey’s iconic “Diamonds Are Forever,” and let’s just say—audiences were not having it. The internet wasted no time roasting her vocals, with users calling it everything from “horrible” to “mutilation.”

The Bond Tribute That Went Left

The 97th Academy Awards decided to honor the legacy of James Bond with a medley of its most legendary theme songs. The lineup? Lisa from BLACKPINK belted out Live and Let Die, Doja Cat tackled Diamonds Are Forever, and Raye brought it home with Skyfall. The tribute was introduced by Halle Berry, who set the stage for an elegant celebration of Bond history. Sounds perfect, right? Wrong.

Doja’s performance was the moment that had social media in flames. Instead of a sultry, powerful rendition of Shirley Bassey’s classic, viewers were met with shaky notes, questionable vocal choices, and, according to some, a complete disaster.

Margaret Qualley, Lisa, Doja Cat and Raye take the stage for the James Bond tribute at the #Oscars2025 pic.twitter.com/BYOgETETYq

— ASTHTC (@theASTHTC) March 3, 2025

Twitter Did Not Hold Back

If Doja Cat was hoping for praise, Twitter had other plans. The timeline exploded with critiques, and some users didn’t mince words:

• “Doja Cat that was actually a horrible vocal performance what the fck were you thinking.”
• “Doja Cat mutilated Diamonds Are Forever. It was absolutely terrible!”
• “Oh god. Doja Cat is not hitting any notes… this is terrible.”
• “God damn yo I did not know Doja Cat was this terrible at singing oh my.”
• “WOW DOJA CAT SOUNDED TERRIBLE HELP.”

The draggings were relentless, and for many, this was their villain origin story against Doja’s live vocals.

The Few Who Defended Her

Of course, not everyone thought it was a train wreck. Far Out Magazine went as far as to call it a “thunderous performance that will make Shirley Bassey proud.” Others argued that her unique tone made for an interesting, modern take on the Bond classic. Unfortunately, their voices were drowned out by an overwhelming wave of criticism.

The Bigger Picture: Did Doja Cat Just Prove She’s Not a Vocalist?

This performance reignites the debate over Doja Cat’s singing abilities. While she’s undeniably a talented rapper and pop star, her live vocals have been a topic of debate for years. Many fans love her studio recordings, but live performances have often been hit or miss.

Could this Oscars moment be a minor setback, or did Doja just solidify her place in the “stick to rapping” club? Either way, one thing is certain—Diamonds Are Forever, but this performance might haunt her forever, too.