Doja Cat has yet again proven her range and creativity with her new single ‘Vegas’, which is set to appear on the soundtrack for the 2022 Elvis biopic, which is slated to come out in June. She originally debuted the song during her Coachella set ahead of its official release.
The song samples audio clips from Elvis Pressley’s ‘Hound Dog’ and incorporates both rapping and singing into the track. Even though a Doja Cat song with a quick beat might seem like an interesting choice for the lead single on an Elvis biopic, but I think the context of the biopic actually lends a lot more to the song than meets the eye.
Let’s get one thing cleared up first and foremost: the song is great. It’s simply one of those tracks with a unique melody, beat, and flow that goes perfectly with Doja Cat’s voice and lyricism. This song is most reminiscent of her song ‘Freak’, which relies on a similar vintage vibe in order to deliver on a fun, flirtatious, and musically rich track.
Yes, the song is quite pop-tinged, but there’s a great balance there. Not to mention, her verses on the song are great—and with Doja putting out quite a few songs of late where she foregoes rapping to feature her singing voice, this is a welcome addition.
So, where does this fit into the Elvis biopic? I suspect that some people will have a lot to say about a pop song—especially one with hip hop and rap roots—heading off the soundtrack of a vintage biopic. If this is your concern, I have one word for you: Gatsby.
The way I see this going, the Elvis biopic has the potential to take the soundtrack in the same direction as the 2013 film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, which featured a pop and hip hop soundtrack that built on a foundation of vintage and period-appropriate samples. It created a world within the film—one that was both unique and recognisable. And based on this, the same can be true for the 2022 Elvis film, and Doja Cat’s role within it.
If you want to listen to Doja Cat’s new single ‘Vegas’, you can find it down below.
