When is a music video more than just a music video?<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/assets\/img\/icon\/chat-rect.svg\")
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<\/source><\/picture>A screenshot of the “Demons” music video.<\/span> | Screenshot\/YouTube\/Doja Cat<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u201cC\u2019mon, it\u2019s only a music video.\u201d<\/p>\n
At this point, it\u2019s all too predictable: a middling but relatively successful female music artist goes all-in on satanic imagery and \u2014 like the temptation the devil put before Jesus \u2014 suddenly they\u2019ve got the keys to the kingdom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beyonce Knowles<\/a>. Katy Perry<\/a>. Cardi B<\/a>. Miley Cyrus<\/a>. Et cetera, et cetera.\u00a0<\/p>\nSo when rapper-singer Doja Cat released a new music video in which she dons a demonic persona and terrorizes an unwitting victim (played by actress Christina Ricci, in an apparent nod to her \u201cAddams Family\u201d roots), well, let\u2019s just say it\u2019s barely newsworthy nowadays.<\/p>\n
Or is it?<\/p>\n
The music video for \u201cDemons,\u201d directed by Christian Breslauer, pays homage to some of the greatest horror films of all time, from the snowy static of old-school late-night TVs to the infamous shower scene from \u201cThe Shining.\u201d When it comes to genre, the video leaves no doubt as to which category Breslauer prefers.<\/p>\n
And while we won\u2019t share the video itself here due to its excessive profanity, sinister themes and blatant satanic imagery, much of its content can be gathered from social media posts which Doja Cat \u2014 whose real name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamin \u2014 shared on her Instagram page.<\/p>\n
On Aug. 22, the artist posted <\/a>a silhouette of herself wearing horns with the caption, \u201c9.1.23\u201d in reference to the debut of \u201cDemons,\u201d prompting one fan to comment, \u201cThe religious people will love this one.\u201d<\/p>\nDays later, she shared an image <\/a>from the video shoot in which she can be seen hanging upside down from the ceiling and wearing an all-black latex-style body suit with black horns atop her head and long, claw-like fingernails.<\/p>\n\nAnother image <\/a>showed Doja Cat scaling the walls of the same room.<\/p>\n\n\u201cDemons\u201d is reportedly the sixth track from Doja Cat\u2019s soon-to-be-released album titled Hellmouth<\/em>.<\/p>\nGet it? Demons. Hellmouth. Devil horns. Nothing to see here. Because for Doja Cat, none of this is particularly new.<\/p>\n
Her hit \u201cPaint the Town Red,\u201d which was released<\/a> just last month, has 30 million views on YouTube and is the No. 12 top music video on the entire platform.<\/p>\nThat video also has no shortage of satanic imagery, including the artist literally dancing on top of some sort of horned demon head while wearing a sleeve decorated with \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 red pentagrams.<\/p>\n
Oh yeah, and in that video, Doja Cat also flirts with the Grim Reaper while wearing an all-red hooded dress, eats raw meat while wearing a cross necklace and shirt with the word \u201cFERAL,\u201d and again wears horns on her head while getting familiar with another dark horned figure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
You know, just typical music video stuff.<\/p>\n
And maybe that\u2019s what this is all about.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPaint the Town Red,\u201d after all, is a sort of response song to criticism aimed at Doja Cat over the dark imagery in her videos and whether she, like Robert Johnson and so many before her, actually sold her soul to Satan.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not as though Doja Cat doesn\u2019t realize the impact she might have on her audience; she\u2019s laughed off accusations <\/a>about her \u201cdemonic\u201d tattoo and even changed <\/a>her profile image on TikTok to a demonic face.\u00a0<\/p>\nSo, clearly, she\u2019s not concerned with making the wrong impression that she might, just maybe, have a taste for the satanic.<\/p>\n
And make no mistake, the music industry is taking notice: not only is Doja Cat set to perform <\/a>at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards this month \u2014 where she\u2019s also nominated for best video of the year and artist of the year \u2014 but she\u2019s also headlining <\/a>the upcoming \u201cVictoria\u2019s Secret World Tour on Prime Video.<\/p>\nWhich begs the question: why not just come out and say it? Why not just be honest with your fan base and tell them who you really are?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Or if this is some sort of marketing play and\/or initiation ritual (no emails, please), why not just say that? Why advertise the product in the first place if that\u2019s not your brand?<\/p>\n
The thing is, the devil doesn\u2019t show up with horns and pitchforks, but actually masquerades as an angel of light, something beautiful, glorious even: \u201cAnd no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.\u201d (2 Corinthians 11:14)<\/a><\/p>\nBut whereas before the demons of this age felt the need to conceal their true identity, in the year of our Lord 2023, they can no longer be bothered with such technicalities.<\/p>\n
Instead, it\u2019s in our face, on our children\u2019s devices. It permeates the culture. It glories in the fact that most people just don\u2019t know their Bibles. It feeds on our theological ignorance.<\/p>\n
And it absolutely loves lukewarm Christianity.<\/p>\n
But rest assured, like so many before it, \u201cDemons\u201d isn\u2019t just another music video.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a commercial for everything that we, as Christians, are supposed to hate<\/a> and, in Christ, ultimately relegate to the dustbins of history.\u00a0<\/p>\n\nIan M. Giatti is a reporter for The Christian Post and the author of\u00a0BACKWARDS DAD: a children’s book for grownups<\/a><\/em>. He can be reached at:\u00a0ian.giatti@christianpost.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nFree<\/span> Religious Freedom Updates<\/h2>\nJoin thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST<\/strong> newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/source><\/picture>\u201cC\u2019mon, it\u2019s only a music video.\u201d<\/p>\n
At this point, it\u2019s all too predictable: a middling but relatively successful female music artist goes all-in on satanic imagery and \u2014 like the temptation the devil put before Jesus \u2014 suddenly they\u2019ve got the keys to the kingdom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beyonce Knowles<\/a>. Katy Perry<\/a>. Cardi B<\/a>. Miley Cyrus<\/a>. Et cetera, et cetera.\u00a0<\/p>\n So when rapper-singer Doja Cat released a new music video in which she dons a demonic persona and terrorizes an unwitting victim (played by actress Christina Ricci, in an apparent nod to her \u201cAddams Family\u201d roots), well, let\u2019s just say it\u2019s barely newsworthy nowadays.<\/p>\n Or is it?<\/p>\n The music video for \u201cDemons,\u201d directed by Christian Breslauer, pays homage to some of the greatest horror films of all time, from the snowy static of old-school late-night TVs to the infamous shower scene from \u201cThe Shining.\u201d When it comes to genre, the video leaves no doubt as to which category Breslauer prefers.<\/p>\n And while we won\u2019t share the video itself here due to its excessive profanity, sinister themes and blatant satanic imagery, much of its content can be gathered from social media posts which Doja Cat \u2014 whose real name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamin \u2014 shared on her Instagram page.<\/p>\n On Aug. 22, the artist posted <\/a>a silhouette of herself wearing horns with the caption, \u201c9.1.23\u201d in reference to the debut of \u201cDemons,\u201d prompting one fan to comment, \u201cThe religious people will love this one.\u201d<\/p>\n Days later, she shared an image <\/a>from the video shoot in which she can be seen hanging upside down from the ceiling and wearing an all-black latex-style body suit with black horns atop her head and long, claw-like fingernails.<\/p>\n\n Another image <\/a>showed Doja Cat scaling the walls of the same room.<\/p>\n\n \u201cDemons\u201d is reportedly the sixth track from Doja Cat\u2019s soon-to-be-released album titled Hellmouth<\/em>.<\/p>\n Get it? Demons. Hellmouth. Devil horns. Nothing to see here. Because for Doja Cat, none of this is particularly new.<\/p>\n Her hit \u201cPaint the Town Red,\u201d which was released<\/a> just last month, has 30 million views on YouTube and is the No. 12 top music video on the entire platform.<\/p>\n That video also has no shortage of satanic imagery, including the artist literally dancing on top of some sort of horned demon head while wearing a sleeve decorated with \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 red pentagrams.<\/p>\n Oh yeah, and in that video, Doja Cat also flirts with the Grim Reaper while wearing an all-red hooded dress, eats raw meat while wearing a cross necklace and shirt with the word \u201cFERAL,\u201d and again wears horns on her head while getting familiar with another dark horned figure.\u00a0<\/p>\n You know, just typical music video stuff.<\/p>\n And maybe that\u2019s what this is all about.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPaint the Town Red,\u201d after all, is a sort of response song to criticism aimed at Doja Cat over the dark imagery in her videos and whether she, like Robert Johnson and so many before her, actually sold her soul to Satan.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not as though Doja Cat doesn\u2019t realize the impact she might have on her audience; she\u2019s laughed off accusations <\/a>about her \u201cdemonic\u201d tattoo and even changed <\/a>her profile image on TikTok to a demonic face.\u00a0<\/p>\n So, clearly, she\u2019s not concerned with making the wrong impression that she might, just maybe, have a taste for the satanic.<\/p>\n And make no mistake, the music industry is taking notice: not only is Doja Cat set to perform <\/a>at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards this month \u2014 where she\u2019s also nominated for best video of the year and artist of the year \u2014 but she\u2019s also headlining <\/a>the upcoming \u201cVictoria\u2019s Secret World Tour on Prime Video.<\/p>\n Which begs the question: why not just come out and say it? Why not just be honest with your fan base and tell them who you really are?\u00a0<\/p>\n Or if this is some sort of marketing play and\/or initiation ritual (no emails, please), why not just say that? Why advertise the product in the first place if that\u2019s not your brand?<\/p>\n The thing is, the devil doesn\u2019t show up with horns and pitchforks, but actually masquerades as an angel of light, something beautiful, glorious even: \u201cAnd no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.\u201d (2 Corinthians 11:14)<\/a><\/p>\n But whereas before the demons of this age felt the need to conceal their true identity, in the year of our Lord 2023, they can no longer be bothered with such technicalities.<\/p>\n Instead, it\u2019s in our face, on our children\u2019s devices. It permeates the culture. It glories in the fact that most people just don\u2019t know their Bibles. It feeds on our theological ignorance.<\/p>\n And it absolutely loves lukewarm Christianity.<\/p>\n But rest assured, like so many before it, \u201cDemons\u201d isn\u2019t just another music video.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s a commercial for everything that we, as Christians, are supposed to hate<\/a> and, in Christ, ultimately relegate to the dustbins of history.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ian M. Giatti is a reporter for The Christian Post and the author of\u00a0BACKWARDS DAD: a children’s book for grownups<\/a><\/em>. He can be reached at:\u00a0ian.giatti@christianpost.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST<\/strong> newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFree<\/span> Religious Freedom Updates<\/h2>\n