Today (Aug. 31), Doja Cat revealed an altered album cover for her forthcoming record, Scarlet. The swift redesign followed raised eyebrows over the art’s eerie resemblance to that of German hardcore metal band Chaver’s upcoming LP, Of Gloom. The initial images sported remarkably similar paintings of dark pink spiders, which were both creations by Dusty Ray.
Chaver seemingly announced their project first on Wednesday (Aug. 31) while lauding the designer for his craftsmanship. “The striking cover art, masterfully crafted by Dusty Ray [who has been with us since our first album], serves as a captivating contrast to the album’s intense music, setting the stage for a trip to a place of pain,” the band shared in their initial Instagram post. The caption has since changed following the controversy.
Meanwhile, Doja’s fans were left puzzled when they noticed the overlapping imagery after the artist debuted her version. One user wrote, “Who the f**k designed THE SAME [cover] for two clients?” Though Ray acknowledged his participation in both projects on social media, neither the graphic designer nor the musical acts have directly addressed the uncanny coincidence.
Moreover, the rapper replaced the single spider artwork with a pair of arachnids appearing to lock mouths. The change arrived amid anticipation building for Scarlet. The LP is preceded by teaser singles like “Attention” and “Paint the Town Red,” which have already created a buzz due to fan speculation and recurring demonic themes.
Though Doja has kept mum about the tracklist so far, she hasn’t been shy about stirring excitement for her upcoming “The Scarlet Tour.” It kicks off on Oct. 31 with supporting acts Ice Spice and Doechii.
Before the voyage commences, Doja is slated to attend “The Victoria’s Secret World Tour.”Regarding the lingerie brand’s first runway show in over five years, the musician shared, “Victoria’s Secret has always been such a fun, go-to brand for me since early on, and I love that I can still say that today. Being a part of a global phenomenon like the tour has been an incredible experience.”