Agora Hills

Album: Scarlet (2023)
Charted: 23 7
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Songfacts®:

  • "Agora Hills" is Doja Cat's anthem of unapologetic love for the comedian and internet personality Jeffrey "J" Cyrus. She repeatedly sings, "I wanna show you off," testifying her eagerness to bring their relationship into the limelight.
  • Doja paints Cyrus as her rock, her emotional refuge, and the one who mended her heart after a painful breakup. This song is a grand gesture, making it official and letting him know she's all in.

    Cyrus has sparked controversy with accusations of grooming and sexual misconduct. Doja, though, isn't swayed by the naysayers and throws her love in the face of criticism, defending her choice with unapologetic fervor.

    Take you 'round the world, they don't have to understand
    Rub it in their face, put a rock on her hand
  • Although not mentioned in the song's lyrics, "Agora Hills" is a reference to Doja Cat's upbringing. She spent her formative years at an ashram commune nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains of Agoura Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles, founded and led by jazz musician Alice Coltrane.

    Doja Cat's deliberate misspelling of the city's name links to the track's meaning. "Agora" traces its roots to ancient Greece, denoting the bustling heart of a city-state where commerce, civic affairs, and social life converged. It's also the root of "agoraphobia," an anxiety disorder that makes people dread and avoid crowded public spaces. And that's precisely what the song delves into: being open in bustling places while in the company of your romantic partner.
  • Doja Cat wrote "Agora Hills" with the song's producers Earl On The Beat, Gentuar Memishi, Bangs and Jean Baptiste. Earl on the Beat and Jean Baptiste also co-produced Doja's chart-topping hit "Paint The Town Red."
  • "Agora Hills" samples R&B group Troop's 1990 version of the Jackson Five song "All I Do Is Think of You." Consequently, its writers, Michael Lovesmith and Brian Holland, also get credits on "Agora Hills."
  • Hannah Lux Davis (Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj) co-directed the music video with Doja Cat. They shot it in Pomona, California, and Koreatown in Los Angeles.

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