Doja Cat's Song for "Elvis" Is Ineligible for the 2023 Oscars
It’s their loss.
Doja Cat has been having a good year, to say the least as the artist has won Grammy after Grammy for her viral hit songs, like “Say So” and “Kiss Me More.” However, it seems like the Oscars are less than impressed with her star power as her song, “Vegas,” does not qualify for nomination for the 95th Academy Awards and fans are left wondering why.
The song in question cannot be considered by the Oscars because its words aren’t entirely original. Co-written in collaboration with producers Roget Chahayed and Yeti Beats, “Vegas” pays homage to Elvis Presley‘s classic song, “Hound Dog.” While an understandable creative choice for the biopic starring Austin Butler, the song includes the familiar lyric, “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog.”
The Oscars guidelines explicitly require that lyrics and music are “original and written specifically for the motion picture.” While Vegas was obviously written for Elvis, its words are not entirely original. Doja Cat wasn’t the only artist snubbed as the score for TÁR created by Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir is also ineligible as the music is “diluted by the use of pre-existing music.”
While she may not be up for an Oscar, Doja Cat is still winning in our eyes.
The 2023 Academy Awards are scheduled to premiere on March 12, 2023.
