DUBAI: US rapper and singer Doja Cat released a music video for her latest single “Gorgeous” over the weekend that featured a lineup of sought-after models.
Dutch Moroccan Egyptian model Imaan Hammam joins Mona Tougaard — who has Turkish, Somali and Ethiopian roots — and US Somali star Ugbad Abdi alongside other fashion heavyweights, with the cast rounded out by Alex Consani, Anok Yai, Irina Shayk, Yseult, Paloma Elsesser, Amelia Gray Hamlin, Alex Wek, Karen Elson and Sora Choi.
Doja Cat, whose real name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, also cast her mother, Deborah Sawyer, in the video, which recreates stereotypical makeup adverts from the 1980s and features models with bouffant hairstyles posing with lip gloss cases and mascara wands.
“Gorgeous” is the latest single from the singer’s recently released fifth album, “Vie,” which takes a detour into 1980s’-themed music. Rolling Stone magazine described the 15-strong track list as “an album full of pastels and neon and mega-cheese sax solos.”
On Saturday, Hammam took to Instagram to share a behind-the-scenes video taken during the shoot, where she is seen having her makeup applied before joining Doja Cat on set. It is not the first time the 28-year-old model has starred in a music video — in 2024, she featured in a video for “Imaan” by Sudanese Canadian poet, singer and songwriter Mustafa Ahmed, known as Mustafa.
The model is known for her love of music, art and culture and launched her archival project, Ayni, in February. The platform highlights significant contributions to Arab film, art, music and literature.
“Meet Ayni (@ayni.vault), an archive dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Arab artistic expression through ‘my eyes’,” Hammam wrote on Instagram at the time of the launch.
“Follow along as I highlight some of the most significant contributions to Arab film, art, music, and literature — both old and new — and celebrate the talented artists behind them. This project holds such a special place in my heart, and I hope you enjoy it just as much as I enjoy curating it.”
