Cat Janice

Catherine Janice
Background information
Birth nameCatherine Janice Ipsan
Born(1993-01-20)January 20, 1993
Northern Virginia, U.S.
DiedFebruary 28, 2024(2024-02-28) (aged 31)
Annandale, Virginia, U.S.
GenresDance, electronic,[1] disco-pop,[2] alt-pop[3]
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
Discographycat
Years active2014–2024
Websitecatjanicemusic.com

Catherine Janice Ipsan (January 20, 1993 – February 28, 2024), known professionally as Cat Janice, was an American singer-songwriter. Janice wrote and sang "Dance You Outta My Head", which went viral on TikTok.

Early years

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Catherine Janice Ipsan was born on January 20, 1993, in Northern Virginia and was raised in Annandale, Virginia.[3][4][5][6] Janice learned to play violin and piano at the age of six.[7][8][9] She had 14 years of classical training, during which she joined an orchestra, jazz bands, and theatrical productions.[10] She started writing her music around the age of 12, and she later taught herself how to produce her own music.[7][11]

Music career

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Janice released her first album, with her singing and playing piano, in 2014.[8] Her second album, Fire, was more Southern rock and was released the next year.[8] In 2019, Janice won a Washington Area Music Award (WAMMY) in the category of Best Rock Artist.[11] Janice's song "Pricey" appeared in an episode of "Selling Sunset" in 2020.[7] Another song of hers appeared on the Country Music Television show "Redneck Island".[11]

After finding a lump in her neck in 2022, Janice was diagnosed with a sarcoma, a rare, aggressive type of cancerous tumor that affects the bone marrow, in her scalene muscle.[7][12][13] At the time, Janice was working as a geospatial information scientist, taking classes toward a master's degree in coastal geology, and writing and singing her own music.[3][9]

Janice had surgery to remove the tumor and had chemotherapy.[7][8] Janice worked on her album, Modern Medicine, while under treatment.[7] Janice wrote the song "Wishing I Was You" about her cancer and chemotherapy.[2] Her son appeared in the song's video.[14] Her song "Chill the Fck Out", released in January 2023, is about struggling with stress and feeling overwhelmed.[10] The following year, Janice's doctors said she was free of cancer, but a few months later the cancer metastasized to her lungs.[7] Janice restarted chemotherapy, and she released "Modern Medicine" a few months later.[7] She performed with SOJA at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in the summer of 2023.[14] Janice became engaged to her partner Kyle Higginbotham that August, and the two married that December, knowing her time was short.[3]

Janice released her song "Dance You Outta My Head" on TikTok on January 19, 2024, four days after beginning hospice.[15][16] Co-written with Max Vernon, the song is about being one's absolute best, going out, and deciding to just dance troubles out of one's head.[14] Janice decided to release the song independently, rather than through her usual recording label, to release the song more quickly.[3] Online she wrote, "I think I'm being called home. My last joy would be if you pre-saved my song 'Dance You Outta My Head' in my bio and streamed it because all proceeds go straight to my 7-year-old boy I'm leaving behind."[7] Janice transferred the rights to all her songs to her son.[4][17] The song was inspired by a line, "Dance until you love me", that she and her son randomly sang over and over while on a drive one day.[3]

Two weeks after being released, "Dance You Outta My Head" charted at number 37 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs.[1] The song also debuted at number 2 on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales and number 11 on the overall Digital Song Sales chart.[1] It reached number 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 on February 17.[18] On iTunes, the song reached number 7 worldwide, number 1 in Romania, Ireland, and the Czech Republic, and number 12 in the United States.[2] The song won the Robert Allen Award from the ASCAP Foundation.[19]

Death

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Janice died of cancer at home in Annandale on February 28, 2024, at the age of 31, surrounded by her family.[20][21][22] Her brother shared on Instagram that additional projects created by Janice would be released posthumously with her consent.[20][23]

"Starry Night (Loren's Lullaby)", a lullaby for her son Loren, was her first song released posthumously, on March 8.[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Zellner, Xander (January 31, 2024). "10 First-Timers on Billboard's Charts This Week: Richy Mitch and The Coal Miners, MJ Lenderman, Cat Janice & More Archived February 5, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". Billboard.
  2. ^ a b c Robledo, Anthony (January 26, 2024). "'Motherly love': Singer Cat Janice enters hospice; last song proceeds go to 7-year-old son Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". USA Today.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Iati, Marisa (January 26, 2024)."From hospice, alt-pop singer releases what may be final song — for her son Archived January 27, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". The Washington Post.
  4. ^ a b Hodjat, Arya (January 24, 2024). "Meet Cat Janice, the DC Musician Who Became a Viral Pop Sensation—From Hospice Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine".Washingtonian.
  5. ^ Matter, Jacqueline (January 25, 2024). "Terminally ill musician's last song charts worldwide as she enters hospice Archived February 24, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". Fox 5 DC. WTTG-TV.
  6. ^ Sinha, Bias (January 31, 2024). "Who is Cat Janice and what happened to her? Local musician's last song for her son charts worldwide as she enters hospice Archived February 13, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". SK Pop. MSN.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i O'Bier, Taylor (January 31, 2024). "She released a song on her deathbed to benefit her son. It went viral Archived February 13, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". MSN.
  8. ^ a b c d Johnson, Trent (December 2022). "D.C.'s Hip Sonny + Cher Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". District Fray Magazine. p. 40–41.
  9. ^ a b Josephson, India (March 6, 2023). "Alt Pop Artist Cat Janice – Fighting Cancer Through Music Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". Jejune Magazine.
  10. ^ a b ""Chill the fck out" – Alt Pop artist Cat Janice fights cancer Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". Guitar Girl Magazine. January 29, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Loria, Keith (September 18, 2020). "Cat comes out to play Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". The Fairfax Times.
  12. ^ Bedford, Dorvall (January 18, 2024). "Local Musician Cat Janice Wants to Leave Behind Grooves, Smiles, and a Legacy for Her Son Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". Washington City Paper.
  13. ^ Solé, Ellen (January 29, 2024). "A dying mom dedicated her last song to her son. TikTok made it go viral Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". Today.
  14. ^ a b c Fraley, Jason (January 19, 2024). "DC musician Cat Janice, currently home in hospice, releases her last song to benefit her 7-year-old son Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". WTOP.
  15. ^ Weinberg, Lindsay (February 9, 2023). "TikToker Shares "Last Joy" of Helping Son Amid Sarcoma Cancer Battle Archived February 13, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". E! Online. MSN.
  16. ^ Consky, Mitchell (January 29, 2024). "As she enters hospice, singer gives 7-year-old son a gift to remember her by – a final song Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". CTVNews.
  17. ^ Greene, Jordan (January 25, 2024). "Musician Mom, 31, Enters Hospice in Final Days, Writes Song for Young Son: 'My Art Is All I Have to Leave Behind' (Exclusive) Archived February 13, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". People.
  18. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (February 15, 2024). "Cat Janice's 'Dance You Outta My Head; Is No. 1 on TikTok Billboard Top 50 Archived February 24, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". Billboard.
  19. ^ Roth, Maggie (January 29, 2024). "From Hospice, Musician Cat Janice Releases Song for 7-Year-Old-Son Archived February 14, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". Northern Virginia Magazine.
  20. ^ a b @cat.janice (February 28, 2024). "This morning, from her childhood home and surrounded by her loving family, Catherine peacefully entered the light and love of her heavenly creator" – via Instagram. )
  21. ^ Greene, Jordon (February 28, 2024). "Musician Mom Cat Janice Dead at 31: 'Cat Saw Her Music Go Places She Never Expected' Archived February 29, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". People.
  22. ^ Holtermann, Callie (February 28, 2024). "Cat Janice, Singer Who Released a Dance Track From Hospice, Dies at 31". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  23. ^ Aniftos, Raina (February 28, 2024). "Singer Cat Janice Dead at 31 After Battle With Cancer Archived February 29, 2024, at the Wayback Machine". Billboard. MSN.
  24. ^ Mendez, Malia (March 8, 2024). "Cat Janice, singer who died of cancer, told her family to 'keep the music going'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2024.
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