Cat Janice (31), creator of TikTok sensation, succumbs to cancer
Cat Janice, an American singer-songwriter who gained fame on TikTok earlier this year with her sensational song Dance You Outta My Head, passed away on Wednesday after a turbulent battle with sarcoma cancer. She was 31. The news of her death was shared by her brother on her official Instagram account. Born Catherine Janice Ipsan, she's survived by her husband-musician Kyle Higginbotham, and a seven-year-old son.
But first, understand what the disease means
Per Johns Hopkins Medicine, "Sarcomas are rare cancers that develop in the bones and soft tissues, including fat, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, deep skin tissues, and fibrous tissues." "According to the National Cancer Institute, about 12,000 cases of soft tissue sarcomas and 3,000 cases of bone sarcomas are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Bone sarcomas are more common among children while soft tissue sarcomas are more common in adults."
Was declared cancer-free, but the disease reared its head again
Janice was diagnosed with cancer in 2021. After undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, she was declared cancer-free on July 22, 2022. However, the recovery did not last long and the cancer returned earlier this year, forcing her to enter hospice. While releasing her last song, DYOMH, she stated, "I want my last song to bring joy and fun! It's all I've ever wanted through my battle with cancer." All the earnings will go to her son, Loren.
Her brother thanked her followers and supporters via Instagram statement
Her brother wrote in the statement, "This morning, from her childhood home and surrounded by her loving family, Catherine peacefully entered the light and love of her heavenly creator." "Cat saw her music go places she never expected and rests in the peace of knowing that she will continue to provide for her son through her music. This would not have been possible without all of you."
Posthumous music release and chart success
Her Instagram announcement also revealed that more music will be released posthumously as per Janice's wishes. "Per Cat's request, there is some more art that she wants to share too. All in due time," the statement read. Since its debut, DYOMH climbed to the top of the TikTok Billboard Top 50 on February 17 and broke into the top 10 of Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, garnering 5,000 downloads and 1.2M official U.S. streams according to Luminate.
Janice was stuck in her 'near lifeless' body
Janice—who regularly documented her battle with cancer on TikTok—spoke about her deterioration earlier this month. "I've been stuck slowly passing, unable to move, cannot use my legs, trapped in this near lifeless body. Cancer is no joke and never plays nice. But this beautiful moment helps me remember that soon I'll be flying through the heavens, soaring through the next dimension." "I'll finally be free and boy am I gonna dance."
She earlier expressed gratitude toward her listeners
After the song blew up, Janice expressed her gratitude toward her listeners. She wrote on Instagram, "I am in complete shock. I woke up cause my med pump was beeping and I happened to check my phone to witness this absolute miracle of God saving my life for a few days to show me his power and incredible mastery of peace and trust in my life."
Janice's awards and social media popularity
Before her battle with cancer, Janice had established herself as a rising star in the world of music, clinching the Washington Area Music Award in the Best Rock Artist category in Washington, D.C., in 2019. In 2023, she was honored with the Robert Allen Award from The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP Foundation). She had 32.9L monthly listeners on Spotify, 445K followers on Instagram, and 1.9M followers on TikTok.
