Cat Janice, a 31-year-old singer from the Washington, D.C., area who gained attention for a viral song dedicated to her son which she wrote while fighting cancer, has died.
Her family confirmed the news in a statement to The Washington Post.
Born Catherine Janice Ipsan, the singer released "Dance You Outta My Head" in January. Knowing that it might be her last song, she directed its proceeds to her 7-year-old son. The track gained global attention, inspiring thousands of TikTok posts and even made it onto a Billboard chart earlier this month.
Janice was battling sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer, when she died Wednesday in hospice care at her childhood home in Annandale, Va. She was surrounded by family members.
"She was able to pass in peace knowing that the song, and her music as a whole, would continue to provide for her son," said Will Ipsan, Janice's brother.
Janice faced her cancer battle "head-on," her brother said, resolving to fight for as long as possible. She held her loved ones close as she approached her final days, he added.
"It just really is a testament to her fearlessness," Ipsan said.
Janice chose to release "Dance You Outta My Head" in her final days. The song was inspired by a moment she shared with her son last year. They had both sung "Dance until you love me" repeatedly as she drove.
Speaking with The Washington Post earlier this year, Janice admitted she wasn't sure she'd be alive when the song was released.
"I just kind of did it, and now here we are," Janice said. "And honestly, it's a miracle."
The song's success was a brief reminder of the experiences Janice would never have with her music, like going on tour, releasing more albums and winning major music awards, Ipsan said. However, as she approached the end of her life, these aspirations seemed less significant.
"That was the realization she came to," Ipsan said. "And something way more special than any of that fun stuff is just knowing that her music had a much greater impact in being able to provide for her son while she's gone, but also her story and the song left this level of positivity and inspiration for so many people."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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