Cat Janice, the singer who went viral for dedicating her last song to her son and inspired a viral TikTok trend, has died from cancer, her family confirmed on Wednesday.
Her family announced the news on her Instagram account: “This morning, from her childhood home and surrounded by her loving family, Catherine peacefully entered the light and love of her heavenly creator.
“We are eternally thankful for the outpouring of love that Catherine and our family have received over the past few months. 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.”
Janice was suffering from sarcoma cancer, a rare cancer that develops in bones and soft tissues. She died at the age of 31.
On TikTok, Janice documented her cancer journey and shared with followers that she first noticed a lump in her neck in November 2021, which continued to get bigger. In 2022, it was revealed she had cancer. Although she announced she was cancer-free in July 2022, the cancer returned to her lungs this time and she entered hospice last month.
Proceeds from Janice’s viral song went to her son, a request she made when she learned she would be dying soon.
The song she dedicated to her young song, Dance You Outta My Head, released on 19 January, reached No 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 and was in the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. The song has also been streamed on Spotify more than 12m times worldwide.
“I changed all the rights of my songs to my son so I can leave him behind something. I don’t have much,” the singer wrote in a video posted on TikTok on 15 January. She asked fans to pre-save the song.
In her last TikTok video, Janice said she had “always been so strong” and that “spending the last few weeks unable to walk has left me feeling trapped.
“But this helped me remember when I get to heaven,” she continued, “I’m going to dance with God and soar above the clouds and I cannot wait.”
