Topping worldwide music charts from her hospice bed, US-based artist Cat Janice is leaving behind a joyful, dance-pop song for her 7-year-old son in a bittersweet farewell.
Janice, 31, has been fighting an aggressive sarcoma since 2021. Earlier this year, she received the devastating news that the rare form of cancer would take her life.
With an uncertain timeline left to live, Janice decided to release a special song she had in her “vault”, writing on Instagram that she “knew this was the one”.
Despite the incredibly sad diagnosis, the song Janice gifted to the world Dance You Outta My Head is a groovy, upbeat dance hit that, since being released on January 19th, has gone viral on TikTok and charted top 10 worldwide. Here in Australia, the song hit #1 in the charts.
“I want to leave behind smiles, grooves and joy for you and I know this is the right song for that,” Janice wrote to her followers on Instagram upon its release.
A mother’s gift to her son
Probably the most heartfelt part to Janice’s incredible story is that she’s signed over all the song’s royalties to her 7-year-old son, Loren, so that she can leave him with support after her passing.
“I am leaving all proceeds to my son who is very musically inclined, hoping to give him the boost in music he will need later in life,” Janice said.
She’s asked people to stream/watch the song as much as possible.
The song itself was born out of inspiration from a car ride she’d had with her son, Janice told the Washingtonian. The two were “grooving” and singing along to one another when they landed on the line, “dance until you love me”.
Janice said this eventually turned into “Dance You Out of My Head” when she began to write the labor of love.
All over the world, people have resonated with the song, creating their own videos dancing to the catchy beat and leaving comments on Janice’s videos about how much her story has meant to them.
Aussie musician, Jack River commented on one of her posts, saying: “Sending infinite love from Australia ~ from one music making mother to another xxx”.
“I’m just honestly so blown away by everyone’s love and how they’ve support me through this and shared this story,” Janice told the Today Show. “I really do believe it’s a miracle to be able to witness this. I’m just very happy to be here.”
Even before her tragic diagnosis, Janice would update her social media with her journey battling cancer. She grew up around the Washington DC area and was recently married to her partner, Kyle Higginbotham.
Along with her prowess for music, Janice has worked as a geospatial information scientist, loves playing soccer and is known for organising neighbourhood cleanups, according to her little sister, Meredith, who set up a GoFundMe page to help with Janice’s medical expenses.
“Catherine (Cat) is one of the coolest, smartest and most loving people you will ever meet”, writes Meredith.