Grammy winner Doechii looks to future after dream music run
Getty ImagesA top 10 single, Grammy award and a breathing exercise thatâs gone viral.
The last few weeks for American rapper Doechii have been quite something.
Or, in her words: âItâs like now my dreams arenât dreams anymore. Theyâre reality.
âI just feel like Iâm walking on the ceiling right now,â she tells Radio 1âs New Music Show.
The 26-year-old won this yearâs best rap album Grammy for Alligator Bites Never Heal â only the third female artist to do so.
And the infectious âbreathinâ exerciseâ outro from her hit single Denial is a River has got millions of people trying to emulate the âUh-uh-ooh, uh-uh-ah, uh, uh, uh, ahâŠâ lyric.
After all that, you could forgive her for wanting to take a step back and reflect, but she insists thatâs not her style.
She says her first thought when she woke up, post-Grammy win, was that she âwants to work and get in the studioâ.
âDonât let people stunt your growthâ
Doechii considers making music like âworking a muscleâ in the gym.
âSome days you have days where you hit the gym and youâre sore and then you have those days where youâre really on fire.
âThatâs what art is and thatâs what pushing the pin is for me,â she says.
The Florida-born artist rose to prominence with the viral 2021 hit Yucky Blucky Fruitcake, after which she toured with SZA and Doja Cat.
And she says âat the front of everythingâ is thinking âa song a dayâ.
âIt doesnât need to be a good song, it just needs to be a song.
âAnd eventually, things will come out and I can make a project out of that.â
She adds taking âsmall risksâ is important.
âAnd you try things little by little, and then eventually those risks get bigger and bigger and bigger.
âAnd you trust yourself, you build a confidence and thatâs kind of how you establish who you are,â Doechii says.
Getty ImagesWhen Doechii does have a block in making music, she says itâs because âIâm criticising myselfâ.
âIâm critiquing the work. And itâs like, donât critique the work. Just get the work done and move on.â
Dealing with criticism, whether itâs from herself or outside, is something sheâs aware of.
Her speech after winning her Grammy was recognised for its message to black women.
âDonât allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you,â she told the audience.
âTo tell you that you canât be here, that youâre too dark, or that youâre not smart enough, or that youâre too dramatic, or youâre too loud. You are exactly who you need to be, to be right where you are, and I am a testimony right now.â
Speaking to 1Xtraâs Remi Burgz, she adds the intention was to tell people to trust âyour inner voiceâ.
âAnd not allowing what other people say⊠to stunt your growth.â
While it has been a joyous past few months, there is a focus on the future.
There will be an album, Doechii says, but also dreams of a Super Bowl performance âinspiredâ by Kendrick Lamar.
She says his âstory and messagingâ was on another level and is âin awe of his ability to create a performance that has a story and messageâ.
âBut itâs still digestible for people. Heâs a master at that and Iâm always inspired.â
But when she thinks back to a year ago and where she was in her career, she recalls the words of American rapper ScHoolboy Q as advice for anyone in a similar position.
âYouâll know an album is done when you have nothing left to say. Youâve bared everything.
âAnd I think thatâs a powerful message, because you keep writing until youâve gotten it all out,â she says.
