When will this random girl stop writing about Doechii you may ask? Well unfortunately for you, the answer is never! This past week Doechii, an American rapper and singer, once again seized everyone's attention for three minutes and sixteen seconds during her fierce performance at the Grammys. Doechii’s music is a form of art that is both an auditory and viewing experience. Her dedication to her sound is palpable and radiates off of every line falling from her lips. Her artistry and thoughtfulness to her craft make her not only an inspiring musician, but also an exemplary performer.
The 67 Annual Grammy Awards set the stage for the booming pop industry with performances from Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX and Doechii to name just a few. These performances all had an air of individuality and uniqueness, but in my opinion, Doechii reached a whole new level. There were so many moving pieces simultaneously creating this flow of music and dance that entrapped the watcher.
Doechii’s performance began with viewers looking into a sea of charcoal grey Thome Browne suits, each dancer resembling the other, blending into a seamless stream of limbs and expressions, creating one entity. Playing with the idea of individualism within the music world, Doechii was originally mixed into this oceanic pool of grey, showing the density of the music world and how so many new and old artists are trying to make their way through these murky waters. But then Doechii’s dancers tore off her outfit, leaving her in a blindingly white bra and underwear, and we can see that Doechii has made it out of these grey waters and become a star.
Throughout the performance, there were many times when the viewer would actually lose sight of Doechii, only for her to pop up on the other side of the stage. At many points, her MC, DJ Miss Milan, who she’s been working with for many years, picked up lyrics or phrases when Doechii needed a breath. This act of not having a backing track is incredibly unpopular for musicians, especially those performing at an awards show with millions of viewers, but Doechii was able to flawlessly mesh her and Miss Milan’s voices together so that one could barely differentiate between when Doechii was rapping and when Miss Milan cut in. This almost made the viewer disoriented, hearing sounds come from one place while watching Doechii appear in another, but it was also what made this entire performance so mesmerizing.
Many people recently have been comparing Doechii to Tyler, The Creator, and, as a fan of both, I don’t think they are necessarily at the same level of comparison. While Tyler, The Creator recently repopularized a more aggressive style of rapping and performing, Doechii has taken this to a different level. Her performances toe the line of a production, and her most impressive asset is the level of breath control that she manages. The way that Doechii is able to control her breath and have extremely high-speed lyrical renditions is what makes her so unique. This ability paired with her performance creativity makes her an invaluable musician and performer that is here to make a name for herself.
The two songs Doechii performed last Sunday were “DENIAL IS A RIVER” and “CATFISH,” two of her more aggressive and upbeat songs. “CATFISH” was her opener song, an anthem about Doechii’s success and how she has people trying to ride her coattails. With “CATFISH” blending into “DENIAL IS A RIVER,” we see a conversation between her and DJ Miss Milan, discussing how Hollywood has affected Doechii’s mental health and outlook on the music industry. These songs hold clear ties to the performance at hand and the point where Doechii is in her music career.
Doechii, being one of three women to ever win Best Rap Album, has had her popularity skyrocket. Her dedication to not only her music, but also her performance has always been at the forefront of Doechii’s productions. Whether it was her performing for a smaller stadium jumping around in five-inch heels, or performing at the Grammys in a bra, underwear and sneakers, Doechii knows how to make a name for herself and for her music.
Eve Riskind is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at elr229@cornell.edu.
