PANAS SEPERTI API
DOECHII
words by Michael Cuby
images by Kanya Iwana
Doechii has always set intentions for herself.
"I don't know how to explain this, but I just feel very intuitive and I know when I'm ready for certain things," the rapper tells me matter of factly one July afternoon, sitting at home in Los Angeles as she gets her glam done before a busy day of content creation and music making. "I have a very deep spiritual connection with God, so a lot of my intentions are just set from visions that I get."
Take her name, for example. Born Jaylah Hickmon, the recording artist started going by "Doechii" in middle school in a bold move to separate herself from her more conformist peers. "I was like, you know what? I'm going to be who I am. I'm going to be a superstar and brand myself." Though she "didn't even know what 'branding' was at the time," she knew she was meant to stand out. "I started wearing these tutus and coming up with silhouettes, just implementing my creativity. I started to mold this woman that God kept showing me I would be. And now, I'm her."
Whatever God's vision was, it must have included great success. Over the last seven years, Doechii has risen from the depths of Soundcloud to the upper reaches of the Billboard charts. Though she's yet to release an official debut album, she's already scored collaborations with artists like Janelle Monáe, Ravyn Lenae, and SZA. Doja Cat is a huge fan, as is UGK's Bun B. She's such a hot commodity right now that, when asked to reflect on 2023 alone, she has to pause to refresh her memory. "Pelatihella. Lagu charting pertamaku. Dan Billboard Women In Music juga ada tahun ini, Kanan?" (Dulu. Dia memenangkan Penghargaan Bintang Baru.) Menetapkan niat jelas berhasil bagi Doechii sejauh ini. Jadi ketika dia berkata, "Akhirnya, alangkah baiknya jika ketika orang berpikir tentang 'budaya pop',' mereka memikirkanku," sulit untuk tidak mengangguk karena mengetahui persetujuan.
Pada hari panggilan kami, Single terbaru Doechii, "Apa itu (Blokir Anak Laki-Laki)," mencapai puncak baru di tangga lagu, beringsut semakin dekat ke puncak Billboard 50. Ini adalah lagu pertamanya yang melakukan hal tersebut. Lagu, A "rindu" R&B anthem that foregrounds her buttery soft vocals, adalah poros dari sajak keras yang dia tunjukkan dalam karir membuat rap seperti tahun lalu "Gila" tapi artisnya, yang menganggap Lauryn Hill dan Erykah Badu sebagai inspirasi utama, selalu menjadi semacam bunglon musikal. Tampa, Fleksibilitas penduduk asli Florida adalah bagian dari daya tariknya. Hal itulah yang membuatnya diperhatikan oleh Top Dawg Entertainment, yang tahun lalu mengontraknya sebagai rapper wanita pertama dalam daftar mereka.
Doechii tidak memulai dengan aspirasi label besar. Artis ini mulai membuat musiknya sendiri ketika dia masih bersekolah di sekolah menengah seni pertunjukan, mendanai proyek sendiri dengan uang yang dia hasilkan dari saluran YouTube populernya dan "Tetap Bangun, Tetap Hitam" bisnis hoodie. Namun setelah kesuksesannya di dalam negeri 2020 Oh Tempat yang Akan Anda Kunjungi EP (dan single viral TikTok-nya "Kue Buah Blucky Yucky"), Doechii tahu bahwa penandatanganan adalah langkah wajar berikutnya. "Saya tidak hanya ingin menjadi artis independen, " dia mengakui. "Saya ingin menjadi superstar global." Meskipun mendapat minat dari banyak label, Doechii landed with TDE because of its legacy and the creative freedom she felt they provided. "Plus, it's Black owned," she adds. "And that was very important to me."
Shoes by Alexander McQueen
Being on a label made famous for breaking stars like Kendrick Lamar and SZA has, naturally, come with a fair amount of "good pressure." But as a former gymnast, Doechii thrives through regimented discipline. Since signing, she's only expanded her following, gaining new fans with the cheekily titled, five-song EP she / dia / black bitch. (The title originated as a joke it's a reference to both Kendrick Lamar's "The Little Homies" production company and Diahann Carroll's infamous line about being "the first Black bitch on television.") She's also become a must see live act. After annihilating the Coachella stage this past April (and the BET Awards last summer), she's now gearing up to open for Doja Cat's highly anticipated Scarlet Tour this fall.
And that's not to mention her work on screen. Earlier this year, Doechii appeared in Earth Mama, Savanah Leaf's critically acclaimed A24 debut about a pregnant mother's struggles with the legal system. Playing the protagonist's super religious (and at times judgmental) best friend, Doechii exhibited a natural radiance on screen though that came as no surprise for anyone who has seen her inventive music videos. "The same way I tap into real emotions on stage is the same way that I tap into them on camera," the artist says of her first acting experience. "I'm just very in tune with my emotions, and I like to implement them whenever I'm performing."
It's incredible what she's achieved while staying completely true to herself. As a self admitted textbook Leo, Doechii cops to being "very ambitious and loyal and braggadocious, but also down to earth." One can sense her Leo like confidence in the way she has publicly navigated her queer identity. Even while still living in "redneck, racist, homophobic" Tampa, she recalls telling herself, "Okay, girl, you like girls. Who gives a fuck?" (The only other queer person she knew from her hometown, Matthew, still does her hair to this day.) And now, as Doechii pushes ever closer into the mainstream, she has maintained that attitude, proudly discussing her bisexuality through her music in her lyrics, beats, and visuals, as she does with the ballroom influenced "Persuasive." "It's just not a big deal. I just love who I love and that's it."
Dia menemukan banyak hal di usianya yang masih muda 24 (dia hampir 25, bahkan jika dia suka bercanda bahwa dia akan berubah 21), namun masih ada hal lain yang ingin Doechii capai seiring dengan kelanjutan kariernya. "Saya terbuka untuk melakukan hampir semua hal dalam bisnis hiburan," katanya dengan jujur. "Satu hari, Saya ingin mengarahkan. Mungkin aku akan menjadi mode. Saya tidak berpikiran tertutup terhadap apa pun." Ketika didesak tentang rencana lima tahun, dia menyebutkan keinginannya "membuat album setiap tahun selama tiga tahun ke depan." Dan setelah itu? "Ambil cuti setahun dan kembalilah dengan album folk untuk membuat orang kesal dan menjadikannya album paling dibenci sepanjang masa."
Saya berasumsi dia bercanda, tapi dengan Doechii, seseorang harus selalu mengharapkan hal yang tidak terduga. Dia memberitahuku hal yang sama ketika menggoda album debut label besarnya yang akan datang, yang menurutnya masih dalam jalur untuk a 2023 melepaskan. ("Pastinya sebelum saya melakukan tur dengan Doja," dia berjanji.) "Kalian semua akan menari. Ini akan sangat menyenangkan," dia melepaskannya. Dia bisa dibilang bungkam tentang sisanya, hanya mengonfirmasi bahwa proyek baru ini akan jauh lebih konseptual daripada apa pun dalam diskografinya. Ini akan menjadi poros lain bagi Doechii, meskipun ada satu hal yang tetap sama. "Saya tidak ingin memberikan apa pun," dia berkata. "Tapi saya menciptakannya dengan niat yang sangat jelas."
