dodie is someone who I’ve been following since 2016, more specifically it was through their song ‘would you be so kind’ that drew me closer to them. I’ve always been someone who looked towards YouTubers for entertainment and comfort when I needed it - people like Michelle Phan and Bethany Mota were the ones I actively followed ever since I was nine years old. However, it’s dodie who has truly accompanied me in this weird and confusing time of growing up.
As she has grown to be the full-fleshed successful artist that we all knew she would be, I’ve always loved that they never changed in terms of their honesty and warmth. Further, I am always in awe of their ability to capture the growing pains that can be difficult to articulate at times. Her videos and music are the epitome of frozen adolescence as they transcend the barriers of time.
dodie is an English singer-songwriter who started making YouTube videos on her main channel ‘doddleoddle’ in 2011, where they would share original songs and covers. She has a second channel, ‘doddlevloggle’, that she uses to show bits and pieces of their life. It’s sometimes strange to look back at a time of my life where I was so influenced by her - trying out her signature makeup look, buying a ukulele (and failing to play it well), wearing “dodie yellow” anything. Though I do still look up to her, growing older has made me look at her in a different light, in a more humanized way I suppose, which I owe to their EPs and debut album that ultimately has become the soundtrack of my late adolescence.
Her first EP came out in 2016, titled ‘Intertwined’, which they self-released and hit number 35 in the UK album charts. A year later came ‘You’, their second EP which debuted at number 6. In 2019, her third EP, ‘Human’ was released and rose to number 5 in the charts. Their debut album titled ‘Build A Problem’ came out in May 2021, though it was delayed for a few months due to the pandemic. As expected, the album was worth every second of anticipation.
Despite her soft voice, their messages were always loud and clear, especially coupled with the strong dramatic strings that she employs in her album. Though the themes are not particularly complicated, it is her honesty and relatability that shine through, drawing people closer with each song. Also, providing a sense of catharsis to those undergoing similar issues. Listening to this album as someone who has been following her for years felt intimate in inexplicable ways.
I love albums that tell a story, and I could feel the vulnerability and insecurity that she was undergoing – within herself and within a relationship. This is particularly seen in songs like ‘hate myself’ and ‘cool girl’. Though they are actively trying to accept the situation, she still finds it difficult to do so - elaborated in songs like ‘i kissed someone, it wasn’t you’. Further, she portrays the realities of life and growing up in songs like ‘rainbow’, especially as a queer woman herself with so much care, and ‘when’, which is also my favorite song of hers. I recommend experiencing this album in all of its glory through the visual album, directed by Jack Howard.
dodie, as mentioned earlier, has played a huge part in my late adolescence, which I’ve realized over the past year as I became introspective and nostalgic about the major influences of my childhood and teenage years. It’s magical when you find artists that you can revisit and remember old memories through, both the good and bad. The idea of time is difficult to conceptualize. I find myself reverting to past versions of myself out of fear that the past is slipping away. However, dodie, through her music and YouTube videos, metaphorically lends a hand – showing that growing older is less lonely with a friend.
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