Doechii is one of TikTok’s biggest success stories: she found fame on it for her rapping and singing, got signed and became a big star. Unfortunately the excitement for her slot closing West Holts on Saturday is tempered by her recent release of the worst song of the year, but we’re not holding that against her and hey, maybe it works live. I suspect we’re about to find out.
Before we begin, boring shout out, but fair play to Glastonbury and Doechii herself. It’s the end of the day at a huge and busy festival and Doechii’s set begins at precisely the allotted time. It also begins with a hype man coming on to bellow an introduction and let’s be honest, that always makes a statement. That was only the introduction to the introduction, as dancers come on in some amazing fits and sit down in a mock school class, the strobe lights fire, and then the star appears. There’s some initial arse wiggling which we only mention because we imagine the BBC staff putting this out at home have had a nervous breakdown already (if what we’re hearing about some earlier shows is true) and are now heading to the top floor to jump off.
What follows is a pure high energy set. Her flow is strong and impeccable but she does it without ever standing still, whipping through costume changes and constant dance routines (and in, out and over a giant boombox set). It’s a pure party vibe and honestly she must have the highest stamina in the entire festival… and also nerves of steel as she’s dancing on a tiny school desk.
Musically, there’s so many changes of tempo, flips of sound, it feels like she’s running through hundreds of songs all brilliantly meshed together, and while we know she isn’t therre’s never a dull moment, a thought I had before she literally came down an actual slide in the set I hadn’t noticed before.
Then we get to Anxiety. For the first half of the song it’s been changed, a rock beat over which she’s fierce, but then go flip into the cringe Somebody That I Used To Know sample and the whole show comes down a few levels. It was so, so much better in the first part and the second doesn’t match her set at all, even if it does give her a chance to fire up the pipes and sing.
Fortunately the set moves back into the high paced, fast flowing, hard rapped vibe we’ve been enjoying. Even the musical theatre ending slaps.
If you’ve only heard Anxiety, don’t judge Doechii. Check out the whole show and be thrilled.