Ashley Pointer | December 6, 2024 Doechii, known as the "Swamp Princess," arrived at NPR HQ radiating confidence. She moved with purpose, knowing exactly what she wanted and how to achieve it. Her declarative statement, "I'm everything," from "BOOM BAP" off her Grammy-nominated mixtape, ALLIGATOR BITES NEVER HEAL, was on full display in her Tiny Desk debut.
Backed by a full band, horns and two background singers, Doechii's performance was a masterclass in creativity. Sporting vintage academia looks, complete with matching cornrows and beads, Doechii delivers a freshly rearranged medley of cuts from ALLIGATOR BITES NEVER HEAL, tailored specifically for Tiny Desk. While hip-hop remained at the core, she truly gave us everything: a jazz arrangement of "BOOM BAP," heavy rock vibes on "CATFISH" and a Southern praise break outro on "NISSAN ALTIMA."
She closed her set with "Black Girl Memoir" from her debut album, Oh The Places You'll Go. Before performing, she shared, "I wrote this song specifically for Black women. As a dark-skinned woman, there's a very unique experience I'm trying to internalize … This is dedicated to all the beautiful Black women in the room." While her star has been steadily on the rise since her debut, 2024 is shaping up to be the year Doechii cements herself as a household name.
SET LIST "BOOM BAP" "BOILED PEANUTS" "DENIAL IS A RIVER" "CATFISH" "NISSAN ALTIMA" "BULLFROG" "HIDE N SEEK" "Black Girl Memoir"
MUSICIANS Doechii: vocals Tyler Victoria: guitar Dee Simone: drums Tatiana Tate: trumpeter, arrangement Hammondgal: keyboards DJ Miss Milan: vocals BREN'NAE: background vocals Emmani: background vocals Keschia Potter : saxophone Zuri Appleby: bassist SlimWav: musical direction
TINY DESK TEAM Producers: Ashley Pointer, Bobby Carter Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Sofia Seidel, Wendy Li Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai Production Assistant: Elle Mannion Photographer: Alanté Serene Tiny Desk Team: Maia Stern, Hazel Cills Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
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