In an era where music creation is increasingly influenced by algorithms, artists must take care not to get “lost” in “trying to make music for a computer,” warns rapper Doechii.
The musician, who recently released her first full-length project – a mixtape titled Alligator Bites Never Heal, tells The Forty Five that while she considers TikTok an “incredible tool” for music discovery, we shouldn’t let it dictate the creative process.
“I love TikTok, and I also grew up on the internet, so I’m not against anything blowing up on the internet or marketing your music on TikTok and stuff like that,” says Doechii, who rose to fame on the platform after her song Yucky Blucky Fruitcake went viral in 2021.
“TikTok is an incredible tool. But I don’t want hip-hop or art to get distracted and lost in trying to make music for a computer,” she explains. “It’s people who are using the computer to consume the music and I think we’re getting confused.”
As Doechii puts it, it isn’t the “hits” themselves she’s opposed to, but rather the “popularised formula of hits” that she’s pushing back against.
“I’m not against hits. Everybody wants hits, and I’m proud of my hits, and I know I have more to come, but it’s more so about breaking out of this formula of what a hit should be and how hits have to sound like this,” she says.
“That’s the part that I’m challenging in music right now.”
The rapper also emphasises the importance of prioritising authenticity over algorithm-driven content creation, as artists navigate an industry increasingly dominated by data and trends.
“If it feels too much like a TikTok song, nobody thinks that’s cool,” says Doechii, who’s keenly aware of the risk of losing sight of artistry in favour of algorithmic approval. “Me and a bunch of other artists are navigating that because the business is like, ‘This is what’s going to be the future and you should do this because it’s what the algorithm wants’.”
“It’s been an interesting thing to try and navigate. But what’s happening now is I’m continuing to stay true to myself. I’m proving that what I do works, and I’m just going to keep being myself over and over again.”
