Alligator Bites Never Heal

Top Track: DENIAL IS A RIVER

For someone who harps on about music, it’s strange that the visuals of this album found me before the music did. I kept seeing snippets of DENIAL IS A RIVER circulating across social media - a slightly grainy 80s–90s sitcom set, taped audience cheering, Doechii breaking the fourth wall while staring directly into the camera. The nostalgia of the visuals, paired with modern, bouncy vamps underneath, felt intentional — less like a music video and more like episodic storytelling designed to live comfortably in short-form feeds.

That visual pull quickly led me into Doechii’s wider discography, and into understanding her growing prominence within the industry. A loud, self-assured artist from Florida, Doechii’s appeal lies in her clever lyricism and clear sense of play — weaving rhythms and motifs together without ever feeling overworked.

Her steady presence in my own playlists began to mirror her visibility on popular charts, featuring alongside artists like Janelle Monáe, Tyler, the Creator, and JENNIE. These collaborations don’t feel like genre-hopping for novelty’s sake, but more like strategic adjacency — positioning her within pop, rap, and alternative spaces without fully belonging to any single one. Personally, I’m most drawn to her stripped-back beats, which give her enunciated, character-driven delivery room to breathe, even when she occasionally leans into more rave-adjacent production elsewhere.

I had tickets to see her at All Points East in 2025, only for her London appearances to be cancelled. Still, experiencing her performances vicariously — through viral festival clips and television appearances — has only reinforced the sense that her live presence is a key part of her momentum. Doechii feels like an artist whose rise isn’t just about songs, but about spectacle, personality, and timing — and this album feels like the moment where all three aligned.

Doechii’s relatability seems rooted in her narrative arc — an artist visibly growing out of an underdog position rather than arriving fully formed. Her live shows lean heavily into audience engagement, creating a sense of shared experience rather than distance, and despite her increasing visibility, she carries herself with a noticeable humility. That balance between confidence and approachability feels central to her widening appeal.