Doechii has finally revealed that she will be releasing her long-awaited debut album in 2025.
READ MORE: Doechii – ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’ review: a candid sonic diary of struggle and resilience
The Florida star was recently interviewed by Variety after being named Hip-Hop Disruptor Of The Year at their annual Hitmakers Brunch. In the feature, she spoke about how 2024 became her breakout year after dropping her critically acclaimed debut mixtape, ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’, and shared that she is working towards releasing her first-ever album next year.
Doechii explained that she created ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’ with “pure presence and creativity” and hoped to “carry that with all of my projects and have that mentality moving forward” – including her upcoming album, which will incorporate live instrumentation.
“All I can think about is this album,” she said, “so I’m just looking forward to making more hits, making more music and achieving more of my goals. That’s it.”
Doechii at the Variety Hitmakers’ Brunch. Photo credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
The 26-year-old also shared the thought process behind making ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’, and why it isn’t her debut album: “I woke up one day and told my label, ‘I’m just going to make a mixtape’” – adding that she felt the pressure of officially declaring a project a “debut album”.
In a recent interview with ABC Audio, she also teased that “there are big features” on her album. “You can expect a lot of genre-bending and it’s going to be a very upbeat album, super fun,” she continued. “From gospel artists to hip-hop to rock and roll … I think it all comes together to create this wonderful ball of greatness.”
Back in August, NME awarded ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’ four stars, writing: “Doechii gets into the nitty gritty on this release, but – by the end – she finds solace and strength, making the mixtape feel more like a sonic diary of her emotional journey.”
Since the release of the mixtape, the Top Dawg Entertainment signee has hit multiple milestones, including going on a sold-out world tour, performing on the main stage at Camp Flog Gnaw with SZA, and collaborating with Katy Perry and Tyler, the Creator on their respective albums, ‘143’ and ‘Chromakopia’.
Doechii then received four nominations at the 2025 Grammys: Best Rap Album for ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’, Best Rap Performance for ‘Nissan Altima’, Best Remixed Recording for ‘Alter Ego (Kaytranada Remix)’ featuring JT and Kaytranada, and Best New Artist. This made her the first woman to be considered in the categories while only having a mixtape out. Check out all the nominations for next year’s Grammys here.
She also did a colourful debut performance of ‘Denial Is A River’ and ‘Boiled Peanuts’ on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, paying homage to MF Doom, hip-hop and Black women.
The ‘Persuasive’ singer recently made her Tiny Desk debut last week, performing songs from her mixtape as well as ‘Black Girl Memoir’ – a poignant song from her 2020 EP ‘Oh the Places You’ll Go’ (watch below).
Doechii’s ‘Nissan Altima’ was ranked Number 23 on NME‘s The 50 Best Songs of 2024 list, with Seth Pereira calling the song “a white-knuckled ride of braggadocious brilliance from Top Dawg Entertainment’s heir to the throne.”
Meanwhile, she made the BBC Sounds of 2025 longlist alongside Chappell Roan, English Teacher, Kneecap and more.
In other news, Doechii has spoken about how Paramore “made a huge impression on me and my style”, and that the Hayley Williams-fronted band were her “first introduction to rock music”.
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