Get To Know: captivating pop singer-songwriter dodie

Move over KSI, there’s only one English YouTuber-turned-singer that matters and her name is dodie.

After conquering the YouTube world, amassing millions of subscribers and millions more views, dodie nimbly moved to music, making he switch look frighteningly effortless.

Her debut studio album, Build a Problem, was a whisker away from topping the U.K. Albums Chart in 2021, and she followed that with the equally sublime EP, Hot Mess, last year.

Dodie crafts pop gems containing beautifully raw songwriting and wondrous arrangements; if Laura Marling ever left behind her sparse folk, she’d probably sound a lot like dodie.

Cataloguing the messiness of trying to simply exist in your 20’s is far from new lyrical territory, but it’s dodie’s writerly precision that makes her songs stand out. The songs on Hot Mess are are calming and soothing, thoughtful and unvarnished.

Bring on the second studio album, in other words. Before that arrives, dodie is currently in Australia for her first ever headline shows in the country. She’ll perform three intimate shows in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane this weekend (see full dates below).

To celebrate her inaugural Aussie tour, Tone Deaf caught up with the singer-songwriter as part of our Get To Know series to find out more about her life and music.

Love Pop?

Get the latest Pop news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more

Dodie’s Hot Mess EP is out now.

How did your artist name come about?

My legal name is Dorothy – but I’ve been called dodie since I was born!! I sacked off my last name (I hate it).

 How would you describe your music to your grandma?

Haha. Um… organic floaty pop is usually what I go for! Lots of strings and harmonies.

 Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?

Let’s see…

I have a song called ‘No Big Deal (I Love You)’, which is about never saying those three words, but them being implied everywhere.

A song called ‘Special Girl’, about generational trauma making you want to pick broken people to fix so you feel special.

A song called ‘Cool Girl’, about suppressing needs to please a partner.

And perhaps my favourite to throw out there – I have a song called ‘In the Bed’. which is about wanking about someone secretly but how human it is to do so ;)

 What do you love about your hometown?

London has the best public transport. Even when I complain, I’d much rather walk 20 minutes in rainy cold to get on a train than sit in traffic!

 Career highlight so far?

Oh man… playing Hammersmith Apollo was pretty special. The Kings Theatre in New York was also massive – The Ryman in Nashville was also sick!!!

 Fave non-music hobby?

I love to knit! Or swim! Or stroke cats :)

 What’s on your dream rider?

On my usual rider is a lot of tequila, fruit snacks, dried mango, salty popcorn, but if I could be a real diva – champagne. And a trampoline. Maybe not the smartest combination.

 Dream music collaboration?

Currently I think it’d be sick if I could feature on an Everything Everything song. I’d love to sing that fast!

 Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

10 cats – 1 cat for every year. Huge playground for them and for me. Maybe I’ll have learned the viola or something.

 What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Recently learned that rapping is the way to go as I can’t belt… so ‘Superbass’ by Nicki Minaj.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

If two things feel equally as true but one of them has a depressed/anxious tint then just pick the kinder one to believe.

 What’s one obsession you have that no one would guess after listening to your music?

There’s an immersive theatre experience in London called The Burnt City. I’ve been 12 times. I don’t know, maybe you would guess that, actually. I kinda love house music? Makes me feral.