In a world where a lot of celebrities get idolized, criticized for being fake or unrealistic, and much more, singer-songwriter and YouTuber Dodie (or doddleoddle, which is famously both her Instagram and her YouTube handle) is the sense of relief we need. There are so many artists that build themselves up all on their own, and she is one of them. Originally mainly a YouTube creator, she now releases music on all sorts of platforms (including physical copies like vinyl), has written a book, and has a substantial following on her other social media, too. But her popularity alone isn't the main reason why you should be looking out for what she has to share with the world.
1. Her realness always shines through.
There will always be a sort of act that personalities like her "put on"- they have and deserve their own lives that are private and none of our business. The way that Dodie shares, though, is so genuine despite what she keeps private. She doesn't try to be some star who floats above us. She is as honest as she feels comfortable being (which is pretty honest), and the conversations she starts through her YouTube videos don't treat the viewers like they are worth less than she is. If you look in the comments of the original and Vevo music videos for her song, "Secret For The Mad", you'll see just what I mean. People's reactions to this song, from someone who has been through hard times to another, are beautiful and even tell of how it changed their life. Whether in song form like this or through writing/vlogging, you can tell how much she cares about her supporters.
2. She brings awareness to mental illnesses that usually get less attention.
Her realness is reflected in basically everything she does. It isn't just how she speaks directly to her audience. It's also in her discussion of mental health and how she uses her platform and her own personal experiences to spread awareness about depersonalization and derealization. She has made several videos about her disorders in which she shares her own experiences with its effects on her as well as how she is treating it, in addition to writing a book called "Secrets For The Mad" (coined from the title of the song mentioned earlier) that details her journey in more detail. The way she talks about them is in such an artful yet honest way that educates those of us who don't know what it's like while showing those who do that they're not alone, and creating a safe space for conversation about it.
3. She writes music that goes into tougher topics.
This is especially evident in combination with her music videos. She calls attention to the darker side of often-romanticized concepts, such as when the desire for refuge in a romantic relationship becomes dependence and insecurities when it comes to earlier stages of those relationships. Other topics are ones that are more recognizable as tougher, such as struggles in beginning stages of discovering sexuality and recognizing toxic relationships. By exploring these things, it both validates that these are common feelings and that they are legitimate.
4. Her Instagram is beautiful.
This may seem like a minor or a shallow thing to say, but it's something I really appreciate. It's more than the pretty photos- the captions are what I like best. They are like well-thought-out, artistic blog posts of varying length that could fit under all of the reasons to love her I've already listed. Her bio itself says that her Instagram is like a sort of diary. She explores her mental health and other experiences sometimes in reflection, other times on a day-to-day basis. Other times, she posts the most kind and lovely things about her friends, which adds to how beautiful it is. And since she posts there more often nowadays than on YouTube, it's a routine reminder of how human she is, as someone with the potential of being viewed as some perfect god just because they're somewhat of a celebrity.
5. Her music is just really good.
All the ideas I've expressed aside, the music she puts out is so pleasant to listen to. Her voice is soothing, the general vibe is so nice, and with time, the arrangements have gotten better and better with the addition of string sections (which she loves to add, and rightfully so). There's plenty of variation of energy level and general sound, from upbeat and cheery to slow and sad to pensive and calm. You don't have to even listen for the deeper meaning to enjoy it- but it adds a whole extra layer to it that makes it even better.
In short, you should absolutely give her a listen (or a watch!). The type of creator and artist that really cares about what they do is so important, and she embodies that in every way.
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