Doechii is officially Grammy-certified. After a whirlwind year in which she put out her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal and was endorsed by some of the industry’s biggest names (including Kendrick Lamar, who deemed her “the hottest out”), the fledgling superstar made a wildly impressive statement in her inaugural appearance at the festivities and did so in remarkable style.

Showing up alongside her mother on the red carpet, Doechii wore a gray pinstriped sculpted gown layered over a white button-down shirt, complemented by a matching pinstriped tie and chunky platform ankle boots from Thom Browne, confirming her status as an emerging style icon.

Winner’s Circle

The breakout star went on to claim her genre’s top prize by winning the Grammy for the year’s best rap album. Not only did the “Swamp Princess” take home the ultimate prize in a field littered with all-time greats and established juggernauts, but the Florida native also became only the third woman in Grammy history to take home the prize, following Lauryn Hill’s win in 1997 and Cardi B’s win for Invasion of Privacy in 2019.

That’s seriously rarified air. The artist responded in an understandably humble and heartfelt manner while accepting her award, which was presented by Cardi B herself.

“I put my heart and my soul into this mixtape, I bared my life. I went through so much. I dedicated myself to sobriety and God told me that I would be rewarded and that He would show me just how good it can get.”

Doechii, born as Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon, was hyper-aware of the historic significance of her win and did not shy away from offering a deeply emotional message for her fellow African American women as well.

“You can do it. Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you.”

Doechii added backstage that her landmark victory “feels incredible” and “bigger than me,” adding,

“Art wins. Authenticity wins. Vulnerability wins.”

Performance and ‘Nosebleeds’

After the emotional roller coaster of actually winning her first Grammy, Doechii could not settle in and rest on her laurels and groundbreaking achievement. She followed her triumph with an absolute banger of a performance of a medley of Catfish and Denial is a River, arguably the two records most directly responsible for her meteoric rise.

The result was clear: Doechii stole the show. Her performance kicked off with an industrial-themed rendition of Catfish and continued with a treadmill-set showcase of fan favorite Denial is a River. When assessing her set backstage, she expressed

“It meant everything to prove myself tonight. It was about Broadway and dance and theater and art, and I think I brought that to the stage.”

Amidst a medley of performances by Benson Boone, Teddy Swims, Shaboozey, Raye, and other best new artist nominees, the rapidly rising rapper later took the stage second. As Doechii struck her final pose, a cut to the audience revealed several of her stunned contemporaries include Billy Eilish and Jay-Z marvelling at what they had just witnessed.

What a statement. What a show.

If that wasn’t’ enough, Doechii capped it all off by announcing her single Nosebleeds, which dropped shortly after the ceremony. It can now be streamed on all DSPs.