Doechii is the name on everybody’s lips. Her seemingly overnight ascension has led her to win a Grammy and rub elbows with Anna Wintour, in true superstar fashion. She’s so successful, in fact, that many have accused her of being an industry plant. However, Doechii’s fame is a product of self-investment, patience and guttural talent. She masters her craft in a way that’s impossible to negate, from her impeccable lyricism to her mesmerizing stage performances. As a singer, rapper and visual artist, the swamp princess has proven she’s one of one. She even declares it herself on her hit single “NISSAN ALTIMA:” “I’m the new hip-hop Madonna / I’m the trap Grace Jones.”
That particular bar has led many to investigate the parallels between her and supermodel Grace Jones. Many have acknowledged an uncanny resemblance between the superstars, both in physical and spiritual form. They’re both electric women, captivating the world with their inability to dilute their magnetism. They play with androgyny, weaponize their bold features, and challenge the confinement of genre by experimenting with dance and pop.
Who Is Grace Jones?
Grace Jones is a groundbreaking Jamaican-American singer, songwriter, model and actress. She’s easily identified for her bold persona and distinctive visual style, serving as a fashion and pop culture icon in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Jones began her career as a model in New York City before transitioning to music, blending disco, reggae, funk and new wave to create a sound completely her own. Her avant-garde approach to music and style built her a devoted following.
Jones was one of the first mainstream figures to popularize an androgynous look. She challenged traditional gender norms in fashion and beauty. With a shaved head, exaggerated makeup and geometric outfits, she became a symbol of gender fluidity and self-expression. They couldn’t keep her off magazine covers and high fashion runways, despite how dangerous the racial barriers she dismantled were.
Grace Jones Paved Way For Doechii
Outside of music, Doechii has become a major player in high fashion. She uses the art form as an avenue for self-expression. From tethered braids to custom Thom Browne looks, her sonic evolution is mirrored in her brash styling. Jones paved way for that fluidity, making history by defying racial stereotypes across Vogue covers and major runways. Jones heavily influenced the cross-dressing movement of the ‘80s. Doechii often pairs menswear with lingerie to bend every unwritten role.
Grace Jones’ commitment to individuality rewrote the narrative for Black women. She was bold in a way that was not yet seen for women who looked like her. She let Black women be avant-garde, expressive and shatter the rules predisposed to keep them small and palatable. Jones became an icon within the LGBTQ+ community, thanks to her subversive gender presentation, sexual liberation, and empowering sense of self. Her name became synonymous with freedom and individuality, which resonated deeply with queer and gender-nonconforming fans. Her fearlessness and unapologetic attitude toward her body challenged societal expectations for Black women, a legacy now lived through Doechii.
Doechii witnessed Jones and was given permission as a dark skin woman to be loud and beautifully abrasive. She now carries that torch, burning alive with passion and igniting a path for every young girl with a daring heart. Both are key players in Black female history, fusing fashion and music to birth something completely untapped. Every generation needs someone on a platform who looks like them to signal out that being the fullest expression of yourself is safe. Thanks to Doechii, because of Grace Jones, that purpose is served.