[Dodie](https://www.instagram.com/doddleoddle/) is a testament to all aspiring singer-songwriters that you can truly achieve your wildest dreams by simply remaining true and authentic to yourself. With Dodie, it’s her honesty, vulnerability, and willingness to open up about her own struggles with mental health that translate into her beautiful, soothing vocals and storytelling lyrics to match.
At 24 years old, the UK queer recording artist has built an incredibly dedicated following both online and real life, as evidenced in her 1M followers on Instagram and 1.8M on Youtube. It was at age 17 when she started her journey creating music about both her feelings and her life. With songs like “6/10” and “Human” she promotes positivity and inclusivity, while addressing important issues from sexuality to anxiety to depression.
Earlier this year, Dodie (short for Dorothy Clark) unleashed her _Human_ EP, hailing standout singles, “Monster,” and “If I’m Being Honest.” The seven-track project arrives not only as an ode to mental wellbeing, but also the reality of what our brains endure on a daily basis. Her ability to croon her message over incredible instrumentation and production is every reason fans tune in and absorb her melodies.
_Flaunt_ caught up with Dodie in her fews days in Los Angeles to chat about her upbringing in the UK, conflict with social media, and why mental health is so important in her music.
* * *
**How would you describe your sound?**
I like to use a lot of harmonies and dramatic chord sequences. I write for strings based off of clarinets. My voice could feel dusty and dark.
**How does being from Epping, in the UK, play into your life and career?**
It’s quite nice. It’s interesting to have had such a particular childhood — I never ever thought I’d be in LA doing interviews. It’s nice to have had that different side of life.
**Talk about being in LA.**
I love LA, it’s fun. It’s very different, really interesting. I’ve been here since 2014. The whole US is fascinating to me. It’s so present in media when you grow up in England. Not sure if you know, but everyone in the playground acts in American accents. When they play imaginary games, like “omg! \[valley girl accent\]” or “that’s so weird!”
**We do that here with a British accent too.**
Do you? Because every cartoon you watch as a kid, America is everything you see on TV. Yellow school buses, all that stuff. When I came here for the first time, it was like walking into a movie world.
**At what point did you realize this music thing was for real?**
Probably when people would pick up particular lines. It was a combination of getting first-hand messages and playing at shows where people sing-along. That was very strange to me because I had written the words in this book in my bed and now the crowd was singing them. People knew the words!
Photographed by Kyle Jones
**What was the inspiration behind your name?**
Well, my parents called me Dodie. It’s short for Dorothy, but everyone’s always called me Dodie.
**Talk about how you grew such a big following on YouTube/social media.**
There’s no one particular thing I can nail. I didn’t really have a goal or a purpose. I’m very lucky in that I really just enjoyed it. People can sniff it out if you’re desperately trying**.** Because I was having such a good time making videos and writing songs, I naturally collected an audience and kept going.
**So there’s no secret?**
This is the cheesiest advice I’ll ever give, but you have to find something that’s very you. Something that you enjoy and you’ll be special enough to bring something forward to the world that people will enjoy. Mine was songs about mental health and life.
**Can you talk about your journey with mental health? I struggle as well.**
Growing up, I didn’t really have an experience with it. I didn’t understand anything about mental health. I was posting videos being very happy online, then, slowly but surely, dark things started to creep in. It was very confusing to me, I didn’t know how to share it — but I did anyway. Back then, it was a smaller audience, we all talked about it together. As I wrote about my life, I started writing more about my brain. It definitely helps me through.
**Do you still struggle?**
I still do, but I think I’ve gotten over the worst of it. Now I’ve kind of learned how to manage it.
**What advice do you have for those suffering?**
Keep in mind that life is very, very long. The more you experience, the more you’ll have to help you. I’ve learned so much over three years in meeting people, hearing about their experiences, the way they deal with it. If I knew just how much I’d learn and how much people would help me, I would’ve felt very comforted.
**How has music been a form of therapy for you?**
In writing, you have to collect all of your thoughts, put them together like poetry. You find things you didn’t even know about yourself in your words. It definitely is a form of therapy.
**Congrats on releasing your _Human_ EP, what’s the significance in the name?**
Well in collecting all of these songs together, I realized there was a running theme of a human feeling. There's a forgiveness in saying anything you’re feeling is human and just an experience of life. It’s been really good. Everyone’s so lovely. Everyone can relate to some feeling in it. There’s a lot of shame, love, maybe unhealthy love, anger, but also acceptance.
**Talk about linking with Tom Walker on “Human.”**
It was kind of a business thing. Our teams got in contact. He came into the studio and was really really lovely. Very kind and good to work with. He sang it beautifully with his wonderful husky voice. He has the ability to belt very loudly and exude so much power. I enjoyed using his softer side of singing.
**Why is it important for you to promote positivity and inclusivity?**
Positivity is such a helpful tool in carrying on and finding the best in life. If I didn’t enforce that in myself everyday, I’d struggle. Inclusivity is very important because you can feel isolated in your problems. To let people know there are other people just like you is a very powerful thing,
**What inspired the “Guiltless” visual?**
We liked the idea of carrying something around with you. Something heavy. It was fun using a suitcase to imply that; not knowing how to access something because that something could be overwhelming.
**How much of a hand do you have in all of your visuals?**
Quite a lot. My friend grew up a filmmaker so we all piece it out together.
**What are some goals yourself as an artist at this point of your career?**
I want to expand my sound and not worry about sharing so much with the online world. I have to trust my audience when they say they want the best for me. They’re all really kind.
**I feel like we all try to not be on our phones, how difficult is it being an artist?**
It’s really hard mostly because I have so many voices. My struggle was listening to my own voice and trusting myself. It’s really hard to trust when there’s hundreds and thousands of other people telling me what’s right and what to do. I feel bad for young people growing up with their voices shouting at them. I don’t really struggle with putting my phone down now because I’m quite sick of it. In time, you’ll learn it’s not actually healthy for you. Only you can make that discovery.
**I love your IG bio: “I make music! But this is the place I post about my feelings/my outfits/rave about my friends.”**
Instagram is really a weird place. A lot of the time, there’s a pressure to keep on it, keep posting certain pictures or stick to something. Now I want to use it as a fun photo album more than anything. It’s a colorful project. I make music, that’s my main thing. I’d be lying if I said Instagram’s not a part of my career, but it’s not the main thing I concentrate on. I like to use it for fun and not have any pressure, it’s for my outfits and my friends.
**Favorite person to follow on IG?**
Great question. I love any makeup.
**What’s a normal day in the life? Walk us through.**
I’ll wake up, usually chat to my flatmate while making my tea and breakfast. Shower, my manager Josh will probably call or come around, give me a list of things to do. I might go into London for a meeting or an interview. I’ll stay at home or be in the studio working with different people.
Photographed by Parri Thomas
**3 things you need in the studio?**
Food. I guess I snack a lot. If I’m being technical, I need great levels on my headphones so I can really hear what we’re doing. I need tea, a big cup of tea. It’s a great way to get a break as well. “Okay, we’re gonna go get a fresh cup of tea.” Daylight at some point.
**What would you be doing if you weren’t doing music?**
There are so many avenues of music, different music careers I could do. if I wasn’t working on my own personal project, hopefully I’d be scoring someone else’s. Even studying or playing in a band. If not music entirely, maybe teaching English or drama.
**What’s the best encounter you had with a fan?**
Every encounter is special because it’s a way to say thank you. It depends person to person, just in terms of energy and social ability to really have a perfect meeting, but I’m grateful for everyone. The way I appreciate it most is when I’m singing and I can watch them singing. I look into their eyes, and it’s almost like we’re sharing that line together.
**Favorite song to perform in a set?**
It really depends on how I’m feeling. If I really want to cry it out, it’ll probably be my song called “When” or [“6/10,”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rhb5wTCero) which is really fun to connect to people with. I have the chorus of a song called “Party Tattoos,” which I just let everyone sing along. Feels like a big choir. Sometimes I’m playing “Monster,” it’s really fun because there’s a double clap in it.
**Who’s the most played artist on your phone?**
It honestly depends. I’d have to have a look. I’ve got different playlists I play: crying, jammin’, chillin’. It really just depends on what mood I’m in. I’m loving everything recently: Lianne La Havas, Tom Misch, The Staves, Ethan Gruska, Emily King, Lauren Marling, a lot.
**Dream collab?**
Now that I mention it, Emily King, I love Emily King, she’s awesome.
