Hayley Williams Celebrates Doechii's ‘Bold, Unmistakable Talent' in Heartfelt Tribute
In a touching tribute penned for Them, the 'Ain't It Fun' singer offered plenty of praise for the 'Denial Is a River' rapper, sharing that she's been closely watching her career since her performance at the 2022 BET Awards. 'Watching her on that stage, I had the same feeling I did the first time I saw Missy Elliott on MTV as a kid,' Williams said. 'It was raw, bold, unmistakable talent — the kind that doesn't wait for permission. She came out swinging, and I remember thinking, Oh, she's taking it. This is hers.'
More from Billboard
Meet the Drag Performers Teaching Everyone How to Fight Back Against Anti-LGBTQ+ Threats in 2025
You Can Shop Addison Rae's 2000s-Inspired Look From Her 'Times Like These' Music Video Now with Free People
Mariah Carey Celebrates Pride Month in Style With Rainbow Merch Available on Amazon
Prior to Williams' discovery of Doechii, the rapper had already paid tribute to Paramore through a sample of the band's hit ballad 'The Only Exception' on her 2020 single 'Yucky Blucky Fruitcake.' Williams pointed out in her tribute that she 'hadn't even caught' the interpolation when she first saw Doechii's performance.
The singer went on to praise Doechii's self-assured artistry, and even added that she still aspires to that level of confidence more than 20 years into her career as a performer. 'People sometimes assume because of how I am onstage, that I carry that same confidence. But the truth is, that kind of boldness is something I still have to work to access,' she said. 'With Doechii, though, that energy feels inherent. When I listen to her, I feel it — like it transfers through the speakers. And I think a lot of her listeners feel the same way.'
Williams added that the rapper's openness about her sexuality is just another example of how Doechii is doing music stardom on her own terms. 'It's powerful to watch an artist like her speak openly about identity in the public eye,' she said. 'We need that. We need women who are unapologetic about who they are, who they love, what they believe.'
Closing her tribute, Williams thanked Doechii for giving performers everywhere — including herself — something to aspire to. 'Watching someone emerge with that kind of confidence, that kind of clarity, is a gift,' she said. 'She reminds me — and probably a lot of people — that moving through the world with certainty doesn't mean you stop learning or growing. It just means you know your worth as you go. And that, to me, is something to look up to.'
Doechii is coming off yet another big win, this time at the 2025 BET Awards, where she took home the trophy for best female hip hop artist. During her speech at the ceremony, Doechii called out President Donald Trump activating the National Guard in response to the ongoing Los Angeles protests around ICE raids in the city.
'I want y'all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us. What type of government is that?' she asked the crowd. 'People are being swept up and torn from their families, and I feel it's my responsibility as an artist to use this moment to speak up for all oppressed people.'
Best of Billboard
Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Pentatonix & Train Will Bring Their Holiday Hits to iHeart Christmas Concert
Fox Plans NFT Debut With $20 'Masked Singer' Collectibles
14 Things That Changed (or Didn't) at Farm Aid 2021
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
4 minutes ago
- Forbes
Taylor Swift Sees Three Albums Return At The Same Time
Taylor Swift's catalog has enjoyed quite the wild ride over the past few weeks. All of her albums — both re-recorded sets and original projects — have exploded in popularity as the singer-songwriter prepares the world for a new era. Recently, Swift revealed that her upcoming twelfth full-length, The Life of a Showgirl, is expected to drop on October 3. The mere mention of new music helped a number of her most popular efforts become strong sellers and especially powerful streamers once more. Swift's catalog is never hurting on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, but this week is especially grand for a number of her projects, which rebound onto one of Billboard's newest tallies. Lover, Reputation and Midnights Return Three Swift titles reappear on the Top Streaming Albums chart this week. That kind of uptick underscores that there's been a dramatic return to consuming her past full-lengths among a huge population of people in the United States. Two of her three comebacks find their way into the top 40. Lover reenters the Top Streaming Albums tally at No. 36, while Reputation is back at No. 40. Midnights comes in just a few spaces beneath that important region, as it sneaks back onto the list of the most-streamed full-lengths and EPs in the country at No. 43. A Trio of Top 10s All three of Swift's returning favorites have already spent months on the Top Streaming Albums chart, and each one of them has cracked the top 10 as well. Lover only barely made it to that region, as its peak remains No. 10. Taylor Swift Owns 10% of the Chart Swift fills five spots on the Top Streaming Albums chart this week. The tally only includes 50 spaces, so the singer-songwriter claims 10% of all runs for herself at the moment. In addition to Lover, Reputation, and Midnights, The Tortured Poets Department almost finds its way back to the top 10 this week. Swift's most recent full-length rockets 10 spaces north from No. 23 to No. 13. Folklore, which recently enjoyed a huge boost thanks largely to the song 'August,' also lives on the roster. Folklore dips 10 spots, falling from No. 21 to No. 31. Nine Billboard 200 Wins All five of Swift's top streamers also live on the Billboard 200, the roster that looks at the most consumed efforts in the country. On that ranking, Swift sees nine different titles appear somewhere on the lengthy list, and almost all of them gain ground from where they sat just a few days ago.
San Francisco Chronicle
33 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Black Cowboy joy is spread by 'Boots on the Ground' viral line dance
NEW YORK (AP) — When Tre Little two-stepped in his cowboy boots at the BET Awards preshow this summer, he was overcome with joy and gratitude. 'I used to watch this on TV every year, and I'm now performing,' said the 22-year-old Atlanta-area resident. 'I started crying … tears of joy.' He joined Southern soul singer 803Fresh to perform his massive viral hit, 'Boots on the Ground.' Released in December, the trail ride-inspired song and accompanying line dance have become an anticipated moment at African American gatherings, like family reunions, weddings, graduations, parties and cookouts. The 'Boots on the Ground' dance, which includes the rhythmic clacking of folding hand fans as the South Carolinian belts 'Where them fans at?,' was created by Little during a work lunch break. After hearing a snippet on TikTok, he played around with a routine and posted it, without much thought. 'I usually get my little six views from my family … I took a nap and when I woke up, it was at 100K,' said Little, who is now in demand nationwide teaching line dance classes and hosting events. He has even been approached to create new dances. 'It's bringing people together to do a dance and share laughter.' Beyoncé incorporated the dance into her record-breaking 'Cowboy Carter' tour, and former first lady Michelle Obama and Shaquille O'Neal have publicly participated. Popular line dances are not a new phenomenon, but several factors made this song, which hit No. 1 on both Billboard's adult R&B airplay and R&B digital song sales charts, spread at an unprecedented pace. 'With the new energy toward country music and trail ride music and African Americans' presence in it, I think that opened up America's eyes to what we've been doing down in Louisiana and Texas and Mississippi and Alabama for years,' said recording artist Cupid, known as the Line Dance King and creator of the popular 'Cupid Shuffle' (2007) song and choreography. 'Their eyes have been opened to line dancing and the unity that it brings,' he said. A new take on an old tradition Line dancing features individuals gathered to perform synchronized, repetitive dance moves, generally in lines, and is popular for both socializing and exercise. A major appeal is that there is no age limit or skill requirement, and dances can be learned in real time. There is no consensus on the origins of line dancing. Some historians trace it to African celebratory tribal dances, which extended to enslaved Black Americans who sang or moved in unison during field work. Other scholars trace it to European immigrants who brought traditional folk dances from their native lands. The country western style is performed to country tunes, while soul line dancing is backed by R&B, soul and hip-hop. Along with the 'Cupid Shuffle,' routines to DJ Casper's 'Cha Cha Slide' (2000) and V.I.C.'s 'Wobble' (2008) are canonized in soul line dancing, as well as the most recognized 1972 song, 'Electric Boogie (The Electric Slide)' by Marcia Griffiths. But 'Boots on the Ground' has introduced trail ride line dancing to many Americans outside of the Southeast. Trail rides are socialized horseback processionals traveling to a designated location. In Black Southern culture, it is a party atmosphere with food and dancing, including niche music genres like zydeco and Southern soul, which blends R&B, blues, gospel and country. 'People didn't really know about it. … When something is trending, it makes everybody get on the bandwagon,' said 28-year-old Jakayla Preston, who goes by the handle @_itsjakaylaa on TikTok. A professional dancer, the Houstonian began teaching line dance classes this year after persistent requests from her followers, which intensified following the 'Boots on the Ground' boom. Leading classes across the country, she discovered attendance was about more than foot-taps and turns. 'I have people who are struggling and battling with a lot of things … they'll even sometimes cry and thank me for hosting the class there, or just giving them the experience to be able come and express,' she said. 'It's a feeling that's indescribable.' Line dance with the Beyoncé effect ' Beyoncé probably had a lot to do with that, as far as her 'Cowboy Carter album,'' said Preston, referring to the attention on trail ride line dancing. The Grammy's reigning album of the year sparked conversations about African American contributions to country music and Black cowboy culture, with 'Cowboy Carter' tourgoers frequently dressing the part. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, one of the city's marquee events, broke its attendance record this year, and while there were several factors, many first-timers and social media users said they visited Queen Bey's hometown to experience what she sang about. 'I never seen — ever — that many people that was out there line dancing,' said Preston, who grew up attending the rodeo. 'It's an amazing sight to see.' Sharlene Sinegal-DeCuir, chair of African American and Diaspora Studies at Xavier University in New Orleans, said Beyoncé's impact extends beyond music. 'Country western music: the sound, the banjo, the violin, all those things are African instruments,' said Sinegal-DeCuir, who grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, line dancing and listening to zydeco. 'She's bringing it to the world to let the world know, no, we're not just getting into country — we are country.' The political line (dance) in the sand Sinegal-DeCuir believes the political climate may have indirectly contributed to the success of 'Boots on the Ground' and interest in line dancing. She notes the 92% of Black women who voted against President Donald Trump, whose policies are disproportionately affecting Black Americans, including eliminating DEI programs, federal agency mass layoffs, and cuts to SNAP benefits, Medicare and Medicaid. 'We know how to survive these things because we lean on family, we lean on community, and this joy,' said Sinegal-DeCuir. 'The world is burning down, and we're sitting here learning a new line dance because we're tired of the political atmosphere … it's a form of resistance.' Cupid remembers a pivotal moment during the social justice movement, sparked by the 2020 killing of George Floyd, a Black man who was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. He saw a video of a tense exchange between protesters and law enforcement at a rally, and 'Cupid Shuffle' began playing to ease tensions. More social videos were uploaded during that era showing his song played at protests across America. 'I realized the importance of it, as far as connecting two people that don't even see eye to eye,' said the 'Flex' artist, who is readying a new album next month that he says will be the first all-line-dance album. 'If you had to pick three songs that could bring people on two opposite sides of the fence together for a moment, then line dancing is definitely those types of songs.' 'I don't think there's any other genre more powerful than line dance,' he added.
Associated Press
34 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Black Cowboy joy is spread by 'Boots on the Ground' viral line dance
NEW YORK (AP) — When Tre Little two-stepped in his cowboy boots at the BET Awards preshow this summer, he was overcome with joy and gratitude. 'I used to watch this on TV every year, and I'm now performing,' said the 22-year-old Atlanta-area resident. 'I started crying … tears of joy.' He joined Southern soul singer 803Fresh to perform his massive viral hit, 'Boots on the Ground.' Released in December, the trail ride-inspired song and accompanying line dance have become an anticipated moment at African American gatherings, like family reunions, weddings, graduations, parties and cookouts. The 'Boots on the Ground' dance, which includes the rhythmic clacking of folding hand fans as the South Carolinian belts 'Where them fans at?,' was created by Little during a work lunch break. After hearing a snippet on TikTok, he played around with a routine and posted it, without much thought. 'I usually get my little six views from my family … I took a nap and when I woke up, it was at 100K,' said Little, who is now in demand nationwide teaching line dance classes and hosting events. He has even been approached to create new dances. 'It's bringing people together to do a dance and share laughter.' Beyoncé incorporated the dance into her record-breaking 'Cowboy Carter' tour, and former first lady Michelle Obama and Shaquille O'Neal have publicly participated. Popular line dances are not a new phenomenon, but several factors made this song, which hit No. 1 on both Billboard's adult R&B airplay and R&B digital song sales charts, spread at an unprecedented pace. 'With the new energy toward country music and trail ride music and African Americans' presence in it, I think that opened up America's eyes to what we've been doing down in Louisiana and Texas and Mississippi and Alabama for years,' said recording artist Cupid, known as the Line Dance King and creator of the popular 'Cupid Shuffle' (2007) song and choreography. 'Their eyes have been opened to line dancing and the unity that it brings,' he said. A new take on an old tradition Line dancing features individuals gathered to perform synchronized, repetitive dance moves, generally in lines, and is popular for both socializing and exercise. A major appeal is that there is no age limit or skill requirement, and dances can be learned in real time. There is no consensus on the origins of line dancing. Some historians trace it to African celebratory tribal dances, which extended to enslaved Black Americans who sang or moved in unison during field work. Other scholars trace it to European immigrants who brought traditional folk dances from their native lands. The country western style is performed to country tunes, while soul line dancing is backed by R&B, soul and hip-hop. Along with the 'Cupid Shuffle,' routines to DJ Casper's 'Cha Cha Slide' (2000) and V.I.C.'s 'Wobble' (2008) are canonized in soul line dancing, as well as the most recognized 1972 song, 'Electric Boogie (The Electric Slide)' by Marcia Griffiths. But 'Boots on the Ground' has introduced trail ride line dancing to many Americans outside of the Southeast. Trail rides are socialized horseback processionals traveling to a designated location. In Black Southern culture, it is a party atmosphere with food and dancing, including niche music genres like zydeco and Southern soul, which blends R&B, blues, gospel and country. 'People didn't really know about it. … When something is trending, it makes everybody get on the bandwagon,' said 28-year-old Jakayla Preston, who goes by the handle @_itsjakaylaa on TikTok. A professional dancer, the Houstonian began teaching line dance classes this year after persistent requests from her followers, which intensified following the 'Boots on the Ground' boom. Leading classes across the country, she discovered attendance was about more than foot-taps and turns. 'I have people who are struggling and battling with a lot of things … they'll even sometimes cry and thank me for hosting the class there, or just giving them the experience to be able come and express,' she said. 'It's a feeling that's indescribable.' Line dance with the Beyoncé effect ' Beyoncé probably had a lot to do with that, as far as her 'Cowboy Carter album,'' said Preston, referring to the attention on trail ride line dancing. The Grammy's reigning album of the year sparked conversations about African American contributions to country music and Black cowboy culture, with 'Cowboy Carter' tourgoers frequently dressing the part. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, one of the city's marquee events, broke its attendance record this year, and while there were several factors, many first-timers and social media users said they visited Queen Bey's hometown to experience what she sang about. 'I never seen — ever — that many people that was out there line dancing,' said Preston, who grew up attending the rodeo. 'It's an amazing sight to see.' Sharlene Sinegal-DeCuir, chair of African American and Diaspora Studies at Xavier University in New Orleans, said Beyoncé's impact extends beyond music. 'Country western music: the sound, the banjo, the violin, all those things are African instruments,' said Sinegal-DeCuir, who grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, line dancing and listening to zydeco. 'She's bringing it to the world to let the world know, no, we're not just getting into country — we are country.' The political line (dance) in the sand Sinegal-DeCuir believes the political climate may have indirectly contributed to the success of 'Boots on the Ground' and interest in line dancing. She notes the 92% of Black women who voted against President Donald Trump, whose policies are disproportionately affecting Black Americans, including eliminating DEI programs, federal agency mass layoffs, and cuts to SNAP benefits, Medicare and Medicaid. 'We know how to survive these things because we lean on family, we lean on community, and this joy,' said Sinegal-DeCuir. 'The world is burning down, and we're sitting here learning a new line dance because we're tired of the political atmosphere … it's a form of resistance.' Cupid remembers a pivotal moment during the social justice movement, sparked by the 2020 killing of George Floyd, a Black man who was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. He saw a video of a tense exchange between protesters and law enforcement at a rally, and 'Cupid Shuffle' began playing to ease tensions. More social videos were uploaded during that era showing his song played at protests across America. 'I realized the importance of it, as far as connecting two people that don't even see eye to eye,' said the 'Flex' artist, who is readying a new album next month that he says will be the first all-line-dance album. 'If you had to pick three songs that could bring people on two opposite sides of the fence together for a moment, then line dancing is definitely those types of songs.' 'I don't think there's any other genre more powerful than line dance,' he added. ___ Follow Associated Press entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.
