Sampling has been a technique long utilised by many artists in the music industry, many of them far more well-known and established than Doechii. It has become almost an instrument itself, and is sometimes so understated you might not recognise it, or so overstated that it is impossible to ignore. Doechii’s song, 'Anxiety', definitely falls into the overstated section, since it samples almost the entire song. The main difference is, of course, Doechii and her voice.
Although the song was released only recently (perhaps in response to its increasing popularity over social media), Doechii had recorded it in her bedroom before her meteoric rise to fame. Due to the fact that ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ does feature so heavily, it is easy to see why it may be classed as nothing more than a simple rip off, copying a more famous backing track. But this dismissal ignores the creativity that Doechii brings to the track. As a rapper, her power and creative flair resides in her voice, and that is exactly what she has added to the sample.
The fact of the matter is that the music industry is constantly in flux: more developments, changes, and new versions of musical creativity appear in the industry every day. What might’ve once been a ‘rip off’ now holds its own type of creativity. For Doechii to take this sample from a completely different genre and mould it to her purposes simply through adding her own voice, in her own unique style, represents a different, but undeniable, type of musical genius.
The allegations that perhaps the release of this song is simply a money grab, piggy backing off of its social media-fuelled popularity, again falls into a similar rut. Being a music artist is a job - and a job must make money. If something is gaining popularity, why not use it to your advantage? It may not be her best song, but it is nonetheless a success, and undoubtedly Doechii.