I don't know how she does it. With every original song she posts to her channel, YouTuber Dodie Clark manages to create relatable, heartfelt music, with the exact string of lyrics and melodies to hit the nail on the head of how it feels to live through the things she's singing about. Naturally, when Dodie announced the release of her first EP 'Intertwined', I hopped right on the bandwagon and pre-ordered my download straight away. 

After its UK release on November 18, I've had the EP on repeat. The collection of original songs Dodie has picked for Intertwined is perfect - the end result is a well-rounded, charming insight into how it feels to be muddling through life as a twenty-something, and it's so refreshing to hear. 

Its title track, 'Intertwined', shares the tentative, intimate feelings of having a little something with someone and hoping they feel the same but not being quite sure. It's vulnerable but sincere. I suppose you could say that about the EP as a whole - nothing is amped up to sound too dramatic or extraordinary. Dodie is nothing if not genuine and down-to-earth in her music. 

'Sick of Losing Soulmates' explores the heartbreak and frustration of losing - or the thought of losing - a best friend; 'Absolutely Smitten' is charming and cheerful, encapsulating that butterflies feeling of having a crush who likes you back and all the youthful excitement that comes with it; 'When' is a nostalgic longing for when life was easier - perhaps for a time that makes her feel the way Absolutely Smitten sounds. Personally, 'When' is particularly hard-hitting. We've all been there: those quiet, whimsical moments late at night that see you worrying over the pressure to live the best adult life you can make for yourself and wondering why you can't trade it all in for the happy, carefree nature of being 16 and your GCSEs being the biggest of your worries. 

'Intertwined' also includes two interludes which are slightly off-the-wall bursts of character. 'I Have A Hole In My Tooth (And My Dentist Is Shut)' documents a real-life experience which pretty much does what it says on the tin. 'Life Lesson' is an uplifting contrast to the sometimes raw and emotional subject matter of the EP,  reminding us that even though it can be full of soaring highs and lowest lows, life is best lived to its fullest and the hardship we may face is all part of what makes us human. 

What gives Intertwined its richness and depth to me is, having followed Dodie on social media for over a year now, it's plain to see that the EP reflects her personal development and growth as a person. She's publically shared her struggles with mental illness and has made no secret of how she indulges in nostalgia. It's this sort of honesty that just makes the whole thing work so beautifully. 

From bedroom uploads of her strumming the ukelele bashfully to polished, lively studio recordings, I've loved being on this journey with Dodie and can't wait to see where she goes next.


Published by Emma Knowles