The song “Anxiety” by Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon, professionally known as Doechii encompasses her lived experience with anxiousness. In an interview with Today, Doechii shares she recorded the song in her bedroom, rapping about the struggles she faces from constant worrying. She describes the feeling of anxiety as a “tightness” almost “like an elephant is standing on me”.

The song’s tempo mirrors this sensation, building a steady rhythm that almost imitates the physical pressure she describes. The beat feels slightly suffocating, repetitive, and tense, like an embodiment of anxious thought patterns. Through both her lyrics and sound, Doechii turns internal chaos into a sonic experience, allowing listeners to feel what anxiety might sound like. 

“Anxiety, keep on tryin’ me
I feel it quietly
Tryin’ to silence me, yeah
My anxiety, can’t shake it off of me
Somebody’s watchin’ me”

Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riCP9x31Kuk

Feature Image: Photo by Uday Mittal on Unsplash