Anxiety (Doechii song)

"Anxiety" was originally recorded by Doechii in 2019 during the sessions for her debut mixtape, Coven Music Sessions.^[1] She originally self-released the song on her YouTube channel on November 10, 2019.^[2]

On September 15, 2023, American rapper Sleepy Hallow released a song of the same title featuring Doechii as a single from his studio album, Boy Meets World, with the song's chorus containing a sample of Doechii's 2019 demo.^[3] In early 2025, Doechii's original recording of the song went viral on the social media platform TikTok.^[4] Subsequently, she posted a video to the platform to suggest that the formal release of "Anxiety" was forthcoming.^[5] On March 4, 2025, the official version of the song was released to streaming services, containing re-recorded vocals from the original demo she posted to YouTube.^[6][7]

"Anxiety" is a pop rap song.^[8] It prominently samples the 2011 song "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye featuring Kimbra,^[9][10] which in turn samples Luiz Bonfá's instrumental "Seville" (1967).^[11]

Robin Murray of Clash wrote that the song "crosses multiple lands", stressing the "soul vocal, some revelatory lyricism, and hard-hitting flows" for which "the bluntest lines shine out". Murray also wrote that in the lyrics, the listener could find Doechii "working towards self-forgiveness, embracing a rounded maturity that can be lost amid the brash glare of the spotlight".^[12] Elias Andrews of HotNewHipHop wrote that in the 2025 version, the rapper "digs more into the nervy intensity of the single", appreciating the "irregular, somewhat goofy rhythm" from the sample because it "serves as a template for Doechii's vocal approach." Andrews also noted Doechii's versatility between rapping and singing, saying that "Anxiety" proves "that she do both masterfully".^[13] Rolling Stone's editorial staff included it in their mid-year list of the best songs of 2025, labelling it "an especially clear testament to the potency of her creative instincts" that "finds Doechii deploying a dexterous yet playful flow as she navigates interior feelings surrounding the emotion in the song’s title."^[14] Billboard followed suit, ranking it at 22, with Mackenzie Cummings-Grady regarding it as "one of 2025’s most adventurous pop songs" which "crosses multiple lands, from rap to pop to classical and back again," proclaiming "it encapsulates everything Doechii is a master at: slick pop melodies, fiery bars, and bringing oodles and oodles of charisma to the microphone."^[15]

By contrast, Paste listed it as one of the worst songs of 2025, with writer Lydia Wei criticizing the mismatched melody, the lyrics, and the perceived overuse of the song online.^[16] Lauren Boisvert of Vice listed it among "popular songs that went viral for the wrong reasons," opining that the lyrics "lacked [Doechii's] usual cleverness" and "didn't quite hold up" in comparison to her current work.^[17] Joe Wicke of The Diamondback, while claiming that Anxiety "isn't a bad song" and is "far from the worst sample ever," criticized its lack of innovativeness, calling it "disappointing" compared to Doechii's other music and using it as an example, among other songs, of subpar sample usage.^[18]

"Anxiety" debuted at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. During its second week on the chart, "Anxiety" climbed to number 10, becoming her first top ten song and her highest-charting song to date.^[19]

In the United Kingdom, "Anxiety" debuted at number four on the UK Singles Chart on March 14, 2025 – for the week ending date March 20, 2025 – becoming Doechii's highest-debuting song and first top ten song in Britain. The following week, "Anxiety" climbed one position to its peak of number three on the UK Singles Chart. Sleepy Hallow's version of "Anxiety" debuted at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, later peaking at number 15.^[20]

In late March 2025, "Anxiety" topped the charts in Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Latvia.

In France, the song debuted at number 17, becoming Doechii's first entry but the highest entry for a female rapper since "Fefe" by Nicki Minaj and 6ix9ine, who debuted at number 16 in 2018. The next week, the song entered in the top ten, at number 7, becoming Doechii's first top ten ever and the first since "Paint the Town Red" by Doja Cat. The song is currently certified platinum for 200,000 units gold, becoming the rapper's first gold certification.^[21]

On April 18, 2025, a music video for the song directed by James Mackel was released.^[22] The video makes a reference to the music video for "Somebody That I Used to Know".^[23]

The song was used extensively in marketing material for the film Final Destination Bloodlines.^[24]

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