The Disruptor We've Been Waiting For
In an industry that often rewards conformity, Doechii has emerged as the disruptive force hip-hop needs right now. Since signing with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) – the label that brought us Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and ScHoolboy Q – this Tampa-born artist has consistently defied expectations. However, it's her visual for "ANXIETY" that truly establishes her as not just a musician to watch, but an artist with something profound to say.
While many newcomers might play it safe early in their careers, Doechii has chosen the opposite path. "ANXIETY" isn't just a music video; it's a manifesto, a statement piece that refuses to look away from uncomfortable truths about mental health, identity, and the pressures facing young artists today.
The Sample That Launched a Thousand TikToks
What has catapulted "ANXIETY" into the cultural zeitgeist is its brilliant sampling of Gotye's 2011 hit "Somebody That I Used To Know." This inspired sample choice has proven to be pure creative genius, reimagining the melancholy indie-pop track into something entirely fresh while maintaining the emotional core that made the original so impactful.
The familiarity of the sample provides an entry point for listeners, but it's what Doechii does with it that showcases her artistic vision. By repurposing this recognizable melody as the foundation for her exploration of anxiety, she creates a fascinating tension between nostalgia and innovation.
This sample has also helped drive the song's remarkable viral success. Since its release, "ANXIETY" has absolutely dominated social media platforms, particularly TikTok and Instagram Reels, where it's inspired countless challenges, dance routines, and creative interpretations. What began as trending audio has evolved into a full-blown cultural phenomenon, with everyone from casual users to major influencers and celebrities incorporating the track into their content.
The numbers tell the story: billions of views across platforms, chart positions climbing weekly, and streaming figures that established artists would envy. For a relatively new artist, this level of virality is nothing short of extraordinary – particularly for a song that deals with such complex emotional terrain.
Visualizing The Invisible
What makes the "ANXIETY" visual so compelling is how it manages to render visible what is typically invisible. Mental health struggles, particularly anxiety, often occur beneath the surface, hidden from the public eye. Through imaginative visual metaphors and unflinching imagery, Doechii pulls back the curtain on these internal battles.
The video's visual language – alternating between moments of claustrophobic intensity and surreal expansiveness – mirrors the unpredictable nature of anxiety itself. When watching, you don't just hear about anxiety; you feel its rhythms, its unpredictability, and its overwhelming presence.
Unlike artists who might approach mental health themes with a certain distance, Doechii's performance feels deeply personal, as if we're being invited into her most vulnerable moments. This authenticity connects with viewers who rarely see their own struggles represented so honestly in mainstream music.
Breaking Hip-Hop's Unwritten Rules
What particularly strikes me about "ANXIETY" is how it challenges hip-hop's often unspoken expectations around vulnerability. In a genre that has historically rewarded projections of strength and invulnerability (particularly from women), Doechii's willingness to explore fragility feels revolutionary.
This isn't to say the video lacks strength – quite the opposite. There's immense power in her performance, but it's a different kind of strength than we're used to seeing. It's the strength that comes from radical honesty, from refusing to pretend that everything is fine when it isn't.
For young women in hip-hop especially, this representation matters. Doechii is showing that exploring mental health doesn't make you weak; it makes you human. And in doing so, she's creating space for a more nuanced conversation about what it means to be strong in an industry that often has very narrow definitions of power.
Visual Innovation Meets Technical Excellence
Beyond its thematic boldness, "ANXIETY" demonstrates Doechii's commitment to visual innovation. The direction, cinematography, and production design work in harmony to create something that feels both timely and timeless. Each frame could stand alone as a photograph, with careful attention paid to color, composition, and symbolic imagery.
What's particularly impressive is how the visual style enhances rather than distracts from the music itself. The imagery and sonics feel inseparable, each elevating the other to create a more complete artistic statement.
This attention to visual craft shouldn't be overlooked. In an era where music videos are often treated as afterthoughts or simply content for social media, Doechii approaches the visual as an essential element of her artistic expression, not just marketing material.
The Tampa Connection
As someone with Miami roots myself, I appreciate seeing another Florida artist bringing our state's unique energy to the national stage. Doechii's Tampa background infuses her work with perspectives rarely represented in mainstream hip-hop, which has historically been dominated by artists from a handful of major cities.
Florida has always had a distinct musical identity, and Doechii's rise represents an exciting evolution in that lineage. She brings forward elements of Florida's sonic traditions while pushing into new territory that feels entirely her own.
Beyond Categorization
What ultimately makes Doechii such an exciting artist to watch is her refusal to be easily categorized. "ANXIETY" demonstrates her willingness to blend genres, tones, and influences in ways that feel authentic rather than calculated. She moves between rapping and singing, between vulnerability and confidence, between experimentation and accessibility with remarkable fluidity.
This resistance to simple categorization suggests longevity. Artists who can't be easily defined tend to be the ones who shape the future rather than simply riding current trends. Doechii isn't chasing sounds; she's creating them.
From TikTok Challenge to Cultural Moment
The viral explosion of "ANXIETY" on social media platforms deserves special attention. What started as casual shares quickly evolved into structured challenges, with users putting their own creative spin on the track. Dance creators developed routines that captured the song's emotional beats, makeup artists created looks inspired by the video's aesthetic, and countless others found ways to express their own relationship with anxiety through the song.
This virality isn't just about numbers (though those are impressive) – it's about resonance. When content goes this viral this quickly, it signals that something about the work has struck a collective nerve. For "ANXIETY," I believe it's the combination of relatability, creative sampling, and Doechii's unfiltered approach to mental health that has made it so shareable.
What's particularly interesting is how the TikTok success has translated to broader cultural impact. Unlike some viral songs that remain contained to social platforms, "ANXIETY" has crossed over to mainstream success, climbing charts and receiving critical acclaim. This crossover suggests that Doechii has created something with staying power beyond a momentary trend.
The challenges have also created a community around the song, with listeners finding connection through shared experiences of anxiety. In comment sections and video responses, people are having nuanced conversations about mental health – a testament to how art can create space for difficult but necessary discussions.
A New Era for TDE
Doechii's signing to TDE also signals an exciting new chapter for one of hip-hop's most respected labels. Following Kendrick Lamar's departure, many wondered about the label's future direction. In Doechii, they've found an artist who honors the label's tradition of supporting boundary-pushing artists with distinct voices while bringing something entirely fresh to the roster.
Her willingness to address mental health so directly also feels like an evolution of TDE's legacy of supporting artists who tackle complex emotional territory. From Kendrick's explorations of survivor's guilt to SZA's intimate examinations of insecurity, TDE has consistently platformed artists unafraid of emotional complexity. Doechii continues and expands this tradition in her own unique way.
What Comes Next
If "ANXIETY" is any indication, we're witnessing the emergence of an artist who understands that true impact comes from authenticity rather than calculation. The song's sampling brilliance coupled with its emotional honesty has created not just a hit, but a moment – a rare combination that suggests staying power in an industry where virality is often fleeting.
What excites me most as a music journalist is how Doechii has managed to achieve massive commercial success without compromising her artistic vision. The "Somebody That I Used To Know" sample works not because it was an obvious choice for viral potential, but because it genuinely enhances the emotional landscape of the song. The TikTok challenges followed because the content connected, not because it was engineered for social media.
As the views continue to climb and new interpretations of "ANXIETY" flood my feed daily, I'm reminded of what makes certain songs transcend mere popularity to become cultural touchstones. They tap into something universal while still feeling deeply personal. They arrive at exactly the right moment, saying exactly what needs to be said.
For a generation increasingly open about mental health struggles, Doechii hasn't just created a hit – she's created an anthem. And in doing so, she's firmly established herself as not just an artist to watch, but an artist who's already shaping the future of music.
