Righteous (song) explained

Righteous
Type:single
Artist:Juice Wrld
Album:Legends Never Die
Cover:Juice Wrld - Righteous.png
Genre: * Alternative rock[1]
Length:4:03
Label:
  • Grade A Productions
  • Interscope
Producer:
  • Nick Mira
  • Charlie Handsome
Prev Title:No Me Ame
Prev Year:2020
Next Title:Tell Me U Luv Me
Next Year:2020

"Righteous" is a song by American rapper Juice Wrld. It is the first posthumous single released with him as the lead artist. It was released on April 24, 2020, via Grade A Productions through exclusive licensing to Interscope Records, as the lead single for his posthumous album, Legends Never Die.

Background and composition

Juice Wrld's family announced "Righteous" would be releasing hours before it was released at midnight on April 24, 2020.[2] Rolling Stone described the song as "pensive" and that it "addresses anxiety and trying to quell it by self-medicating while also acknowledging the cyclical addiction that ensues."[3]

Lyrically, Juice Wrld dances around the theme of death in the song with the lyrics "Over ice, I'm freezing/Beautiful eyes, deceiving/We may die this evening/Coughing, wheezing, bleeding," and "High, I'm an anxious soul/Blood moons are my eyes, stay low/Red and black, they glow/Under attack, in my soul/When it's my time, I'll know."

Stylistically, Stereogum describes the track as a "melancholy swoon built from arpeggiated guitar riffs and moonbeam melodies; it's all smooth edges, moody textures, breathy vocals."[4]

"Righteous" was produced by Nick Mira and Charlie Handsome. Mira has worked with Juice Wrld in the past on multiple songs, including Juice Wrld's multi-platinum-certified single, "Lucid Dreams".[5] The song was recorded at Juice Wrld's home studio in Los Angeles.

Music video

The official music video for the song was published on the same day the song was released on Juice Wrld's YouTube channel.[6] The video was directed, shot and edited by Steve Cannon.[7]

The first half of the video shows footage of Juice Wrld in his daily life including touring, traveling and recording at various studios.[8] The second half of the video is an animation depicting Juice Wrld fighting his inner demons before changing forms and leaving Earth.[9] The video concludes with him disappearing into space.[8]

Cannon first started working with Juice Wrld in March 2018 as a photographer and videographer.[10]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Spotify.[11]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2020)Peak
position
Estonia (Eesti Tipp-40)[12] 8
Greece (IFPI)[13] 20
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[14] 21
Lithuania (AGATA)[15] 20
US Rolling Stone Top 100[16] 3

Year-end charts

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Juice WRLD – Righteous. April 4, 2022. genius.com.
  2. Web site: Hear Juice Wrld's First Posthumous Song "Righteous". Woods. Aleia. XXL Mag. April 24, 2020 . en. 2020-04-30.
  3. Web site: Hear Juice WRLD's First Posthumous Single xRighteous'. April 24, 2020. Rolling Stone Australia. en-AU. April 30, 2020.
  4. Web site: Juice WRLD - "Righteous". April 24, 2020. Stereogum. April 30, 2020.
  5. Web site: Friday Five: Juice WRLD's 'Righteous', the Killers' snappy new single, and more. Suskind. Alex. Enis. Eli. EW.com. en-us. April 30, 2020.
  6. Web site: Juice WRLD - Righteous (Official Video). en. Juice WRLD. YouTube. April 23, 2020. April 30, 2020.
  7. Web site: Juice WRLD's First Posthumous Single and Music Video, 'Righteous,' Is Here. Murphy. Chris. April 24, 2020. Vulture. en-us. April 30, 2020.
  8. Web site: Juice Wrld's Posthumous Video For "Righteous" Is an Emotional Ode to the Rapper's Life. Cubit. Brea. April 25, 2020. POPSUGAR Entertainment. en-US. April 30, 2020.
  9. Web site: Juice WRLD Flies Into The Cosmos In His Posthumous 'Righteous' Video. https://web.archive.org/web/20200428023551/http://www.mtv.com/news/3164375/juice-wrld-righteous-video-posthumous-single/. dead. April 28, 2020. Roth. Madeline. MTV News. en. April 24, 2020. April 30, 2020.
  10. Web site: Tour Tales Steve Cannon talks shooting Juice Wrld on tour and the funny moments that go down. Nelson. Keith Jr.. January 29, 2019. REVOLT. en. April 30, 2020.
  11. Web site: Righteous by Juice WRLD on Spotify . Grade A Productions/Interscope Records . 2020.
  12. Web site: EESTI TIPP-40 MUUSIKAS: Mängu "Fortnite" toel on Travis Scott taas kõrgel tabelis. Eesti Ekspress. Estonian. May 8, 2020.
  13. Web site: Official IFPI Charts Digital Singles Chart (International) Week 28 2020. IFPI Greece. https://web.archive.org/web/20200720180441/https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html. July 20, 2020. July 20, 2020.
  14. Web site: Tónlistinn – Lög. The Music – Songs. is. Plötutíðindi. July 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200507175949/http://plotutidindi.is/lagalistinn/. May 7, 2020. dead.
  15. Web site: 2020 18-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100). Lithuanian. AGATA. May 4, 2020. May 17, 2020.
  16. Top 100 Songs. Rolling Stone. April 2, 2020.
  17. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2020. Billboard. December 4, 2020.