The Anxiety Explained

The Anxiety
Type:studio
Artist:Willow and Tyler Cole as The Anxiety
Cover:The anxiety willow album.jpg
Length:28:08

The Anxiety is a collaborative studio album by American musicians Willow Smith and Tyler Cole, under the band name The Anxiety. The project was released by the duo on March 13, 2020, by MSFTSMusic and Roc Nation. While the album did not chart at the time of its release, it entered charts in late 2021 after album track "Meet Me at Our Spot" became a sleeper hit on TikTok. It became Cole's first ever charting album and Willow's first charting album in Canada.

Background

Willow Smith and Tyler Cole have been romantic partners and artistic collaborators for several years.[1] Prior to The Anxiety, Cole co-produced her 2019 self-titled album. The band released their debut single "Hey You!" on February 28, 2020.[2]

Art exhibit

In promotion of the project, Smith and Cole staged a performance art piece at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles on March 11, 2020, wherein the duo were locked in a glass box for 24 hours and were not allowed to speak to each other. One wall was clear for the audience to view, with the other three covered in canvas for the duo to write affirmations on. The performance is meant to convey the eight stages of anxiety (paranoia, rage, sadness, numbness, euphoria, strong interest, compassion and acceptance) with each stage lasting three hours.[3] The performance was seen as topical due to it occurring just days before COVID-19 lockdowns in the United States.

Composition

The Anxiety is a punk,[4] indie rock,[4] alternative rock,[3] dream pop,[4] and progressive rock[5] album. The album's first half largely consists of "uptempo rhythms and punchy riffs", dabbles in lo-fi around the middle, and the second half contains "pensive R&B and drone-like ballads".[6] [5] Lyrically, the album tackles themes of anxiety, rage, panic attacks, and government corruption.[5]

Track listing

Notes

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2021)!scope="col"
Peak
position
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[7] 37
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[8] 70

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Willow Smith's Boyfriend Shaves Her Head for "The Anxiety" Exhibit. Allure. Noble. Audrey. March 13, 2020. March 12, 2022.
  2. Web site: "Hey You!" – Single by The Anxiety, Willow, Tyler Cole. Spotify. 28 February 2020 . March 12, 2022.
  3. Web site: Willow Smith will be trapped in a box for 24 hours at MOCA - Los Angeles Times. Kaufman. Amy. The L.A. Times. 10 March 2020 . March 12, 2022.
  4. Web site: The Anxiety Album Review. Monger. James Christopher. AllMusic. March 12, 2022.
  5. Web site: LISTENING TO WILLOW SMITH'S 'THE ANXIETY' WHILE QUARANTINED IS PEAK SOCIAL DISTANCING. Gore. Lesley. High Snobiety. 17 March 2020 . March 12, 2022.
  6. Web site: The Anxiety Artist Biography. Wilkinson. James. AllMusic. March 12, 2022.
  7. Alternative Albums. Billboard.
  8. Top Rock Albums. Billboard.

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