| "The Pressure" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
&sq=Bangladesh&lang=en&file=File:Jhene_Aiko_The_Pressure.jpg) | ||||
| Single by Jhené Aiko | ||||
| from the album Souled Out | ||||
| Released | July 18, 2014 | |||
| Recorded | Fisticuffs Gym (Culver City, California) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:59 | |||
| Label | Def Jam, Artium | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jhené Aiko Chilombo | |||
| Producer(s) | Fisticuffs | |||
| Jhené Aiko singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"The Pressure" is a song by American recording artist Jhene Aiko, taken from her debut studio album, Souled Out (2014). The song premiered on Vogue magazine's website and was released for digital download on July 17, 2014, as the second single from the album through ARTium Recordings and Def Jam Recordings. The song was written by Aiko, while production was handled by longtime collabarotors Mac Robinson and Brian Warfield under their production name Fisticuffs. Backed by a guitar-tinged, hip-hop production containing synths, metallic slaps and a shaky beat "The Pressure" is an alternative R&B song that thematically revolves around Aiko's stress of finishing her debut album.
Upon release The Pressure was met with generally positive reviews from music critics; who commended the song's lyrical content, Aiko's vocals and the atmospheric production. Commercially the song did not fare well, only making an appearance on the US Hot R&B Songs chart. The song's accompanying video was released on September 2, 2014 and was directed by rapper Childish Gambino and Calmatic, during the video it depicts the challenges of being in a relationship and shows various scenes including Aiko drinking beer and eating pizza with her friends, writing songs and playing with her child, before changing to darker themes including friends fighting and lovers leaving. To further promote the song Aiko performed at the Streamy Awards 2014.[1]