"Wishing Well" is a song by American rapper and singer

Juice Wrld Jarad Anthony Higgins (December 2, 1998 – December 8, 2019), known professionally as Juice Wrld (pronounced "juice world"; stylized as Juice WRLD), was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a leading figure in the emo rap and So ...

, from his

posthumous Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death * Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987 * ...

third studio album '' Legends Never Die'', written by him, along with its producers

Dr. Luke Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald (born September 26, 1973), known professionally as Dr. Luke, Tyson Trax, and Made in China, is an American record producer and songwriter. His professional music career began in the late-night television sketch comedy ...

and Chopsquad DJ. It was sent to

rhythmic contemporary Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...

radio as the album's fifth single on July 28, 2020. An animated music video was released on July 13, 2020. An uplifting song reflecting on fame, depression and drug use, the song received positive reviews from critics who regarded it as a standout, with ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' ranking it as the best song on the album. It debuted at number five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, simultaneously charting in the top 10 with four other songs from the album.

Background and composition

The song first leaked under the title "Lauryn Hill", due to the line "Drugs killing me softly,

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...

". The track starts off with a guitar intro, and consists of a

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sample. Deemed a haunting, yet "uplifting" track, it finds Juice singing about how he is going to be ok, although it may not always be the case, because, in the end, he wants to keep his fans and family happy. Felson Sajonas of

Hypebeast Hypebeast may refer to: *Hypebeast culture, a contemporary youth culture focused on clothing styles *Hypebeast (company) Hypebeast is a Hong Kong-listed company that focuses on contemporary culture and lifestyle. Originally founded in 2005 by Kev ...

noted "Wishing Well" for being a metaphor for Juice's "deep desire to be free from his demons and the constant cycle of drugs and depression". In the chorus, the line "Perky got me itching like a anthill", references

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, a drug that led to his death.

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' Chris Mench described the line as "a grim prediction" of Juice's passing.

Critical reception

'' ranked the song as the best on '' Legends Never Die'', with the magazine's Michael Saponara regarding it as "a bonafide stand-out cut with Juice putting his gifts on display". ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

''s Danny Schwartz called it a "soaring standout", comparing it to

Blink-182 Blink-182 (stylized as blink-182) is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Their current lineup consists of bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their ...

. Alex Zidel of ''HotNewHipHop'' said the song stands out "because of the troubling story that Juice tells". Aaron Williams of

Uproxx ''Uproxx'' (stylized in all caps) is an entertainment and popular culture news website. It was founded in 2008 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater, and acquired by Woven Digital (later renamed Uproxx Media Group) in 2014. The site's target audience ...

praised it as the album's centerpiece, stating that the track "is a real heartbreaker and leads to some of the emotional high points of the album", while pointing out Juice Wrld's awareness of his drug problem, citing the lyrics "''If it wasn't for the pills, I wouldn't be here / But if I keep taking these pills, I won't be here''". ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

''s Jem Aswad named it one of the top songs of the week, noting its "unintentionally timely" opening line: "

I can't breathe "I can't breathe" is a slogan associated with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. The phrase originates from the last words of Eric Garner, an unarmed man who was killed in 2014 after being put in a chokehold by a New York C ...

". However, the magazine misattributed the line to a different Juice Wrld song, "

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Music video

An official animated video was released on July 13, 2020. The KDC Visions-created visual opens with Juice throwing his feelings out of a cardboard box into an actual

wishing well A wishing well is a term from European folklore to describe wells where it was thought that any spoken wish would be granted. The idea that a wish would be granted came from the notion that water housed deities or had been placed there as a ...

. As with the song's lyrics, it further shows Juice reflecting on how he copes with fame and drug use. A variety of

emojis An emoji ( ; plural emoji or emojis) is a pictogram, logogram, ideogram or smiley embedded in text and used in electronic messages and web pages. The primary function of emoji is to fill in emotional cues otherwise missing from typed conversa ...

acts as his emotions, while scenes cut to an army of ants, Juice gazing into the stars on top of his

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, and living an extravagant lifestyle at his mansion. He is also seen seeking help through phone calls and talking to a psychiatrist, portrayed by himself.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Juice Wrld 2020 singles 2020 songs Juice Wrld songs Songs written by Juice Wrld Songs written by Dr. Luke Song recordings produced by Dr. Luke Songs released posthumously Interscope Records singles Animated music videos