Track: #02
Title: “No Pressure, No Diamonds”
Artist: Jadyn Ghalen
Genre: Hip-Hop • Rap
Length: 5:18
Studio: Studio 60 Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California, USA
Writer: Jadyn Ghalen
Producer: Jadyn Ghalen • DeAndre Patton
Label: Tric-Jam Records • Dahlhouse Entertainment
Background, Writing and Recording“No Pressure, No Diamonds” was written in May 2025 and was the result of a late-night session at Studio60 Recording Studios in California, working alone in the early hours of the morning, Ghalen wrote the bulk of the song while listening to the instrumental of the track that was produced by DeAndre Patton. Known for his traditional hip-hop and rap sensibilities, DeAndre is known as a producer that doesn’t over-produce, simplistic beats that help generate that creative spark is something that has fuelled their ongoing collaboration together ever since first working with Ghalen on the first Orion record.
The song and many recorded during the California sessions of the record represent a shift in Ghalen’s sound as he has experimented primarily with high-energy trap sounds throughout the other recording sessions while the sessions with DeAndre in California have focussed more on the traditional styles of hip-hop and rap with pulsating rhythms and driving beats. Lyrically the track see’s Ghalen bringing a more introspective lyricism than we’re used to, exploring themes of struggle, resilience and hardship that manifested itself into the drive to make a success of himself in the music industry when he eventually got there. The title of the track being a reference to the well-known phrase, “no pressure, no diamonds.” which symbolises the idea that greatness comes through adversity in the same way that a simple rock under the weight of extreme pressure can form into a diamond. The song can be described as both a motivational anthem and a gritty autobiographical track, resonating with listeners who identify with themes of perseverance and survival.
The lyrics were written solely by Jadyn Ghalen, the song reflecting his own life and personal narrative. The writing process was described by Ghalen as highly introspective at a time of rare quiet in the early hours of the morning. Throughout the song, Ghalen reflects on his upbringing in a tough urban environment, his family’s struggles to make ends meet and keep food on the table, and the dedication to his craft to ensure that he would get out from under those difficulties. The track came in May 2025 deep into the recording sessions for his upcoming debut album, according to sources involved in the recording sessions it was clear that this was a track that wouldn’t have been written at a period where there was lots of people in and around the sessions, it was clear that this was a track that could have only ever came during a solitary moment in the dead of night. Once the lyrics were penned, reworked and edited only then did Ghalen step into the recording booth to showcase the songs theme and lyrics for the first time to his producer and studio team.
Songwriter’s CommentaryQuote:“This one feels different, no doubt. You know this is deep into the sessions, we’re talking early morning confessionals and shit, no shit talking but just feeling something in your bones and going with it on some auto-pilot shit. Man, I describe my life like going from survival to stunting and writing tracks about this lifestyle is way more fun than this type of track, but you know every so often this type of thing just comes out of you. It feels like drawing that curtain back and showing more of yourself than you’d like to but it’s honest in what the grind really takes, the pressure and determination it takes to claw out of the place you’re in and get to a place where you want to be.
This was no stepping into a recording booth and freestyling, it was late night at the mixing desk listening to some beats that we had locked down and really writing it all down first. Those three am moments always bring something different out of you that you weren’t even aware were hiding inside. I wrote a lot of shit down for this track and we re-worked and edited to make it fit cause it felt like this was one that the album needed.
I recorded this one with DeAndre in California, and I think whenever I’m at home in California it always brings shit into perspective for me. We run it hard in Cali, my house ain’t ever empty so there ain’t a lot of moments at home to sit and reflect, but when it comes to the studio that’s where I get that quiet, that silence that manifests itself into deeper thoughts and clarity type shit.
I felt like it was a track that fits into the album as a whole cause you need those ones that help to inform all the other shit around it and a whole lot of the record is about the place I’m in right now and that life of excess and luxury but not a whole lot about the journey to get to this place. Like I ain’t fucking with you, but it’s about 85% crazy highs and vibes but there’s that other 15% that people don’t see in the quiet moments where you get some minutes to take it in and really reflect on how you weren’t ever really meant to be here. It’s that 15% that keeps you grounded but it’s way too easy to get caught up in your own hype and I don’t think that’s ever something you should deny yourself.”[/i]
- Jadyn Ghalen
Song DescriptionThe track begins with a moody, atmospheric instrumental, an aggressive hip-hop beat underlying the urgency and tone of the tracks lyrical content which sets the tone for a deeply introspective yet powerful anthem. From the first breath, Jadyn sets the tone for the more introspective style that runs throughout the track, opting to mumble talk his way through the songs intro,
“Yeah, yeah, yeah/Shine don’t come cheap, huh/Diamonds on me, cut deep/Pressure built me, never broke me/Never broke me.” It’s a statement of survival and strength from the outset, a tone shift for an artist that relishes in rapping about the excessive and joyous aspects of the fame lifestyle, but this one immediately indicates that we’re looking a little more inward and self-reflective on the track.
As the first verse unfolds, the production remains sparse and simplistic, beat heavy and rhythmically pulsating which allows the lyrics to shine, highlighting Jadyn’s own journey to get to the point of success.
“I was raised in a place where the sky never shined on us/Streetlights flicker with a violent thrust/Momma prayin’ everyday, working to keep the wolves at bay, tears every night on her pillowcase/Devil on my shoulder, tryna steal my grace/I came up through pain, sleeping on hardwood floors moulded me/Learnt pretty quick that this world don’t owe shit to me/Made it my mission to make it/All this shit you see/ Is a combination of dedication/Late nights, no sleep, just affirmations.” The tone of his delivery is aggressive and confrontational as he showcases a side that’s rarely seen from him as he recounts his journey and the difficult times and the relentless effort to prove and push yourself in order to achieve success. It’s not just about purely flexing success, but it’s also about showcasing the struggle that drove him to work relentlessly to get to where he is now,
“ Internally battling self-doubt, fear and temptations/Every scar part of the story, every loss got a lesson that it taught me/Now I only move with purpose/I keep it cold, but I got a fire burning under the surface/I learnt to walk through the flames, cause I was made from the furnace/Pressure never once broke me, just sharpened my purpose/Diamonds come from relentless pressure/And I’m cut from the rarest.” the beat remains understated but effective, his vocals projected to the forefront with minimal reverb and modification, giving the track the raw feel that it requires.
The pre-chorus is brief but immensely effective,
“No pressure, no diamonds/No silence, just sirens/Came from the bottom, still rising/Icons only, we timeless.” in its rapid-fire delivery building perfectly into a chorus that feels anthem and gigantic in scope, the intensity of the drums rising and building towards crescendo,
“No pressure, no diamonds, I grind in the silence/I came from the bottom, the stars in alignment/They doubted, I’m shinin’, I stayed on assignment/You see what I’m worth, but you missed all the climbin'.” the repetition of the chorus hits hard, not just because it’s catchy, but because it echoes a deeper message on how success isn’t just the flashy elements, it’s earned through grit, solitude and scars throughout the journey.
“No pressure, no diamonds, I walk through the fire/Got pain in my steps, but my dreams gettin’ higher/I’m cut from that cloth, they ain’t built for this wire/You fold under heat, I turn to a diamond.”The second verse builds on the emotional weight of the track with more detailed and vivid imagery, Ghalen once more focussing on how it was all the fuel for his own push for greatness,
“I grew up in the noise, where those sirens used to sing us to sleep/Broken glass on the pavement, that shit always cut deep/Father was a ghost, absent, so the streets became a father figure early to me/Had to guard my soul, heart heavy and my hands stay dirty/Friends turn to foes in the blink of an eye, loyalty ain’t what it seem/Had to learn how to move solo, trust became a luxury/Pain in my chest every day, I wear it like armour, you feel me?/Used to pray I’d make it out, now I grind like it’s ingrained within me/Nights with no heat, just a dream and a vision/Could only rely on myself, ain’t no cosign or permission/Had to learnt to drown out the silence that screamed louder than the critics.” which paints a picture of a life shaped by survival instincts and tough lessons. The lyrics feel like they’re straight out of his memoirs, but continue to revert back to the bigger theme of rising above and refusing to break under pressure, fighting his way out of his situation and into a different way of life,
“Fear and doubt faded, when I flipped it to ambition/Told myself, we never fold, we just finish/Kept the lights shining bright, even when hope got the dimmest/My scars ain’t for the flex, they’re proof that I’m winning’/Had to lose my peace to gain purpose/Now I move different.”The production throughout maintains it’s traditional hip-hop and rap elements, all beats and rhythm, using hi-hats and stripped-back 808’s to create a backdrop befitting of the songs overall theme and story as the songs hook and chorus return once more to close out the track.
“No Pressure, No Diamonds”“(Mmm)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Shine don’t come cheap, huh
Diamonds on me, cut deep
Pressure built me, never broke me
Never broke meI was raised in a place where the sky never shined on us
Streetlights flicker with a violent thrust
Momma prayin’ everyday, working to keep the wolves at bay, tears every night on her pillowcase
Devil on my shoulder, tryna steal my grace
I came up through pain, sleeping on hardwood floors moulded me
Learnt pretty quick that this world don’t owe shit to me
Made it my mission to make it
All this shit you see
Is a combination of dedication
Late nights, no sleep, just affirmations
Internally battling self-doubt, fear and temptations
Every scar part of the story, every loss got a lesson that it taught me
Now I only move with purpose
I keep it cold, but I got a fire burning under the surface
I learnt to walk through the flames, cause I was made from the furnace
Pressure never once broke me, just sharpened my purpose
Diamonds come from relentless pressure
And I’m cut from the rarest
No pressure, no diamonds
No silence, just sirens
Came from the bottom, still rising
Icons only, we timelessNo pressure, no diamonds, I grind in the silence
I came from the bottom, the stars in alignment
They doubted, I’m shinin’, I stayed on assignment
You see what I’m worth, but you missed all the climbin'
No pressure, no diamonds, I walk through the fire
Got pain in my steps, but my dreams gettin’ higher
I’m cut from that cloth, they ain’t built for this wire
You fold under heat, I turn to a diamondI grew up in the noise, where those sirens used to sing us to sleep
Broken glass on the pavement, that shit always cut deep
Father was a ghost, absent, so the streets became a father figure early to me
Had to guard my soul, heart heavy and my hands stay dirty
Friends turn to foes in the blink of an eye, loyalty ain’t what it seem
Had to learn how to move solo, trust became a luxury
Pain in my chest every day, I wear it like armour, you feel me?
Used to pray I’d make it out, now I grind like it’s ingrained within me
Nights with no heat, just a dream and a vision
Could only rely on myself, ain’t no cosign or permission
Had to learn to drown out the silence that screamed louder than the critics
Fear and doubt faded, when I flipped it to ambition
Told myself, we never fold, we just finish
Kept the lights shining bright, even when hope got the dimmest
My scars ain’t for the flex, they’re proof that I’m winning’
Had to lose my peace to gain purpose
Now I move different
No pressure, no diamonds
No silence, just sirens
Came from the bottom, still rising
Icons only, we timelessNo pressure, no diamonds, I grind in the silence
I came from the bottom, the stars in alignment
They doubted, I’m shinin’, I stayed on assignment
You see what I’m worth, but you missed all the climbin'
No pressure, no diamonds, I walk through the fire
Got pain in my steps, but my dreams gettin’ higher
I’m cut from that cloth, they ain’t built for this wire
You fold under heat, I turn to a diamond"
Credits & Personnel;CREDITSProduced by Jadyn Ghalen, DeAndre Patton
Engineered by Aniyah Jordan
Mixed by DeAndre Patton, Aniyah Jordan and Leon Ferreira
Mastered by Leon Ferreira
Production Management by Imani Jasmine Woods
Recorded at Studio 60 Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California, USA
Production Manager: Imani Jasmine Woods
Production Assistant: Zariah-Devi Khabib
Art Director: Vincent Cooper Jr.
PERSONNELJadyn Ghalen – vocals, lyrics, composition, production
DeAndre Patton – production, mixing
Leon Ferreira – mixing, mastering
Aniyah Jordan – engineering, mixing, bass, drums, percussion, programming, composition
Imani Jasmine Woods – production management
Zariah-Devi Khabib – production assistant
Vincent Cooper Jr. – art director
