In an interview with Rap-Up, Tinashe talked about the concept behind the song.

"[5] "Pretend" is a pop song written by Tinashe, Lyrica Anderson and ASAP Rocky and was produced by Detail.

editor Gregory Adams complimented the singers vocals saying "Her voice builds up to an emotional cry in the chorus, which finds her praising the concept of "a love that never ends.

"[7] Chris DeVille from Stereogum was less vocal about ASAP Rocky's appearance on the song but praised Tinashe by saying "her performance is the showstopper here.

"[6] The song's official music video, directed by Jodeb, was shot on August 19, 2014[8] and released on September 29, 2014.