Ultralight Beam

"Ultralight Beam"
Song by Kanye West
from the album The Life of Pablo
ReleasedFebruary 14, 2016 (2016-02-14)
Recorded2015–2016
Genre
Length5:21
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Ultralight Beam" is a song by American recording artist Kanye West from his seventh studio album The Life of Pablo (2016). The song features vocals by R&B singers The-Dream and Kelly Price, rapper Chance the Rapper, gospel singer Kirk Franklin and a ten-piece choir, with additional vocals by Natalie Green and Samoria Green. It was first performed live on Saturday Night Live in February 2016.

The song, heavily influenced by soul and gospel music, is about West's faith in God. As described by producer Derek Watkins, Its recording process took place over multiple jam sessions, where some of West's regular collaborators, including Mike Dean, were involved. Other participants included Watkins, producer Swizz Beatz and singer Justin Bieber, whose contributions were omitted from the final recording. In an interview, Watkins describes the "ultralight beam" as "the connection that goes straight to heaven."[2] The song's opening is taken from a video uploaded to the social media site Instagram of a four-year-old girl named Natalie Green talking about God.

Since being released, "Ultralight Beam" has received universal acclaim from music critics, who complimented its message and performances. Chance the Rapper was singled out with praise for his performance. It charted in the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ireland, and Canada in 2016. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in 2017. The song appeared on year-end lists for 2016 by multiple publications, including Complex and Consequence of Sound. In 2019, Pitchfork and Rolling Stone both listed it among the best songs of the 2010s.

The song has since been performed by both West and Chance the Rapper in concert. It has left a significant legacy despite never being released as a single. The song has been covered by other artists including Harry Styles, Stormzy, Austin Gleason and Local Natives. A reinterpretation of the song, produced by West, was released by the Sunday Service Choir in 2019.

  1. ^ Ware, Lawrence (June 19, 2018). "Why 'Ultralight Beam' Is the Official Song of Christians Who Love Jesus but Curse a Little". The Root. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2017. "Ultralight Beam" is firmly within the gospel music tradition.
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