[3][4] Beyoncé decided to write a song for King Richard after attending a screening of the film and becoming inspired by Venus and Serena Williams.

Serena noted how she and Venus have had a similar path to Beyoncé in their lives; all three trained since a young age to reach their goals, with both of their parents being highly involved in their careers.

"[7] "Be Alive" plays during King Richard's end credits, which feature archival footage of the real Williams family.

[15] Variety reported that Beyoncé was in talks to broadcast the performance live from the tennis courts in Compton where Venus and Serena practiced as children.

[25] Jason Lipshutz of Billboard described the release of "Be Alive" as "an event", lauding Beyoncé's "singular voice and lush harmonies" and the lyrics which "radiate pride and beauty as a celebration of Black art and culture".

[28] Writing for Bustle, Hugh McIntyre described the track as "fantastic, modern and original", highlighting its "great composition, one that's solid and empowering in all the right ways".

[30] Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Glenn Whipp characterized the song as "an instantly engaging original number" and called it the highlight of the film's premiere.