Ultralight Beam
"Ultralight Beam" is a song by American recording artist Kanye West from his seventh studio album The Life of Pablo (2016).
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.
"[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.
Watkins and Plain Pat retrieved some tambourines and held an impromptu jam session with Kanye West and Chance the Rapper.
"[2] In an interview, producers Samo Sound Boy and DJ Dodger Stadium (DJDS) said they both contributed to songs on The Life of Pablo, including "Ultralight Beam", a month before the album's release.
[2][7] The song has one official sample credit, a video uploaded to the social media site Instagram by user @sheisnatalie of a four-year-old girl named Natalie Green talking about God.
[9] The girl's adoptive parents sued West on February 8, 2019, claiming in court documents that although the sample was cleared by her biological mother, she was not authorized to give permission for its use.
"[4] Price continued, "I can listen to it and hear messages of hurt, shame, anger, and fear, and then I can turn around and see hope, faith, redemption, compassion, rejuvenation, forgiveness, and getting up from a fall.
[6][14] The day before, West performed the song on Saturday Night Live with Chance the Rapper, Kirk Franklin, The-Dream, Kelly Price and a gospel choir.
[18] Chance the Rapper revealed the song was originally slated to be the closing track to The Life of Pablo rather than the album's opener.
[19] When West traveled to Iceland with The Kardashians in April 2016, it had been rumored he was either filming a music video for "Ultralight Beam" or another album track, "Highlights".
[20] Kim released Ultra Light Beam Highlighters for KKW Beauty in November 2017, as an "unexpected tribute" to her husband's song of the same name.
"[14] Jeffries felt "[it] represents the angelic side, offering a complicated emotional ride with the Gospel of Kirk Franklin fueling the song's jaw-dropping climax.
"[22] Ray Rahman from Entertainment Weekly praised the performances and viewed the song as a "powerful" and "electric opening track.
[38][39][40] Kyle Hodge of VH1 viewed "Ultralight Beam" as the most deserving track from The Life of Pablo to earn a nomination for the award and described Chance the Rapper's verse on it as one of the album's "incredible musical and pop culture moments that can't be overlooked.
"[59] "Ultralight Beam" was on the setlist West shared for the kickoff show on his Saint Pablo Tour in Indianapolis on August 25, 2016, but he did not perform the song there as planned.
GQ's Jake Wolf felt, "It served less as musical entertainment and more as a collective exhalation for everyone making their way towards the exit.
"[61][62] Rapper G-Eazy and DJ Carnage moshed with a fan to the song when West performed it live on October 29, 2016, in Las Vegas on the Saint Pablo Tour.
On March 10, 2016, West tweeted out: "A lot of people tell me 'Ultralight Beam' is my greatest artwork to date only rival being 'Jesus Walks'.
The site's Jamie Cutteridge voiced the belief that if the album's "Ultralight Beam", "Jesus Walks" or "Low Lights" had been released by anyone other than West, "we'd be hailing them as the new hero of gospel music.
"[84] In June 2018, Complex looked back on "Ultralight Beam" as a track that "sounded exactly like what [West] promised" when he made the claim that The Life of Pablo would be a gospel album.
[87][88][89][90] According to the Green family, Johnson was not authorized to clear the sample, as they adopted her in December 2012, nor did she receive written license or payment for the use of Natalie's voice on the song.
[90][93] In January 2020, West's motion was denied in respect to Andrew and Shirley's claims on behalf of Natalie, who had been registered since April 2016 with the United States Copyright Office as the sole owner of the sample's source.
[90] West's motion was granted by the court in respect to Andreia Green's claims, which at the time of the lawsuit could be based only on an in-progress application to be registered as an owner of the copyright alongside Natalie.
[90] American indie rock band Local Natives covered the song in late 2016 as part of Spotify's "Singles" program.
[99] In May 2017, Harry Styles covered the song during a surprise concert in London, in celebration of the release of his self-titled debut album.
[100] Daniel Kreps of Rolling Stone said Styles stripped the song of its gospel elements, instead giving it a "moody Purple Rain makeover" that made his rendition stand out on its own.
[107] Composed by West and Nikki Grier, it was released as the eighth track on their debut studio album Jesus Is Born.
[114] In The Guardian, Dean Van Nguyen listed the song among the most interesting parts of the album for West's fans and described it as "whittled down to the choir section that helped power the original.
