Freedom (Beyoncé song)
"Freedom" | ||||
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Lemonade | ||||
Released | September 9, 2016 | |||
Recorded | 2016 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:50 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Beyoncé singles chronology | ||||
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Kendrick Lamar singles chronology | ||||
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Audio video | ||||
"Freedom" on YouTube |
"Freedom" is a song recorded by American singer
Upon its release, "Freedom" managed to appear on various music charts. It peaked at number 35 in the US, on the
Background
The song was written by
Critical reception
"Freedom" was met with critical acclaim.
Later in the year,
Chart performance
After the release of
Impact
The song became an anthem for the 2020 George Floyd protests and saw a subsequent 625% rise in streams, with the track being sung at protests including by actress and singer Amber Riley.[19][20][21]
Live performances
"Freedom" is part of the set list of
Beyoncé performed "Freedom" with Kendrick Lamar as the opening number at the 2016 BET Awards on June 26. It opened with a voice-over of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech as female dancers marched towards the main stage.[25][26] For the performance, Beyoncé was backed by dancers wearing tribal patterns, and performed a stomping choreography in a pool of water, similar to the one performed during The Formation Tour. The stage was illuminated by red and yellow lights and filled with pyrotechnics and smoke throughout the performance. Lamar joined her towards the second half of the song, appearing from below the floor, performing his lines. Towards the end, he joined Beyoncé in the pool, where they both stomped in the water.[27][28] Billboard praised their performance for its dynamic and intense choreography and its political themes.[28]
Beyoncé later performed "Freedom" during her
The song was also included on the set list for her and Jay-Z’s performance at the 2018 Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 charity concert in Johannesburg, South Africa, which commemorated Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday.
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Lemonade liner notes.[3]
- John Lomax, Sr.
- Production – Coffer, Beyoncé, Just Blaze
- Vocal production – Beyoncé
- Audio mixing – Stuart White; Pacifique Recording Studios, North Hollywood, California
- Recording – Stuart White, Arthur Chambazyan (assistant); The Beehive, Los Angeles, California
- Second engineering – Ramon Rivas
- Assistant mix engineering – John Cranfield
- Backing vocals – Arrow Benjamin
- Additional programming – Boots, Myles William
- Bass – Marcus Miller
- Additional piano – Canei Finch
- Mastering– Dave Kutch; The Mastering Palace NYC, Pacifique Recording Studios, North Hollywood, California
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[44] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[45] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[47] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Italy | September 9, 2016 | Radio airplay | Sony | [48] |
References
- ^ "Beyoncé's Surprise 'Lemonade' Album: Instant Track-by-Track Analysis". Fuse. Archived from the original on 2016-12-26. Retrieved 2016-11-05.
- Pitchfork Media. April 23, 2016. Archivedfrom the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Lemonade (Media notes). Beyoncé. Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment. 2016.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ ""Freedom" [ft. Kendrick Lamar]". Pitchfork. April 27, 2016. Archived from the original on December 9, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
- ^ "Beyoncé, Lemonade review: Fiery, insurgent and fiercely proud". The Independent. 2016-04-26. Archived from the original on 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
- ^ Spanos, Brittany; Grant, Sarah (July 13, 2016). "Songs of Black Lives Matter: 22 New Protest Anthems". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
- ^ "Top 50 Songs of 2016". Consequence of Sound. December 5, 2016. Archived from the original on December 7, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
- ^ "PAZZ+JOP 2016". Village Voice. January 25, 2017. Archived from the original on January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ Mendizabal, Amaya (May 2, 2016). "All 12 of Beyonce's 'Lemonade' Tracks Debut on Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ a b "Beyonce Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^ "Archive Chart: 2016-05-12". UK Singles Chart. Archived from the original on 2018-07-16. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
- ^ a b "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
- ^ Noise11. Archivedfrom the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
- ^ a b "ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
- ^ Les classement single. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
- ^ Canciones Top 50. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
- ^ a b "Beyonce – Freedom" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
- ^ Exposito, Suzy (2020-06-06). "Music at Home: Songs of Resistance". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2020-06-06. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
- ^ "Streams of NWA's 'F*** Tha Police' are up 270%". The Independent. 2020-06-04. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
- ^ "Amber Riley Sings Beyoncé's 'Freedom' During Protest at LA Mayor's House". Billboard. 2020-06-03. Archived from the original on 2020-06-06. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
- ^ B. Kile, Meredith (April 27, 2016). "Beyoncé Kicks Off 'Formation' Tour in Miami, Jay Z Shows Support But Doesn't Perform". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on May 12, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ Vaziri, Aidin (May 17, 2016). "Scorned Beyoncé brings urgency, anger to Levi's Stadium". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
- ^ Tracy, Liz (April 28, 2016). "Beyoncé's Formation World Tour: The Complete Breakdown of Her First Show". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ a b Jankins, Nash (June 26, 2016). "Watch Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar Destroy 'Freedom' At The BET Awards". Time. Archived from the original on November 22, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
- ^ a b Stern, Marlow (June 26, 2016). "Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar Stun BET Awards With 'Freedom,' a Fiery Black Lives Matter Anthem". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on June 28, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
- ^ M. Jones, Jaleesa (June 26, 2016). "Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar open BET Awards with blazing rendition of 'Freedom'". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 29, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
- ^ a b Rys, Dan (June 26, 2016). "Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar Open 2016 BET Awards With Surprise Performance of 'Freedom'". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 27, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
- ^ Brown, August (June 26, 2016). "Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar open the BET Awards with a rebellious performance". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 27, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
- ^ Dessem, Matthew (June 26, 2016). "Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar Kicked Off the BET Awards With a Killer Version of "Freedom"". Slate. Archived from the original on June 28, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
- ^ Wood, Mikael (April 10, 2019). "Coachella at 20: How Beyoncé forever changed the desert festival". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ Lindsey, Treva (April 16, 2018). "Beyoncé's Coachella 2018 Performance Showed Just How Important HBCUs Are". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ Bate, Joshua; Madden, Sidney (April 17, 2019). "Beyoncé Surprise-Drops Live Coachella Album; Netflix Doc Now Streaming". NPR. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ Fadroski, Kelli Skye (September 23, 2018). "Jay-Z and Beyoncé work out their relationship with a fast-paced, hit-filled set at the sold-out Rose Bowl". Pasadena Star-News. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ "Euro Digital Songs". Billboard. May 2, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ "Chart Track: Week 19, 2016". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
- ^ "Norway Digital Songs". Billboard. May 2, 2016. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^ "Sverigetopplistan". sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
- ^ "Sweden Digital Songs". Billboard. May 2, 2016. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
- ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2016" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Beyoncé – Freedom" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
- ^ "British single certifications – Beyoncé – Freedom". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
- ^ "American single certifications – Beyonce – Freedom (feat. Kendrick Lamar)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ "Beyoncé - Freedom (feat. Kendrick Lamar) (Radio Date: 09-09-2016)" (in Italian). Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
External links
- "Freedom" on YouTube