Recorded 2008, Manfield Studios (Los Angeles, California); Germano Studios and Roc The Mic Studios (New York City, New York)
Writer(s) Evan Bogart, Beyonce Knowles, Ryan Tedder
Producer Beyonce Knowles, Ryan Tedder
"Halo" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). Included on the I Am... disc, it was intended to give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Knowles' life, stripped of her make-up and celebrity trappings. Columbia Records released the song, the album's fourth single, to mainstream radio in the United States on January 20, 2009, and to international markets from February 20. Inspired by Ray LaMontagne's 2004 song "Shelter", "Halo" was composed by Ryan Tedder, Evan Bogart and Knowles. It was conceived by Tedder and Bogart specifically for Knowles, although there was media speculation that it had been intended for Leona Lewis.
"Halo" is an R&B and pop power ballad, the lyrics of which describe a sublime love. It features drum, piano, keyboard, string, synthesizer, and percussion instrumentation. Kelly Clarkson claimed that Tedder reused the musical arrangement in her 2009 song "Already Gone". "Halo" received positive reviews from music critics, who made comparisons with Lewis' 2007 song "Bleeding Love". Its production and Knowles' emotional vocals also received critical praise. "Halo" was nominated for Record of the Year and won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 52nd Grammy Awards. It won Best Song at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards. "Halo" topped the singles charts of Brazil, Norway and Slovakia, and reached the top five on the singles chart of Australia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the US. It was certified triple-platinum in Australia, and double-platinum in Spain and the US.
Philip Andelman directed the ballad's accompanying music video, which features American actor Michael Ealy. It portrays a romantic relationship between Knowles' and Ealy's characters. Critics complimented Knowles' looks in the clip. An alternative music video, which shows Ealy's character being chased by police through a forest at night, was posted on the Internet in May 2010. The lyrics to "Halo" were changed for two of Knowles' special live performances: in a tribute to Michael Jackson following his death, and in a tribute to the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The song has been covered by many artists, including Florence and the Machine and Westlife. It was performed on the television show Glee, and was added to the international soundtrack of the Brazilian soap opera India – A Love Story.The accompanying music videos for "Halo" and "Diva" premiered simultaneously on the US iTunes Store on December 23, 2008. Shot in late November 2008 in a SoHo townhouse owned by Knowles, the video was directed by Philip Andelman and features actor Michael Ealy as Knowles' love interest. Ealy was happy to work with Knowles, as he had loved the song immediately after hearing it. This was the second time he was asked to star in a video for a song by Knowles; the first was "Irreplaceable", which he had refused because he did not appreciate its theme and concept. He had advised Knowles: "Call me when you have a hero role."
The video, which Knowles has considered intimate and romantic, begins as she stands against a wall, illuminated by light that passes through a window. In one scene, Knowles' character, dressed in a skin-tight leotard, performs a dance sequence while her love interest looks down at her from a balcony. According to Michael Slezak of Entertainment Weekly, the dance routines pay homage to the 1983 romantic drama film Flashdance. Knowles and Ealy later stare adoringly at each other as they snuggle on a sofa. During the climax of the video, Knowles is shown underwater, dressed in white, moving slowly upwards. As the chorus begins, she opens her eyes; after Ealy kisses the back of her neck, the pair come face to face in the final scene, in which Knowles lies in bed, with Ealy above her. Jennifer Cady of E! Online wrote that the bright shiny lights in the video "make [Knowles] look like an angel". Alison Maloney of The Sun praised Knowles' "amazing figure". The video was ranked at number 74 on BET's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2009 countdown.
An alternate video surfaced online in late May 2010, explaining why Knowles' character was remembering her love interest in the original version. It begins with a view of the night sky and many trees, as Knowles drives a car and Ealy's character is chased by the police through a forest. As the video progresses, she parks her car on the side of the road and scenes from the original version are shown. Police dogs eventually catch Ealy's character and attack him savagely. An open bag reveals stolen money, which is dispersed by the wind. At the end of the video, in the forest, Knowles finds Ealy lying lifelessly on the ground.
YOUTUBE VIDEOHalo MP3
Halo Lyrics
Remember those walls I built
Well, baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make up a sound
I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now
It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm takin'
I ain't never gonna shut you out
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light
I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
To pull me back to the ground again
Feels like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
The risk that I'm takin'
I'm never gonna shut you out
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
Halo, halo
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
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