Donda Chant
| "Donda Chant" | |
|---|---|
| SongbyKanye West | |
| from the albumDonda | |
| Released | August 29, 2021 |
| Recorded | July 14, 2021 |
| Genre | Spoken word |
| Length | 0:52 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Kanye West |
"Donda Chant"is the opening track of AmericanrapperKanye West's tenth studio albumDonda(2021). The song features vocals from American singer-songwriterSyleena Johnson,who had recorded vocals for another song that was eventually scrapped from the album. Amusic videofor the song was released viaInstagramby West on September 18, 2021. Throughout the video, pictures of both Kanye and his motherDonda Westare projected atop a replica of the former's childhood home.
Background and composition
[edit]West first collaborated withSyleena Johnsonin 2004 on his single "All Falls Down",where she contributed vocals on the chorus, interpolating lyrics from Lauryn Hill's" Mystery of Iniquity ".[1]West continued to work with Johnson during the early years of his career, including producing her 2005 track "Bull's-Eye (Suddenly)".[1]On July 15, 2021, Johnson flew out to San Francisco to record forDonda.[2]Johnson talked more about the collaboration onCocktails with QueensonFox Soulon August 31, saying that West told her that he "wanted the album to have some type of healing component", after which Johnson suggested that the consonant sounds in "Donda" kinda sound like a "meditative chant". The singer then laid down vocals repeating "Donda" in different cadences and rhythms after telling West about the idea. She said that she had no idea that West would use the track in the way that he did on the album. Johnson said during the same session that she recorded vocals for another song, which was ultimately not included on the album.[3]Musically, "Donda Chant" is aspoken wordsong.[4][5]Johnson repeatedly chants "Donda" for the song's full length of 52 seconds without pausing as amantra,replicating the sound of a fading heartbeat.[1][6]She utters the word 60 times, accompanied by no instrumental.[5]
Music video
[edit]On September 18, 2021, West shared an accompanyingmusic videoexclusively to hisInstagram.[7]The video was directed by British fashion photographerNick Knight,who also shot the visual for the album track "24".[7][8]It is set inblack and white,and has a length of 61 seconds.[8]Aerial footage is displayed of the replica of West's replica childhood home from the album's third listening party atSoldier Fieldin Chicago on August 26, 2021, which two rows of moving cars circle around.[4][8][9]Flashes of photographs are projected onto the replica house that show Donda, who is pictured as both a child and an adult, while some images feature Kanye West accompanying her.[7][10]Pictures of West as a baby and video footage of his mother, including clips where she laughs, are also displayed.[8][9][10]
Reception
[edit]![[icon]](/translate/en.wikipedia.org?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3AWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg&t=vi){kind=small} | This sectionneeds expansion.You can help byadding to it.(February 2022) |
TheNew York Postranked "Donda Chant" as one of the worst songs of 2021.[11]
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from Tidal.[12]
- Vocals -Syleena Johnson
- Mi xing engineering -Irko
- Record engineering - Alejandro Rodriguez-Dawsøn, Will Chason
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[13] | 57 |
| Portugal (AFP)[14] | 112 |
| South Africa (TOSAC)[15] | 30 |
References
[edit]- ^abcRindner, Grant (30 August 2021)."From DaBaby to Shenseea: The Most Notable Collaborators on Kanye's Donda".GQ.Retrieved8 September2021.
- ^"Syleena".Instagram.15 July 2021. Archived fromthe originalon 2021-12-24.Retrieved8 September2021.
Took my heart and voice to San Fransisco[sic] right quick to work on something OUT OF THIS WORLD. ♥️ went vintage @kanyewest on the outfit today with the College dropout original hoodie I got from him in 2004.
- ^Cocktails with QueensonFox Soul."Syleena Johnson talks about the inspiration behind the Donda chant".Retrieved8 September2021– via YouTube.
- ^abDoria, Matt (September 19, 2021)."Kanye West honours his late mother in new video for 'Donda Chant'".NME.RetrievedSeptember 27,2021.
- ^abRobinson, Joshua (September 1, 2021)."Kanye West's 'Donda Chant' May Be Deeper Than Listeners Originally Thought".HotNewHipHop.RetrievedSeptember 27,2021.
- ^Ingvaldsen, Torsten (3 September 2021)."Reviewing Kanye West's 'DONDA': From Chaos Comes Clarity".Hypebeast.RetrievedSeptember 8,2021.
- ^abcWaite, Thom (September 19, 2021)."Watch Kanye West's new visuals for 'Donda Chant'".Dazed.Archived fromthe originalon September 20, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 27,2021.
- ^abcdAnthony, Kiyonna (September 20, 2021)."Kanye West Pays Tribute To Late Mother In New 'Donda Chant' Video".iHeartRadio.Archived fromthe originalon September 21, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 27,2021.
- ^abEspinoza, Joshua (September 19, 2021)."Watch Kanye West's New Visual for 'Donda Chant'".Complex.RetrievedSeptember 27,2021.
- ^abHarris, Christopher (September 19, 2021)."Kanye West drops 'Donda Chant' music video via Instagram".Revolt.RetrievedSeptember 27,2021.
- ^Arnold, Chuck (December 24, 2021)."The 5 worst songs of 2021 we hope to never hear again".New York Post.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-24.RetrievedDecember 26,2021.
- ^"Kanye West - Donda - Credits".Tidal.Retrieved8 September2021.
- ^"The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 6 September 2021". No. 1644.Australian Recording Industry Association.September 6, 2021. p. 4.
{{cite magazine}}:Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - ^"Kanye West – Donda Chant ".AFP Top 100 Singles.Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^"Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100: 27/08/2021 to 02/09/2021".The Official South African Charts.Archived fromthe originalon September 9, 2021.RetrievedJune 1,2024.
