Beyoncé decided to write a song forKing Richard after attending a screening of the film and becoming inspired by Venus and Serena Williams. Will Smith commented on the song that "the marriage of a movie and a song is a kind of magic that's unmatched in entertainment".[5] Serena explained that "there was no other person who could do this song except for Beyoncé" and "there was just no doubt in [Beyoncé's] mind that it belonged to her as well". 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.[6]
Beyoncé reached out toDIXSON and the two co-wrote the song in a collaborative process.DIXSON commented: "Obviously, we all know if Beyoncé sings, it's going to be amazing. But I don't think we talk about her ability as a songwriter and a producer enough. I knew she was one of my favorite songwriters, but it was confirmed for me through this process."[7]
"Be Alive" plays duringKing Richard's end credits, which feature archival footage of the real Williams family.[3] The film premiered at theTelluride Film Festival on September 2, 2021, and released on November 19, 2021.[8] The song was also premiered at the festival, to the surprise of attendees.[9] The song was greeted with cheers from the attendees of the film's premiere at theBFI London Film Festival.[10] On October 21, 2021, the "Official 'Be Alive' Trailer" ofKing Richard was released, which features a teaser of the song.[11][12] The teaser of the song was shared by the Williams sisters and Will Smith on social media.[13] The song was then performed at her private show at Atlantis the Royal in Dubai in 2023.
Beyoncé did not promote the song following its release, making no awards campaign stops.[14] Beyoncé later performed the song at the94th Academy Awards.[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.[14] The performance was later uploaded on Beyonce's YouTube Channel.
The song has inspirational and empowering lyrics and recalls the journey that the Williams sisters have taken throughout their careers.[16][17][18] The lyrics include messages on black pride, sisterhood and family, which link to the themes ofKing Richard.[19][20] Musically, the song is a powerful ballad with a drum-heavy beat, guitar licks and grizzly bass.[5][19][21] Beyoncé's vocals are described as "epic", "powerful" and "soaring", and are backed by layered vocal harmonies.[22][23][13][24]
"Be Alive" received critical acclaim upon release.[25] Jason Lipshutz ofBillboard 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".[26]Variety's Clayton Davis described the song as a "very uplifting" conclusion toKing Richard, comparing it to the 2014 song "Glory" fromSelma,[27] while Jazz Tangcay of the same publication described it as "a soaring ballad that fits like a glove on the movie".[28] Writing forBustle, 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".[29] Rachael O'Connor ofMetro described the track as "an unmistakable Beyoncé anthem", praising her vocal performance and "powerful" lyricism.[30] Writing for theLos Angeles Times, Glenn Whipp characterized the song as "an instantly engaging original number" and called it the highlight of the film's premiere.[31] Yohana Desta ofVanity Fair described the "anthemic" song as a "thumping, beautifully harmonized motivational number",[32] while Meryl Prendergast ofHot Press characterized it as a "heart-stopping" and "iconic anthem".[33]
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