| "FML" | |
|---|---|
| Song byKanye West | |
| from the albumThe Life of Pablo | |
| Released | February 14, 2016 |
| Recorded | 2015–16 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:56 |
| Label | |
| Songwriters |
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| Producers |
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"FML" is a song by American rapperKanye West from his seventh studio albumThe Life of Pablo (2016), which features vocals from Canadian singerthe Weeknd.[1] It contains a sample of "Hit" bySection 25, which two of the band members praised West for sampling. In the song, West references his issues with mental health. The song charted in theUnited States,United Kingdom andCanada in 2016.
In October 2016, a demo of the track, alongside one of "I Am a God" from West's sixth studio albumYeezus (2013), was uploaded toSoundCloud, which featured vocals fromTravis Scott instead of the Weeknd and included a new sample.[2]
Along with these alternate versions, a demo track titled "Fall Out of Heaven" was also leaked. FeaturingThe-Dream andBon Iver, the song's outro reuses the same sample as "FML". Several lyrics from it would later be reused for the album track "Famous".[3] Collin Robinson ofStereogun noted that West's verses "aren’t quite finished, with Kanye mumbling a cadence in parts, but the structure of the song is there."[4]
An unofficial remix of the song by American record producerAlvin Risk was released in February 2017.[5][6]
A sample of "Hit" bySection 25 is heavily used to compose the outro, along with vocals from West.[7] In response to West sampling their work, Section 25 members Bethany and Vincent Cassidy praised him highly.[8]
After making changes in the album in June 2016, the song's vocals were made louder and the background vocals were added in the second round of the Weeknd's hook.[9]
"FML" is titled to stand for two meanings: "For My Lady", since West raps in the first verse "I been waiting for a minute/For my lady" and "Fuck My Life (up)" since the Weeknd sings on the chorus "I wish I would go ahead and fuck my life up/Can't let them get to me/And even though I always fuck my life up/Only I can mention me."[10] West mentions theantidepressant drugLexapro in reference to his issues with mental health, a subject West mostly touched on in the song "I Feel Like That" from the end of his andSteve McQueen'smusic video for West's 2015 single "All Day".[11]
Pitchfork's Jayson Greene viewed the song as where West "alludes to something that sounds an awful lot like a manic episode".[12] Jake Indiana ofHighsnobiety wrote in response to it that "there's a lot to love here, particularly in Ye's lyrics", but he had a mixed reaction to the Weeknd's appearance, describing it as where he "gives a massive assist on this guest spot, but by song's end his refrain becomes a bit whiny".[13]NME writer Larry Bartleet listed it 13th in his top 50 songs about depression list.[14]
The track debuted at number 84 on the USBillboard Hot 100 within the same week thatThe Life of Pablo was released.[15] "FML" charted on theUK Singles Chart at exactly the same position upon the album's release and then never charted again on it.[16] On theCanadian Hot 100, the song debuted at number 97 in the same week.[17] This made the song stand along with "Ultralight Beam" and "Waves" as one of only three non-single releases from West's album to chart inCanada.[18] Alongside its debut on the USBillboard Hot 100, "FML" charted at number 30 on the USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and spend a total of three weeks on it.[19]
West's sister-in-lawKylie Jenner named the track as her favourite song fromThe Life of Pablo in March 2016.[20] His ex-wifeKim Kardashian listed the track in August 2016 among her top 28 favorite songs by her husband.[21]
Credits adapted from West's official website.[22]
| Chart (2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[23] | 97 |
| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[24] | 3 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[25] | 84 |
| UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[26] | 23 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[27] | 84 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[28] | 30 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[29] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[30] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[31] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[32] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
