"Only One" is a song by the American recording artistKanye West, featuring English musicianPaul McCartney. The song was released on December 31, 2014, and was the first song released by West after the release of his sixth studio albumYeezus.[2][3][4][5][6]
The song was written by West, McCartney,Noah Goldstein,Mike Dean, andKirby Lauryen. Produced by the former four, the song is a tribute to West's daughter, North, and is sung as a message to West from the perspective of his late mother,Donda West.[1] McCartney is featured as a musician, playingelectric piano throughout the track.Ty Dolla Sign contributes backing vocals at several points in the song.
The song was recorded over a two-day period inMexico in September 2014 in which West and McCartney, alongside other artists, recorded upwards of nine songs.[1]
The track was released on December 31, 2014, to theiTunes Store. The track features English musician and former member ofthe Beatles andWings,Paul McCartney. "Only One" was the first of three McCartney–West collaborations to be released commercially, as the two would later appear on "FourFiveSeconds" alongside singerRihanna, released just twenty-four days after "Only One", as well as on West's "All Day".[7]
Kanye West is described in a press release as not being able to remember singing the words to "Only One" when he and McCartney were later reviewing the early 2014 sessions that generated the song. Later, West "realized that perhaps the words had never really come from him … he understood in that moment that his late mother, Dr. Donda West, who was also his mentor, confidante, and best friend, had spoken through him that day ... A message had been passed down through generations."[8]
West's then-wifeKim Kardashian tweeted upon the release of the track that it is her favorite track by West, saying, "People always ask me what my favorite Kanye song is and it's 'Only One'. Kanye feels like his mom sang thru him to our daughter."[9]
On the episode ofThe Ellen DeGeneres Show which aired January 29, 2015, West revealed a preview of the music video for "Only One", directed bySpike Jonze on hisiPhone.[14] West tweeted a link to the full music video available to watch on his web site later the same day.[15] The video was shot in the minimalist style that West had been continuously using.[16] It sees West walking through a soggy field with his daughter North, who was 18 months old at the time, and he is silhouetted by fog.[15]Pitchfork Media named "Only One" the sixth best music video of 2015.[17]
"Only One" debuted at number 35 on theBillboard Hot 100 on the chart dated January 17, 2015. Its debut was mainly on the strength of digital download sales; it sold 125,000 copies during its first week, making it the week's tenth-best selling single. It also marked McCartney's first top 40 hit in the United States in over 25 years, when 1989's "My Brave Face" had reached number 25.[18] Following three weeks on sale in the United States, "Only One" had sold 230,000 total copies.[19] On 28 July 2015, the song was certified Gold by theRecording Industry Association of America.[20]
The song also debuted at number 35 in theUK Singles Chart on the chart dated January 10, 2015.[21] On its second week on the chart, the song rose to number 28.[22]
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 8. týden 2015 in the date selector. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
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