A Beautiful Noise

For the Neil Diamond musical, see A Beautiful Noise (musical).

"A Beautiful Noise" is a song recorded by American recording artists Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile. The song was written by Keys, Carlile, Brandy Clark, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Hailey Whitters, Linda Perry and Ruby Amanfu.^[1] It was released as a single on October 29, 2020 through RCA Records. The song was performed live on Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy, and they released the single immediately following the song's premiere on CBS.^[2] The song was also included on the digital reissue of Keys' seventh studio album Alicia (2020), released on December 18, 2020.^[3] The song received a nomination for Song of the Year at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.

"A Beautiful Noise"
Single by Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile
Released	October 29, 2020 (2020-10-29)
Genre	R&B soul
Length	3:19
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Alicia Keys Brandi Carlile Brandy Clark Hailey Whitters Hillary Lindsey Linda Perry Lori McKenna Ruby Amanfu
Producer(s)	Alicia Keys Brandi Carlile
Alicia Keys singles chronology
"Love Looks Better" (2020) "A Beautiful Noise" (2020) "Wasted Energy (Remix)" (2021)
Brandi Carlile singles chronology
"Hold On" (2020) "A Beautiful Noise" (2020) "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (2021)
Music video
"A Beautiful Noise" on YouTube

Background

"A Beautiful Noise" was recorded to inspire American voters to vote in the 2020 presidential election. The song was created by an all-female songwriting team consisting of Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Hailey Whitters, Linda Perry and Ruby Amanfu.^[4] Brandy Clark was the first songwriter added to the team, followed by Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey and so on. The song was passed around between all eight writers with the goal of representing diversity through a variety of views, voices, and perspectives.^[2] In a Variety article, Ali Harnell of Live Nation discussed how the song came to be, stating that they had hoped to celebrate women's suffrage in advance of the 2020 Presidential Election.^[2] The year 2020 marks the 100-year anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the song aims to honor these causes according to Harnell.^[2]

The #ABeautifulNoise Challenge was created on social media inspired by the song to encourage voter turnout via social channels.^[5] The #ABeautifulNoice Challenge tasks viewers with sharing how and why they plan to make a beautiful noise in the 2020 election and beyond.^[5] Keys commented that "Everyone has the power to make beautiful noise and to lift others up with their voice. And now more than ever, we need to let those voices be heard by voting".^[4] Carlile stated that the song "is an important reminder that we all have a voice and that our voices count".^[4][6]

Composition and lyrics

The song is a stripped-down, piano-driven R&B/soul track that lasts for a duration of three minutes and nineteen seconds.^[5][7] It is written in the key of A♭ minor with a ¹²
₈ time signature and a tempo of 76 beats per minute.^[8] Jon Blistein from Rolling Stone described the song as "straightforward but effective bit of piano balladry".^[9] Writer for the website PopSugar stated that the "powerful track" offers "a dose of inspiration" in lyrics like "It's believing you belong / It's calling out the wrong".^[10] In the song, Keys and Carlile assure that "I have a voice", and writing for the website Live For Live Music, Michael Broerman opined that the song "tell[s] the story of marginalized communities finally gaining their birthright to fully participate in society".^[4][11][12] Sidney Miller from Country Queer wrote that albeit having "a sense of anger and righteousness", the "calming, melodic" song "masterfully blends both of their piano-playing skills and voices".^[13]

Live performance

Alicia Keys hosted CBS' Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy special alongside Kerry Washington and America Ferrera which is where the song was first premiered.^[4] Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile sat at separate pianos across from each other as they performed a live rendition of the song.^[4] Keys and Carlile performed with no additional musical accompaniment besides their pianos.^[11]

Charts

Chart performance for "A Beautiful Noise"

Chart (2020)	Peak position
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)^[14]	8

References

1. Blistein, Jon (October 30, 2020). "Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile Release New Get-Out-the-Vote Duet 'A Beautiful Noise'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
2. Willman, Chris (October 30, 2020). "Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile Release Get-Out-the-Vote Duet, 'A Beautiful Noise': The Story Behind the Song". Variety. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
3. Folk, Antwane (December 18, 2020). "Alicia Keys Reissues 'Alicia' Album With Two New Songs". Rated R&B. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
4. Brereton, Greta (October 30, 2020). "Watch Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile Premiere New Song 'A Beautiful Noise'". NME. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
5. "Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile Join Forces To Create "A Beautiful Noise". Live Nation. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
6. Stefano, Angela. "WATCH: Brandi Carlile, Alicia Keys Debut Empowering 'A Beautiful Noise'". Taste of Country. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
7. "A Beautiful Noise - Single by Alicia Keys & Brandi Carlile". Apple Music. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
8. "A Beautiful Noise By Alicia Keys & Brandi Carlile Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
9. Blistein, Jon (October 30, 2020). "Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile Release New Get-Out-the-Vote Duet 'A Beautiful Noise'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
10. Cubit, Brea (October 30, 2020). "Feel Inspired by Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile's Duet of Their New Song, "A Beautiful Noise"". PopSugar. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
11. Broerman, Michael (November 2, 2020). "Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile Team Up For Empowering "A Beautiful Noise" [Watch]". L4LM. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
12. Deville, Chris (October 30, 2020). "Alicia Keys & Brandi Carlile – "A Beautiful Noise"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
13. Miller, Sidney. "'A Beautiful Noise,' Brandi Carlile and Alicia Keys". Country Queer. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
14. "Brandi Carlile Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2020.