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Haunted (Beyoncé song)

January 01, 1970

"Haunted" is a song that was recorded by the American singer Beyoncé for her fifth studio album, Beyoncé (2013). It was written and produced by Beyoncé and Boots. Conceived by the latter following an infuriating meeting with a record label, the song was presented to Beyoncé who decided to record it following similar experiences in the music industry. The song was inspired by the works of English musician Aphex Twin and contains a stream of consciousness rap.

"Haunted"
Song by Beyoncé
from the album Beyoncé
ReleasedDecember 13, 2013
Recorded2013
StudioJungle City Studios, Oven Studios
(New York City)
Genre
Length6:09
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Knowles
  • Boots
Music videos

Musically, it consists of two parts titled "Ghost" and "Haunted". It contains a minimalistic sound with keyboards, bass and percussion. Beyoncé raps the spoken word segment of "Ghost" with robotic and reverbed vocals. Lyrically, "Haunted" contains sexually explicit and frank lyrics talking about desire. Many music critics compared its sound with various artists and noted different influences and elements explored in its composition. Upon its release, the song was met with positive reviews, with critics praising its experimental sound and minimalistic approach.

Two accompanying music videos were filmed for both parts of the song and placed separately on the visual album. The clip for "Ghost" was directed by Pierre Debusschere while Jonas Åkerlund served as the director for the second part, "Haunted". The former visual shows various close-up shots of Beyoncé lip-syncing the lyrics, while the latter features her walking in the corridor of a big mansion meeting various actors seen inside the rooms. Critics compared the video of "Haunted" and the singer's look with works by Madonna, most notably with her song "Justify My Love" (1990). The song was performed live during the last European leg of The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour and at the On the Run Tour in 2014. Beyoncé also performed it at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards as part of a medley consisting of songs from her fifth studio album.

Background edit

The things people say in those meetings would take your breath away. After a while, I didn't even feel like I was talking to people anymore, I was just talking to chairs. So I went home, it was five in the morning, and I just started typing shit out—everything I hear on the radio isn't inspiring; I'm not inspired by anything I'm doing; these people have no idea what's happening. It was just a stream-of-consciousness. I woke up the next day and realized I needed to do something with that. That's what eventually became that rap.[1]

—Boots discussing the writing process of "Ghost"

"Haunted" was written and produced by Beyoncé and New York-based musician Boots, who was relatively unknown before the release of Beyoncé (2013).[2][3] He was signed to Roc Nation, about six months prior to the album's release and produced 85% of Beyoncé also having writing credits on four of its tracks.[2][4] During an interview with Pitchfork Media, Boots revealed that "Haunted" was the first song written by him which Beyoncé heard; it was originally titled "I'm Onto You" at that time. Beyoncé liked the song upon hearing it, leaving Boots confused as he felt the song was only showcasing his sad vocals, with a piano recorded on his iPhone as a voice memo.[1]

He also played her the rap of stream of consciousness of "Ghost" during one of their early meetings inspired by an infuriating meeting with a record label. Beyoncé could immediately connect to the topic as she had also experienced the same things in the record industry when people advised her about the sound of her music. For the music of "Ghost", Boots created a beat from a "dreamlike, hypnotic place" working with guitars and building layers inspired by the work of musician Aphex Twin. Boots said, "[Aphex Twin's] works like that are more floaty, more without than within, but I made mine grounded in that thumping beat, so you can't get out of that feeling."[1] He also elaborated about its concept, "It's like that song is leading you by the hand, but you're blindfolded and you don't know where you're going. You're scared and you're not sure what to expect from it, but as the album unfolds, we take the blindfold off and you realize it's a surprise party for you."[1]

Beyoncé also explained the meaning of "Haunted" on her iTunes Radio channel where she also revealed her admiration for Boots, "The song is really about temptation in this music industry and being exposed to this crazy madness."[5] The vocal production of the song was handled by Beyoncé and contains background vocals provided by Boots and Kwane Wyatt. "Haunted" was recorded at Jungle City Studios and Oven Studios, both located in New York City under the guidance of Boots and Stuart White. It was later mixed by Tony Maserati and White at Mirrorball Studios in North Hollywood. The track was eventually mastered by Tom Coyne and Aya Merril in Sterling Sound in New York City. All instruments were provided by Boots, with additional drum programming by Hit-Boy.[6]

Composition edit

"Haunted" is a two-part song, consisting of "Ghost" and "Haunted" collectively running for a length of approximately six minutes.[7] Its composition was described as ranging from contemporary R&B to "straight up experimentalism".[8] Mojo's Priya Elan compared the song's composition with works by English band The xx.[9] The song features sexually explicit and frank lyrics in line with a prominent theme of the album about sexuality also present in other songs.[10] Its instrumentation consists of "murky" keyboards and a "creeping", pulsating bassline.[11][12] Beyoncé sings over mournful piano stabs which are repeated along with drums and airy vocals along with a pounding club rhythm.[13][14]

"Ghost" is an alt hip hop and electronica[15] song featuring Beyoncé rapping with recessed and reverbed vocals.[11][16] The song contains ambient beats, bass and percussion and a poetic spoken word vocal with high loop.[3][17] It was created by using a minimal approach and a falsetto vocal was applied along with various "warped, ghost-ly" effects.[18] "Ghost" opens with an audio recording of the singer winning a Sammy Davis Jr. Award in 1989 in Houston for a townwide talent show.[19] It continues with a person incorrectly pronouncing her name as "'Bee Awnz' [sic] Knowles".[20] According to Spin columnist Brandon Soderberg, the song begins with a "random, frustrating indignity from her youth into a full-blown, racially loaded origin story" and also features expressions of her celebrity.[20] Lyrically, Beyoncé makes a prediction about her album's sales[21] and offers commentary on record labels through a spoken word intro:[18] "I don't trust these record labels, I'm tourin'" and later adds, "Soul not for sale/Probably won't make no money off this/Oh well."[22] Speaking about the record industry, she sings about being bored with labels during the lines, "All the shit I do is boring / All these record labels... boring".[9] The lyrics of the song also discuss the failure of taking risks in the music industry.[23][24] She also expresses sadness for people having to work banal and monotonous jobs[12][25] in the lines, "All these people on the planet/Workin' nine to five just to stay alive/How come?".[26]

Soderberg felt that the fast conversational vocal style adopted by the singer was reminiscent of rapper Kendrick Lamar.[20] Anupa Mistry of the same publication felt that she borrowed Lamar's "alien-robot cadence and sings in a pinched choral croon" which she further compared with Bat for Lashes.[27] Una Mullally of The Irish Times wrote that the singer's "monotone" rapping is accompanied by "the flatness of the tone reflecting the repetition of labour".[28] Janice Llamoca from HipHopDX compared the part where Beyoncé sings the line "oh well" with Kanye West's "shrug[s]".[29] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune found the same line to be sarcastic.[11] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine described her vocals during the line as half-rapped and "half-shrug[ed] as if directly countering Scheinman's silver linings playbook".[26] Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone felt that the singer confessed she got "bored" with the "popstar routine" in "Ghost".[30]

 
"Haunted"
A 26-second sample of the second part of "Haunted", a dance-pop song which contains elements of hip hop and R&B and talks about sexual desire
Problems playing this file? See media help.

During the end, "Ghost" quickly transitions into "Haunted" which contains elements of hip hop and R&B music.[3][31] Kitty Empire of The Observer described it as a dance-pop track talking about "being haunted in love".[32] Instrumentally, it consists of percussion and an off-kilter club beat which was compared with Jacques Greene and Burial.[31][33] Its sound is operatic and the lyrics undersung, with piano chords and various rhythmic effects, such as foot-tapping.[12][17] Lyrically, it talks about desire, with Ryan Dennehy from AbsolutePunk noting it was about "frank sexual desires".[3][34] The Village Voice's Brittany Spanos felt the song was discussing lingering memories of the past.[35] Trent Wolbe of The Verge compared the sound of "Haunted" with music by bands The Knife, Sade and Boards of Canada.[4] Andrew Barker from Variety found a trance genre similar to Madonna's Bedtime Stories.[36] The song includes sexual lyrics that are reflected throughout the album, including, "The bedroom's my runway / Slap me! / I'm pinned to the doorway / Kiss, bite, foreplay" and "My wicked tongue / Where will it be?" set to "sonorous... and chilly charged beats".[10][25]

Critical reception edit

 
While reviewing "Haunted", many critics noted similarities to several of Madonna's songs, most frequently comparing it to "Justify My Love" (1990).

"Haunted" was well received by music critics. Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph felt that the "modernist sonic approach is pushed to the fore" on "Ghost".[3] Spin's Brandon Sorderberg felt that the line "nine-to-five" just to stay alive" was repeated "way too many times".[20] Anupa Mistry of the same publication described the song as "multi-directional, mood-shifting".[27] Cosmopolitan's Alex Rees said the song is a "sharp critique of postmodern culture, except then all of a sudden there's a bunch of nasty sex talk."[25] Mesfin Fekadu from the Associated Press described "Haunted" as a "gloomy" song.[21] Writing for the website The 405, editor White Caitlin felt the singer offered part of her insecurities and flaws through the song and "sheds slut-shaming, the shackled role of uptight matriarch or calculated star".[37] Fact's Chris Kelly described its composition as "foreboding" and found a "seductive" and "haunting" hook; he further described the first part as "smoky ethereality".[33] Mojo's Priya Elan felt that some of the lines were a "nihilistic streak".[9] In a review for The Quietus, Mof Gimmers described "Haunted" as a "perfect slice of vanguard-pop".[38] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune described it as a "two-part dream".[11] Robert Leedham of the website Drowned in Sound felt that the album's "confessional moments are when you connect with it the most", exemplifying the statement with lyrics from "Haunted".[39] Andrew Hampp and Erika Ramirez of Billboard magazine felt that "Haunted" was one of the best songs on the album along with being "[the] most insightful [one]". They concluded that while the song was "one of the album's most staunchly non-commercial moments, but endlessly listenable just the same".[18] Nick Catucci from Entertainment Weekly chose "Haunted" as one of the best songs from the album, describing it as a "moody, genre-melding epic" and noting, "[it] treat[s] relationships with the same raw instinct that suffuses her sex songs".[40] AllMusic reviewer Andy Kellman also chose "Haunted" as one of the highlights on Beyoncé.[41] Una Mullally of The Irish Times deemed "Haunted" the best song on the album and an indicator of the prominent minimalism throughout the whole record.[28]

AbsolutePunk writer Ryan Dennehy remarked in his review that "ethereal echoes" of the singer's voice "elevate it above just a post-Weeknd, dark update to staid topics".[34] Philip Matusavage of musicOMH described the sound of "Ghost" as "sleek ambient" dubstep, adding that it sounded typical for the singer and served as a "Beyoncé manifesto". He concluded his review by stating that if the references to disagreements Beyoncé talked about in the song were real, "the result proves to be the most sonically adventurous album of Beyoncé's career."[15] Julia Leconte writing for Now praised Beyoncé's vocals as "perfect".[16] Exclaim!'s Ryan B. Patrick felt that the song's minimalistic sound allowed the singer to "ironically champion artistic integrity and proclaim her thoughts on the industry".[42] Chris Bosman from the website Consequence of Sound who felt that the song was the record's "mood setter" and contained "ghostly vibes", wrote that it "dabbles in R&Burial, Evian Christ's drag-influenced codeine hip-hop, and Nothing Was the Same's Xanax club rap".[7] He felt that during the lines "Slap me, I'm pinned to the doorway / Kiss, bite, foreplay", Beyoncé "slides" the last word, making the song sound "even less radio friendly". Bosman further stated that "Haunted" along with "Partition" and "Mine", "are confident enough to take one, two, three left turns while maintaining thematic cohesion."[7] The Guardian journalist Michael Cragg compared the song with works by Janelle Monáe and described its sound as "doom-laden".[31] Ryan E.C. Hamm from Under the Radar magazine felt that "It's remarkable to hear a pop star at the height of her arena-tour powers taking chances like 'Haunted,' a dirge of a song that behaves more as spoken word until it's 'Vogue'-y breakdown".[43]

Having described the track as "eerie", Jason Newman from Fuse added it was suitable for softcore pornography with the singer being "in her best coo". He further described it as an erotic ballad and a "slow, creeping burn", noting that it sounded like Trent Reznor remixing Madonna's "Justify My Love".[13] Claire Lobenfeld from Complex magazine described it as Beyoncé's version of "Justify My Love".[23] Joey Guerra from the Houston Chronicle described the song as "ominous".[14] Mike Wass from Idolator felt that the singer explored a new soundscape with "Haunted" with "minimal beats hover[ing] like fog". Wass also praised Boots' production and noted that the singer declared her artistic integrity with the lyrics.[44] In a review of the song, Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times compared its break with Madonna's work during Ray of Light with a chopped and screwed sound characteristic for Houston.[45] Melissa Locker from Time magazine stated that the lyrics of the song were one of the "best humblebrags ever" while also noting that they hinted at the singer "dabbling in fiction".[22] USA Today writer Elysa Gardner wrote that in "Haunted" along with another song on the album, "Jealous", the singer "embodies success and privilege on the surface, but there is a sense that her contentment is fragile".[46] Korina Lopez of the same publication stated that she seemed "surprisingly in touch with the 9-to-5 grind, echoing her own career frustration".[24] MTV News writer James Montgomery felt that Beyoncé showcased a "newfound sense of self" on the "cold, coital" song.[47] Tim Finney of Complex magazine considered "Ghost" "a collision of opposites... less a song than a transfixing eye-hole glimpse into another, entirely separate world the singer could inhabit if she chose".[17] Deeming the song a "[c]reepy mood piece", Jody Rosen of Vulture noted a lack of a music hook.[48] In the annual Pazz and Jop mass critics poll of the year's best in music in 2013, "Haunted" was ranked at number 228.[49]

Music videos edit

Music videos for both "Ghost" and "Haunted" were released on December 13, 2013 through the iTunes Store on Beyoncé itself along with a clip for every other track on the album. Todd Tourso served as the creative director for both of the visuals as well as the rest of the album's videos.[50] On November 24, 2014 the videos for "Ghost" and "Haunted" were uploaded to the singer's Vevo account.[51]

"Ghost" edit

The music video for "Ghost" was directed by Belgian director Pierre Debusschere. Beyoncé is seen wearing a swimsuit by Seafolly with a nude mesh midsection and her look is also complete with red lips.[52] While creating the video for "Pretty Hurts", she sent a note to director Melina Matsoukas requesting from her to include footage from her childhood as the clip was meant to connect to the next one on the album, "Ghost".[53] The video openes with a close-up shot of Beyoncé's face lip-syncing the song's lyrics. Various shots of the singer with different outfits and placed at different sets are featured. Other scenes show dancers with their whole body covered in a white clothing.

According to the architecture firm Elenberg Fraser, the skyscraper Premier Tower under its construction on 134 Spencer Street in Melbourne, Australia was designed drawing inspiration by Beyoncé's look in the music video for "Ghost".[54] Writing for MTV, John Walker wrote that Beyoncé "serves multiple levels of Martha Graham realness" in the video for "Ghost".[55] Lindsey Weber from the website Vulture compared the dancer seen in the video with a "bodysock" one from Yeezus.[56] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph felt that the singer looked "perfect" in a bikini in the song's music video.[3] Insanul Ahmed of Complex praised her look as "sexy".[57] A writer from The New York Times described the singer's look in the video as "minimalist".[52] Brent DiCrescenzo of the magazine Time Out called the video a "Cover Girl ad with full-body condoms".[58] Whitney Phaneuf of the website HitFix compared it with Comme des Garçons and found a "deadpan expression of a model".[59] Michelle Collins from Vanity Fair wrote in her review that the video was "jarring as it is soul-crushing".[60] Jody Rosen from Vulture felt that the clip "has its moments, mostly involving billowing fabric".[48] Michael Zelenko from The Fader praised the director's work on the video and remarked it included "stark portraits of a blase Beyonce, slithering, perching and dancing against black and white backgrounds".[61] While reviewing the album, Emily Mackay of NME talked about the video for "Ghost",

"Some joyous shagging songs, though, are paltry excitement beside that of seeing an artist of such fame, long held as iconic without enough genuinely exciting music to back it up, reach her full throttle of awesomeness. The video for 'Ghost' sums it up best, Beyonce glaring and writhing defiantly as she speak-sings 'I'm climbing up the wall ’cause all the shit I hear is boring/All the shit I do is boring/All these record labels boring'. Let's hope Beyonce keeps finding new ways to amuse herself – there could be some very interesting times ahead."[10]

Impact edit

The song inspired Australian company Elenberg Fraser to construct a two-hundred-and-twenty-six-metre-high skyscraper in Melbourne, Australia that features a curvaceous form taken from the music video.[62]

"Haunted" edit

Background edit

The music video for "Haunted" was directed by Swedish film and music video director Jonas Åkerlund and styled by Dagmarette Yen and B. Åkerlend.[63] It was shot using four cameras and in a period of two days.[64] On November 15, 2013, Popjustice reported that one of the actors who was featured in the video, J-Hustle, shared a picture on his Twitter account while being on a five-day set for the filming. He added that a song with "a slow vibe" was played in the background during the shooting and that its potential name was "Ghost Haunted".[65] Beyoncé first discussed about the video with Åkerlend during a concert she had in Stockholm in 2013. Having invited him for the performance, the singer played several songs for the director afterwards and the pair went on to exchange several ideas about its concept. During an interview with Vulture, Åkerlund talked about the process:[63]

"It was not like a solid plan of 'This is what I think we should do.' It was a pretty long process. And she was traveling and touring, so we had time to bounce ideas back and forth, figure out what the best vision was. And meanwhile, she was shooting all these other videos and I wasn't really involved in what those other ideas were."

He noted that several ideas of the video which were initially conceived were similar with "other videos that people were working on" and also explained that the video contained many sexually explicit scenes and ideas when initially shot. However, he felt that the team managed to balance between the singer's look, her performance and a strong idea along with several other things. Åkerlund further noted that its concept remained largely unchanged as none of the big ideas were excluded.[63] Beyoncé conceived some of the initial ideas behind the looks and the scenarios for many of the rooms which were eventually shot.[64] Her look remained largely the same as the director pictured it before the filming of the video had started.[64]

On December 2, 2014, a behind-the-scenes video consisting of footage from the making of the video for "Haunted" and "Superpower" with commentary by Jonas Åkerlund was released online. In the clip, he explained how both videos were slightly different compared to the singer's previous work as they contained less choreography. He went on saying the video for "Haunted" had a "cinematic" and "surreal" tone inspired by its music, further comparing it with a score for a movie. He concluded that the team had "all the elements to create something special"[66]

Synopsis edit

 
A still from the music video for "Haunted" in which Beyonce is seen walking along a corridor in a mansion. The video's set and the singer's style were compared to that of Madonna in her video "Justify My Love" (1990)

The video opens with a three-second film countdown and proceeds with shots of several empty rooms and televisions in a big mansion. Most of the scenes were shot at the Villa de Leon. Beyoncé is seen driving a car and eventually arriving at the mansion while a song is played in the background. She enters inside the building with two luggages embellished with the letter "B" and throws her coat on the ground while a servant is seen lighting a cigarette she had previously taken from her hair. He hands her a key and the singer is seen climbing up the stairs. As she arrives in the hallway on the second floor, the song starts playing in the background and Beyoncé starts a journey, looking from room to room as she goes forward in the corridor.

In the various rooms, she meets men wearing vest tops with their faces painted white with black eyes staring at her as she passes down the corridor. Later she meets other people in leather and masks, before being surrounded by a troop of lace-clad dancers. One shot shows a man in colourful clothes and leopard print Speedos surrounded by bubbles in a bathtub. Another room contains a family of four mannequins in a 1960s-styled kitchen, preparing for a plastic-looking meal. A bare African-American is seen dancing and painting herself with a large brush while being almost naked. She is also seen with her legs spread around a TV screen and Beyoncé is seen on it, singing the song. During one scene, Beyoncé performs a dance choreography on a couch along with several other female dancers. Throughout the video, she is seen wearing a tuxedo with a tie, a white fur jacket and platform heels designed by Saint Laurent.[67] The black-and-white jumpsuit she wears is designed by Russian designer Ulyana Sergeenko.[68] Her look is further complete with dark make-up around the eyes and red lipstick while her hair is marcelled and blonde.[69]

Reception edit

Anupa Mistry from Spin wrote that the location where the video was filmed was filled with "freaks and weirdos" to channel Madonna during the 1990s in a better way.[27] Lauren Cochrane of The Guardian wrote in her review of the video that it was a "homage" to Madonna with the suit and marcel wave Beyoncé had. She added that anyone who watched the video for "Justify My Love", "knows that a hotel corridor is an excellent place to film a video" and went on to praise Beyoncé's looks and outfits.[69] Kitty Empire of The Observer stated, "Less originally, the high-concept Haunted video finds Beyoncé in a posh hotel populated by sexually motivated freaks, with many shades of Madonna invoked."[32] Bronwyn Barnes of Entertainment Weekly found similarities with the singer's look and Madonna's.[68]

Whitney Phaneuf writing for the website HitFix felt that the video was a fit for the song's industrial sound and described the singer's look as "goth-glam". She concluded the scenes are quickly cut throughout the video, "never culminating in a linear narrative and forcing the viewer to fill in the blanks".[70] Sharing what he perceived to be "key" moments in each of the seventeen music videos, Walker of MTV identified one for "Haunted" where Beyoncé "begins to crack under the pressures of her iconic status".[55] Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone described the video for the song as the "[c]reppiest" on the album.[71] A writer from The New York Times focused on the singer's look in the video, saying that she portrayed a fashionista.[67] Randal Roberts of Los Angeles Times also provided a positive review for her "stunning" look while smoking a cigarette.[72] Brent DiCrescenzo of Time Out described the video as "Stanley Kubrick meets Robert Palmer".[58] Michelle Collins of Vanity Fair noted the scary atmosphere of the video and described the singer's look as "straight-up 1920s glamour" with a hair styled similar to Josephine Baker. Collins went on to compare it with the opening credits of American Horror Story and found "[n]ightmarish images strung together in one very long, very creepy sequence of Beyoncé looking for her hotel room".[60]

Andrew Hampp and Erika Ramirez from Billboard magazine compared the video with Madonna's work and American Horror Story, concluding "[t]he spine-tinglingly glam... video for this track is worth Beyoncé's case for making this a simultaneous visual-and-audio experience alone".[18] Describing the video as "scary", Lindsay Weber from Vulture further called it the singer's best impression of American Horror Story.[56] Jason Newman from the website Fuse described the video as "equally frightening [as the song]; part Korean horror film, part Lynchian psychosexual fantasy."[13] The Fader editor Michael Zelenko noted the clip presented a classic story where an "innocent guest [is] caught in ghost-infested hotel".[61] Insanul Ahmed of Complex described the visual as "creepy".[57] ABC News journalist Michael Rothman compared the video's opening with horror movies and The Ring in particular and went on to praise it overally as Beyoncé's "best yet".[73] Trent Wolbe of The Verge criticized Åkerlund's work on the album, feeling that his contributions "feel like boring opulence porn", something he found on "Haunted".[4]

Live performances edit

"Haunted" was performed as the opening song for Beyoncé's first concert of the last European leg of The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in Glasgow on February 20, 2014.[74][75] The performance of the song featured backing dancers and strobing lights with the singer's look being completed by a glittery gown.[76][77] Digital Spy's Robert Copsey felt that "Haunted" worked as a "brilliantly spooky opener".[76] David Pollock from The Independent found a "thundering bass containing a heavy dubstep influence" during the performance of the song.[78] Mark Savage from BBC News felt that the concert included various "unparalleled" vocal styles and ranges, including the "hushed and sultry" "Haunted".[79] A professionally recorded live performance of the song from the tour aired on June 30, 2014, as the first episode of Beyonce: X10, an HBO series documenting renditions of the song performed during The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. Anna Silman from Vulture discussed the performance saying that it was full of "kaleidoscopic visuals and headache-inducing strobe lights and fog to make you grateful you weren't there for the live performance (almost)".[80]

The song was later also added to the set list of Beyoncé's co-headlining tour with Jay-Z, the On the Run Tour. During the performance, her look was complete with a drop-sleeve piece with black lace. While reviewing a concert of the show, Erica K. Landau of USA Today compared Beyoncé's look to Stevie Nicks. She went on to deem the song a highlight of the performance praising her "creamy" vocals in contrast with the other songs on the set list.[81] Similarly, Dan DeLuca writing for Philadelphia Media Network considered the song to be a showcase of her vocals.[82] Leila Cobo of the magazine Billboard considered the song to be a highlight of the show, showcasing the singer's "vocal prowess" and "her ability to connect as a singer and not just as a striking personality".[83] While reviewing another concert, Mike Wass of Idolator considered the performance a religious experience.[84] In another concert review, Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times noted that the attention among the people in the crowd "drift[ed] noticeably during 'Haunted'" resulting in a mild reception of the song's performance.[85]

At the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, Beyoncé performed "Haunted" along with a medley of songs from her fifth studio album. It served as the second song of the set and it featured the singer dressed in a jewelled bodysuit created by Tom Ford.[86][87][88] After concluding with "Mine" she announced "MTV, welcome to my world" and performed "Haunted" surrounded by smoke on stage.[86] As she sang the song, Beyoncé was surrounded by dancers wearing bustiers, sleeves and face cages by fashion label Chromat.[89] Nadeska Alexis of MTV News stated that the performance of the song was among the "most soul-baring of the night".[87]

Usage in media edit

In March 2014, "Haunted" was used during the screening of the film Fifty Shades of Grey at CinemaCon.[90][91] On November 13, 2014, the song was used in the film's second trailer.[92] In October 2015, Australian musician Flume appeared on the BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix show and released a remix of "Haunted".[93][94] According to the architecture firm Elenberg Fraser, the skyscraper Premier Tower under its construction on 134 Spencer Street in Melbourne, Australia was designed drawing inspiration by Beyoncé's look in the music video for "Ghost".[54]

Credits and personnel edit

Credits adopted from the album's liner notes and the singer's official website.[6][95]

Song credits

"Ghost" video credits
  • Director — Pierre Debusschere
  • Creative director — Todd Tourso
  • Director of photography — Stefan Duscio
  • Executive producer — Erinn Williams, Ziggy Le Vin
  • Producer — Keeley Could
  • Production company — Art + Commerce, Parkwood Entertainment
  • Choreography — Anthony Burrell
  • Stylist — Karen Langley
  • Additional styling — Ty Hunter, Raquel Smith, Tim White
  • Dance — Shivawn Joubert
  • Editor — Alexander Hammer
  • Brand manager — Melissa Vargas
  • Hair — Neal Farinah
  • Make-up — Sir John
  • Color correction — Rob Sciarratta
  • Visual effects — Kroma
  • Photography — Robin Harper
"Haunted" video credits
  • Director — Jonas Åkerlund
  • Director of photography — Pär Ekberg
  • Director of photography (second unit) — Todd Heater
  • Executive producer — Scott Horan
  • Producer — Scott Pourroy
  • Production company — Black Dog Films / Acme – Smith
  • Choreography — Dana Foglia, Frank Gatson
  • Dancers — HAannah Douglass, Ashley Everett, Kim Gingras, Mishay Petronelli
  • Stylist — B. Åkerlund
  • Additional styling — Ty Hunter, Raquel Smith, Tim White
  • Other performers — Jasmond Carrol, Viet Dang, Dahlia Dark, Elle Evans, Kim Fowley, Megalo Jaxson, Josh Kanan, Amy Kingston, Ellen Leigh, Morgan Leigh, Maye Musk, Reese Nance-Gasnter, Louis Oberlander, Holly Redden, Jodie Smith, Dylan Stephens, Guetcha Tondreau, Edward Vigiletti
  • Art director — Christina Zollenkopf
  • Production designer — Emma Fairley
  • Editor — Luis Moreno, Jeremiah Shuff
  • Brand manager — Melissa Vargas
  • Assistant editor — Joe Sinopoli
  • Hair — Kim Kimble
  • Make-up — Francesca Tolot
  • Nails — Tom Bachik
  • Color correction — Luis Moreno
  • Visual effects — Kroma
  • Photography — Nick Farrell

Charts edit

The song debuted at number 99 on the French Singles Chart on November 22, 2014.[96] The following week, which also marked its last week on the chart, it fell to the position of 171.[97]

Chart (2014–2015) Peak
position
France (SNEP)[98] 99
UK Singles (OCC)[99] 158

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[100] Gold 30,000‡
United States (RIAA)[101] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References edit

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January 01, 1970
haunted, beyoncé, song, haunted, song, that, recorded, american, singer, beyoncé, fifth, studio, album, beyoncé, 2013, written, produced, beyoncé, boots, conceived, latter, following, infuriating, meeting, with, record, label, song, presented, beyoncé, decided. Haunted is a song that was recorded by the American singer Beyonce for her fifth studio album Beyonce 2013 It was written and produced by Beyonce and Boots Conceived by the latter following an infuriating meeting with a record label the song was presented to Beyonce who decided to record it following similar experiences in the music industry The song was inspired by the works of English musician Aphex Twin and contains a stream of consciousness rap Haunted Song by Beyoncefrom the album BeyonceReleasedDecember 13 2013Recorded2013StudioJungle City Studios Oven Studios New York City GenreTrip hop electronica alternative hip hop dance popLength6 09LabelParkwood ColumbiaSongwriter s Beyonce Knowles Jordan Boots AsherProducer s Knowles BootsMusic videos Ghost on YouTube Haunted on YouTube Musically it consists of two parts titled Ghost and Haunted It contains a minimalistic sound with keyboards bass and percussion Beyonce raps the spoken word segment of Ghost with robotic and reverbed vocals Lyrically Haunted contains sexually explicit and frank lyrics talking about desire Many music critics compared its sound with various artists and noted different influences and elements explored in its composition Upon its release the song was met with positive reviews with critics praising its experimental sound and minimalistic approach Two accompanying music videos were filmed for both parts of the song and placed separately on the visual album The clip for Ghost was directed by Pierre Debusschere while Jonas Akerlund served as the director for the second part Haunted The former visual shows various close up shots of Beyonce lip syncing the lyrics while the latter features her walking in the corridor of a big mansion meeting various actors seen inside the rooms Critics compared the video of Haunted and the singer s look with works by Madonna most notably with her song Justify My Love 1990 The song was performed live during the last European leg of The Mrs Carter Show World Tour and at the On the Run Tour in 2014 Beyonce also performed it at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards as part of a medley consisting of songs from her fifth studio album Contents 1 Background 2 Composition 3 Critical reception 4 Music videos 4 1 Ghost 4 1 1 Impact 4 2 Haunted 4 2 1 Background 4 2 2 Synopsis 4 2 3 Reception 5 Live performances 6 Usage in media 7 Credits and personnel 8 Charts 9 Certifications 10 ReferencesBackground editThe things people say in those meetings would take your breath away After a while I didn t even feel like I was talking to people anymore I was just talking to chairs So I went home it was five in the morning and I just started typing shit out everything I hear on the radio isn t inspiring I m not inspired by anything I m doing these people have no idea what s happening It was just a stream of consciousness I woke up the next day and realized I needed to do something with that That s what eventually became that rap 1 Boots discussing the writing process of Ghost Haunted was written and produced by Beyonce and New York based musician Boots who was relatively unknown before the release of Beyonce 2013 2 3 He was signed to Roc Nation about six months prior to the album s release and produced 85 of Beyonce also having writing credits on four of its tracks 2 4 During an interview with Pitchfork Media Boots revealed that Haunted was the first song written by him which Beyonce heard it was originally titled I m Onto You at that time Beyonce liked the song upon hearing it leaving Boots confused as he felt the song was only showcasing his sad vocals with a piano recorded on his iPhone as a voice memo 1 He also played her the rap of stream of consciousness of Ghost during one of their early meetings inspired by an infuriating meeting with a record label Beyonce could immediately connect to the topic as she had also experienced the same things in the record industry when people advised her about the sound of her music For the music of Ghost Boots created a beat from a dreamlike hypnotic place working with guitars and building layers inspired by the work of musician Aphex Twin Boots said Aphex Twin s works like that are more floaty more without than within but I made mine grounded in that thumping beat so you can t get out of that feeling 1 He also elaborated about its concept It s like that song is leading you by the hand but you re blindfolded and you don t know where you re going You re scared and you re not sure what to expect from it but as the album unfolds we take the blindfold off and you realize it s a surprise party for you 1 Beyonce also explained the meaning of Haunted on her iTunes Radio channel where she also revealed her admiration for Boots The song is really about temptation in this music industry and being exposed to this crazy madness 5 The vocal production of the song was handled by Beyonce and contains background vocals provided by Boots and Kwane Wyatt Haunted was recorded at Jungle City Studios and Oven Studios both located in New York City under the guidance of Boots and Stuart White It was later mixed by Tony Maserati and White at Mirrorball Studios in North Hollywood The track was eventually mastered by Tom Coyne and Aya Merril in Sterling Sound in New York City All instruments were provided by Boots with additional drum programming by Hit Boy 6 Composition edit Haunted is a two part song consisting of Ghost and Haunted collectively running for a length of approximately six minutes 7 Its composition was described as ranging from contemporary R amp B to straight up experimentalism 8 Mojo s Priya Elan compared the song s composition with works by English band The xx 9 The song features sexually explicit and frank lyrics in line with a prominent theme of the album about sexuality also present in other songs 10 Its instrumentation consists of murky keyboards and a creeping pulsating bassline 11 12 Beyonce sings over mournful piano stabs which are repeated along with drums and airy vocals along with a pounding club rhythm 13 14 Ghost is an alt hip hop and electronica 15 song featuring Beyonce rapping with recessed and reverbed vocals 11 16 The song contains ambient beats bass and percussion and a poetic spoken word vocal with high loop 3 17 It was created by using a minimal approach and a falsetto vocal was applied along with various warped ghost ly effects 18 Ghost opens with an audio recording of the singer winning a Sammy Davis Jr Award in 1989 in Houston for a townwide talent show 19 It continues with a person incorrectly pronouncing her name as Bee Awnz sic Knowles 20 According to Spin columnist Brandon Soderberg the song begins with a random frustrating indignity from her youth into a full blown racially loaded origin story and also features expressions of her celebrity 20 Lyrically Beyonce makes a prediction about her album s sales 21 and offers commentary on record labels through a spoken word intro 18 I don t trust these record labels I m tourin and later adds Soul not for sale Probably won t make no money off this Oh well 22 Speaking about the record industry she sings about being bored with labels during the lines All the shit I do is boring All these record labels boring 9 The lyrics of the song also discuss the failure of taking risks in the music industry 23 24 She also expresses sadness for people having to work banal and monotonous jobs 12 25 in the lines All these people on the planet Workin nine to five just to stay alive How come 26 Soderberg felt that the fast conversational vocal style adopted by the singer was reminiscent of rapper Kendrick Lamar 20 Anupa Mistry of the same publication felt that she borrowed Lamar s alien robot cadence and sings in a pinched choral croon which she further compared with Bat for Lashes 27 Una Mullally of The Irish Times wrote that the singer s monotone rapping is accompanied by the flatness of the tone reflecting the repetition of labour 28 Janice Llamoca from HipHopDX compared the part where Beyonce sings the line oh well with Kanye West s shrug s 29 Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune found the same line to be sarcastic 11 Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine described her vocals during the line as half rapped and half shrug ed as if directly countering Scheinman s silver linings playbook 26 Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone felt that the singer confessed she got bored with the popstar routine in Ghost 30 nbsp Haunted source source A 26 second sample of the second part of Haunted a dance pop song which contains elements of hip hop and R amp B and talks about sexual desire Problems playing this file See media help During the end Ghost quickly transitions into Haunted which contains elements of hip hop and R amp B music 3 31 Kitty Empire of The Observer described it as a dance pop track talking about being haunted in love 32 Instrumentally it consists of percussion and an off kilter club beat which was compared with Jacques Greene and Burial 31 33 Its sound is operatic and the lyrics undersung with piano chords and various rhythmic effects such as foot tapping 12 17 Lyrically it talks about desire with Ryan Dennehy from AbsolutePunk noting it was about frank sexual desires 3 34 The Village Voice s Brittany Spanos felt the song was discussing lingering memories of the past 35 Trent Wolbe of The Verge compared the sound of Haunted with music by bands The Knife Sade and Boards of Canada 4 Andrew Barker from Variety found a trance genre similar to Madonna s Bedtime Stories 36 The song includes sexual lyrics that are reflected throughout the album including The bedroom s my runway Slap me I m pinned to the doorway Kiss bite foreplay and My wicked tongue Where will it be set to sonorous and chilly charged beats 10 25 Critical reception edit nbsp While reviewing Haunted many critics noted similarities to several of Madonna s songs most frequently comparing it to Justify My Love 1990 Haunted was well received by music critics Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph felt that the modernist sonic approach is pushed to the fore on Ghost 3 Spin s Brandon Sorderberg felt that the line nine to five just to stay alive was repeated way too many times 20 Anupa Mistry of the same publication described the song as multi directional mood shifting 27 Cosmopolitan s Alex Rees said the song is a sharp critique of postmodern culture except then all of a sudden there s a bunch of nasty sex talk 25 Mesfin Fekadu from the Associated Press described Haunted as a gloomy song 21 Writing for the website The 405 editor White Caitlin felt the singer offered part of her insecurities and flaws through the song and sheds slut shaming the shackled role of uptight matriarch or calculated star 37 Fact s Chris Kelly described its composition as foreboding and found a seductive and haunting hook he further described the first part as smoky ethereality 33 Mojo s Priya Elan felt that some of the lines were a nihilistic streak 9 In a review for The Quietus Mof Gimmers described Haunted as a perfect slice of vanguard pop 38 Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune described it as a two part dream 11 Robert Leedham of the website Drowned in Sound felt that the album s confessional moments are when you connect with it the most exemplifying the statement with lyrics from Haunted 39 Andrew Hampp and Erika Ramirez of Billboard magazine felt that Haunted was one of the best songs on the album along with being the most insightful one They concluded that while the song was one of the album s most staunchly non commercial moments but endlessly listenable just the same 18 Nick Catucci from Entertainment Weekly chose Haunted as one of the best songs from the album describing it as a moody genre melding epic and noting it treat s relationships with the same raw instinct that suffuses her sex songs 40 AllMusic reviewer Andy Kellman also chose Haunted as one of the highlights on Beyonce 41 Una Mullally of The Irish Times deemed Haunted the best song on the album and an indicator of the prominent minimalism throughout the whole record 28 AbsolutePunk writer Ryan Dennehy remarked in his review that ethereal echoes of the singer s voice elevate it above just a post Weeknd dark update to staid topics 34 Philip Matusavage of musicOMH described the sound of Ghost as sleek ambient dubstep adding that it sounded typical for the singer and served as a Beyonce manifesto He concluded his review by stating that if the references to disagreements Beyonce talked about in the song were real the result proves to be the most sonically adventurous album of Beyonce s career 15 Julia Leconte writing for Now praised Beyonce s vocals as perfect 16 Exclaim s Ryan B Patrick felt that the song s minimalistic sound allowed the singer to ironically champion artistic integrity and proclaim her thoughts on the industry 42 Chris Bosman from the website Consequence of Sound who felt that the song was the record s mood setter and contained ghostly vibes wrote that it dabbles in R amp Burial Evian Christ s drag influenced codeine hip hop and Nothing Was the Same s Xanax club rap 7 He felt that during the lines Slap me I m pinned to the doorway Kiss bite foreplay Beyonce slides the last word making the song sound even less radio friendly Bosman further stated that Haunted along with Partition and Mine are confident enough to take one two three left turns while maintaining thematic cohesion 7 The Guardian journalist Michael Cragg compared the song with works by Janelle Monae and described its sound as doom laden 31 Ryan E C Hamm from Under the Radar magazine felt that It s remarkable to hear a pop star at the height of her arena tour powers taking chances like Haunted a dirge of a song that behaves more as spoken word until it s Vogue y breakdown 43 Having described the track as eerie Jason Newman from Fuse added it was suitable for softcore pornography with the singer being in her best coo He further described it as an erotic ballad and a slow creeping burn noting that it sounded like Trent Reznor remixing Madonna s Justify My Love 13 Claire Lobenfeld from Complex magazine described it as Beyonce s version of Justify My Love 23 Joey Guerra from the Houston Chronicle described the song as ominous 14 Mike Wass from Idolator felt that the singer explored a new soundscape with Haunted with minimal beats hover ing like fog Wass also praised Boots production and noted that the singer declared her artistic integrity with the lyrics 44 In a review of the song Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times compared its break with Madonna s work during Ray of Light with a chopped and screwed sound characteristic for Houston 45 Melissa Locker from Time magazine stated that the lyrics of the song were one of the best humblebrags ever while also noting that they hinted at the singer dabbling in fiction 22 USA Today writer Elysa Gardner wrote that in Haunted along with another song on the album Jealous the singer embodies success and privilege on the surface but there is a sense that her contentment is fragile 46 Korina Lopez of the same publication stated that she seemed surprisingly in touch with the 9 to 5 grind echoing her own career frustration 24 MTV News writer James Montgomery felt that Beyonce showcased a newfound sense of self on the cold coital song 47 Tim Finney of Complex magazine considered Ghost a collision of opposites less a song than a transfixing eye hole glimpse into another entirely separate world the singer could inhabit if she chose 17 Deeming the song a c reepy mood piece Jody Rosen of Vulture noted a lack of a music hook 48 In the annual Pazz and Jop mass critics poll of the year s best in music in 2013 Haunted was ranked at number 228 49 Music videos editMusic videos for both Ghost and Haunted were released on December 13 2013 through the iTunes Store on Beyonce itself along with a clip for every other track on the album Todd Tourso served as the creative director for both of the visuals as well as the rest of the album s videos 50 On November 24 2014 the videos for Ghost and Haunted were uploaded to the singer s Vevo account 51 Ghost edit The music video for Ghost was directed by Belgian director Pierre Debusschere Beyonce is seen wearing a swimsuit by Seafolly with a nude mesh midsection and her look is also complete with red lips 52 While creating the video for Pretty Hurts she sent a note to director Melina Matsoukas requesting from her to include footage from her childhood as the clip was meant to connect to the next one on the album Ghost 53 The video openes with a close up shot of Beyonce s face lip syncing the song s lyrics Various shots of the singer with different outfits and placed at different sets are featured Other scenes show dancers with their whole body covered in a white clothing According to the architecture firm Elenberg Fraser the skyscraper Premier Tower under its construction on 134 Spencer Street in Melbourne Australia was designed drawing inspiration by Beyonce s look in the music video for Ghost 54 Writing for MTV John Walker wrote that Beyonce serves multiple levels of Martha Graham realness in the video for Ghost 55 Lindsey Weber from the website Vulture compared the dancer seen in the video with a bodysock one from Yeezus 56 Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph felt that the singer looked perfect in a bikini in the song s music video 3 Insanul Ahmed of Complex praised her look as sexy 57 A writer from The New York Times described the singer s look in the video as minimalist 52 Brent DiCrescenzo of the magazine Time Out called the video a Cover Girl ad with full body condoms 58 Whitney Phaneuf of the website HitFix compared it with Comme des Garcons and found a deadpan expression of a model 59 Michelle Collins from Vanity Fair wrote in her review that the video was jarring as it is soul crushing 60 Jody Rosen from Vulture felt that the clip has its moments mostly involving billowing fabric 48 Michael Zelenko from The Fader praised the director s work on the video and remarked it included stark portraits of a blase Beyonce slithering perching and dancing against black and white backgrounds 61 While reviewing the album Emily Mackay of NME talked about the video for Ghost Some joyous shagging songs though are paltry excitement beside that of seeing an artist of such fame long held as iconic without enough genuinely exciting music to back it up reach her full throttle of awesomeness The video for Ghost sums it up best Beyonce glaring and writhing defiantly as she speak sings I m climbing up the wall cause all the shit I hear is boring All the shit I do is boring All these record labels boring Let s hope Beyonce keeps finding new ways to amuse herself there could be some very interesting times ahead 10 Impact edit The song inspired Australian company Elenberg Fraser to construct a two hundred and twenty six metre high skyscraper in Melbourne Australia that features a curvaceous form taken from the music video 62 Haunted edit Background edit The music video for Haunted was directed by Swedish film and music video director Jonas Akerlund and styled by Dagmarette Yen and B Akerlend 63 It was shot using four cameras and in a period of two days 64 On November 15 2013 Popjustice reported that one of the actors who was featured in the video J Hustle shared a picture on his Twitter account while being on a five day set for the filming He added that a song with a slow vibe was played in the background during the shooting and that its potential name was Ghost Haunted 65 Beyonce first discussed about the video with Akerlend during a concert she had in Stockholm in 2013 Having invited him for the performance the singer played several songs for the director afterwards and the pair went on to exchange several ideas about its concept During an interview with Vulture Akerlund talked about the process 63 It was not like a solid plan of This is what I think we should do It was a pretty long process And she was traveling and touring so we had time to bounce ideas back and forth figure out what the best vision was And meanwhile she was shooting all these other videos and I wasn t really involved in what those other ideas were He noted that several ideas of the video which were initially conceived were similar with other videos that people were working on and also explained that the video contained many sexually explicit scenes and ideas when initially shot However he felt that the team managed to balance between the singer s look her performance and a strong idea along with several other things Akerlund further noted that its concept remained largely unchanged as none of the big ideas were excluded 63 Beyonce conceived some of the initial ideas behind the looks and the scenarios for many of the rooms which were eventually shot 64 Her look remained largely the same as the director pictured it before the filming of the video had started 64 On December 2 2014 a behind the scenes video consisting of footage from the making of the video for Haunted and Superpower with commentary by Jonas Akerlund was released online In the clip he explained how both videos were slightly different compared to the singer s previous work as they contained less choreography He went on saying the video for Haunted had a cinematic and surreal tone inspired by its music further comparing it with a score for a movie He concluded that the team had all the elements to create something special 66 Synopsis edit nbsp A still from the music video for Haunted in which Beyonce is seen walking along a corridor in a mansion The video s set and the singer s style were compared to that of Madonna in her video Justify My Love 1990 The video opens with a three second film countdown and proceeds with shots of several empty rooms and televisions in a big mansion Most of the scenes were shot at the Villa de Leon Beyonce is seen driving a car and eventually arriving at the mansion while a song is played in the background She enters inside the building with two luggages embellished with the letter B and throws her coat on the ground while a servant is seen lighting a cigarette she had previously taken from her hair He hands her a key and the singer is seen climbing up the stairs As she arrives in the hallway on the second floor the song starts playing in the background and Beyonce starts a journey looking from room to room as she goes forward in the corridor In the various rooms she meets men wearing vest tops with their faces painted white with black eyes staring at her as she passes down the corridor Later she meets other people in leather and masks before being surrounded by a troop of lace clad dancers One shot shows a man in colourful clothes and leopard print Speedos surrounded by bubbles in a bathtub Another room contains a family of four mannequins in a 1960s styled kitchen preparing for a plastic looking meal A bare African American is seen dancing and painting herself with a large brush while being almost naked She is also seen with her legs spread around a TV screen and Beyonce is seen on it singing the song During one scene Beyonce performs a dance choreography on a couch along with several other female dancers Throughout the video she is seen wearing a tuxedo with a tie a white fur jacket and platform heels designed by Saint Laurent 67 The black and white jumpsuit she wears is designed by Russian designer Ulyana Sergeenko 68 Her look is further complete with dark make up around the eyes and red lipstick while her hair is marcelled and blonde 69 Reception edit Anupa Mistry from Spin wrote that the location where the video was filmed was filled with freaks and weirdos to channel Madonna during the 1990s in a better way 27 Lauren Cochrane of The Guardian wrote in her review of the video that it was a homage to Madonna with the suit and marcel wave Beyonce had She added that anyone who watched the video for Justify My Love knows that a hotel corridor is an excellent place to film a video and went on to praise Beyonce s looks and outfits 69 Kitty Empire of The Observer stated Less originally the high concept Haunted video finds Beyonce in a posh hotel populated by sexually motivated freaks with many shades of Madonna invoked 32 Bronwyn Barnes of Entertainment Weekly found similarities with the singer s look and Madonna s 68 Whitney Phaneuf writing for the website HitFix felt that the video was a fit for the song s industrial sound and described the singer s look as goth glam She concluded the scenes are quickly cut throughout the video never culminating in a linear narrative and forcing the viewer to fill in the blanks 70 Sharing what he perceived to be key moments in each of the seventeen music videos Walker of MTV identified one for Haunted where Beyonce begins to crack under the pressures of her iconic status 55 Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone described the video for the song as the c reppiest on the album 71 A writer from The New York Times focused on the singer s look in the video saying that she portrayed a fashionista 67 Randal Roberts of Los Angeles Times also provided a positive review for her stunning look while smoking a cigarette 72 Brent DiCrescenzo of Time Out described the video as Stanley Kubrick meets Robert Palmer 58 Michelle Collins of Vanity Fair noted the scary atmosphere of the video and described the singer s look as straight up 1920s glamour with a hair styled similar to Josephine Baker Collins went on to compare it with the opening credits of American Horror Story and found n ightmarish images strung together in one very long very creepy sequence of Beyonce looking for her hotel room 60 Andrew Hampp and Erika Ramirez from Billboard magazine compared the video with Madonna s work and American Horror Story concluding t he spine tinglingly glam video for this track is worth Beyonce s case for making this a simultaneous visual and audio experience alone 18 Describing the video as scary Lindsay Weber from Vulture further called it the singer s best impression of American Horror Story 56 Jason Newman from the website Fuse described the video as equally frightening as the song part Korean horror film part Lynchian psychosexual fantasy 13 The Fader editor Michael Zelenko noted the clip presented a classic story where an innocent guest is caught in ghost infested hotel 61 Insanul Ahmed of Complex described the visual as creepy 57 ABC News journalist Michael Rothman compared the video s opening with horror movies and The Ring in particular and went on to praise it overally as Beyonce s best yet 73 Trent Wolbe of The Verge criticized Akerlund s work on the album feeling that his contributions feel like boring opulence porn something he found on Haunted 4 Live performances edit Haunted was performed as the opening song for Beyonce s first concert of the last European leg of The Mrs Carter Show World Tour in Glasgow on February 20 2014 74 75 The performance of the song featured backing dancers and strobing lights with the singer s look being completed by a glittery gown 76 77 Digital Spy s Robert Copsey felt that Haunted worked as a brilliantly spooky opener 76 David Pollock from The Independent found a thundering bass containing a heavy dubstep influence during the performance of the song 78 Mark Savage from BBC News felt that the concert included various unparalleled vocal styles and ranges including the hushed and sultry Haunted 79 A professionally recorded live performance of the song from the tour aired on June 30 2014 as the first episode of Beyonce X10 an HBO series documenting renditions of the song performed during The Mrs Carter Show World Tour Anna Silman from Vulture discussed the performance saying that it was full of kaleidoscopic visuals and headache inducing strobe lights and fog to make you grateful you weren t there for the live performance almost 80 The song was later also added to the set list of Beyonce s co headlining tour with Jay Z the On the Run Tour During the performance her look was complete with a drop sleeve piece with black lace While reviewing a concert of the show Erica K Landau of USA Today compared Beyonce s look to Stevie Nicks She went on to deem the song a highlight of the performance praising her creamy vocals in contrast with the other songs on the set list 81 Similarly Dan DeLuca writing for Philadelphia Media Network considered the song to be a showcase of her vocals 82 Leila Cobo of the magazine Billboard considered the song to be a highlight of the show showcasing the singer s vocal prowess and her ability to connect as a singer and not just as a striking personality 83 While reviewing another concert Mike Wass of Idolator considered the performance a religious experience 84 In another concert review Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times noted that the attention among the people in the crowd drift ed noticeably during Haunted resulting in a mild reception of the song s performance 85 At the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards Beyonce performed Haunted along with a medley of songs from her fifth studio album It served as the second song of the set and it featured the singer dressed in a jewelled bodysuit created by Tom Ford 86 87 88 After concluding with Mine she announced MTV welcome to my world and performed Haunted surrounded by smoke on stage 86 As she sang the song Beyonce was surrounded by dancers wearing bustiers sleeves and face cages by fashion label Chromat 89 Nadeska Alexis of MTV News stated that the performance of the song was among the most soul baring of the night 87 Usage in media editIn March 2014 Haunted was used during the screening of the film Fifty Shades of Grey at CinemaCon 90 91 On November 13 2014 the song was used in the film s second trailer 92 In October 2015 Australian musician Flume appeared on the BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix show and released a remix of Haunted 93 94 According to the architecture firm Elenberg Fraser the skyscraper Premier Tower under its construction on 134 Spencer Street in Melbourne Australia was designed drawing inspiration by Beyonce s look in the music video for Ghost 54 Credits and personnel editCredits adopted from the album s liner notes and the singer s official website 6 95 Song credits Writing Boots Beyonce Knowles Production Boots Knowles Vocal production Knowles Recording Boots and Stuart White Jungle City Studios Oven Studios New York City Second engineering Ramon Rivas Instrumentation Boots Additional drum programming Hit Boy Background vocals Boots Additional background vocals Kwane Wyatt Audio mixing Tony Maserati Stuart White Mirrorball Studios North Hollywood California Mix engineering James Krausse Justin Hergett Mix consulting Derek Dixie Mastering Tom Coyne Aya Merril Sterling Sound New York City Ghost video credits Director Pierre Debusschere Creative director Todd Tourso Director of photography Stefan Duscio Executive producer Erinn Williams Ziggy Le Vin Producer Keeley Could Production company Art Commerce Parkwood Entertainment Choreography Anthony Burrell Stylist Karen Langley Additional styling Ty Hunter Raquel Smith Tim White Dance Shivawn Joubert Editor Alexander Hammer Brand manager Melissa Vargas Hair Neal Farinah Make up Sir John Color correction Rob Sciarratta Visual effects Kroma Photography Robin Harper Haunted video credits Director Jonas Akerlund Director of photography Par Ekberg Director of photography second unit Todd Heater Executive producer Scott Horan Producer Scott Pourroy Production company Black Dog Films Acme Smith Choreography Dana Foglia Frank Gatson Dancers HAannah Douglass Ashley Everett Kim Gingras Mishay Petronelli Stylist B Akerlund Additional styling Ty Hunter Raquel Smith Tim White Other performers Jasmond Carrol Viet Dang Dahlia Dark Elle Evans Kim Fowley Megalo Jaxson Josh Kanan Amy Kingston Ellen Leigh Morgan Leigh Maye Musk Reese Nance Gasnter Louis Oberlander Holly Redden Jodie Smith Dylan Stephens Guetcha Tondreau Edward Vigiletti Art director Christina Zollenkopf Production designer Emma Fairley Editor Luis Moreno Jeremiah Shuff Brand manager Melissa Vargas Assistant editor Joe Sinopoli Hair Kim Kimble Make up Francesca Tolot Nails Tom Bachik Color correction Luis Moreno Visual effects Kroma Photography Nick FarrellCharts editThe song debuted at number 99 on the French Singles Chart on November 22 2014 96 The following week which also marked its last week on the chart it fell to the position of 171 97 Chart 2014 2015 Peakposition France SNEP 98 99 UK Singles OCC 99 158Certifications editRegion Certification Certified units sales Brazil Pro Musica Brasil 100 Gold 30 000 United States RIAA 101 Gold 500 000 Sales streaming figures based on certification alone References edit a b c d Greene Jason January 21 2014 Beyonce s Muse Pitchfork Media Archived from the original on August 22 2014 Retrieved August 25 2014 a b Geslani Michelle December 13 2013 Listen to Haunted by Beyonce producer Boots Consequence of Sound Archived from the original on June 28 2014 Retrieved 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Archived from the original on August 26 2014 Retrieved August 25 2014 Ramsinghani Nikita January 25 2018 Ring the Alarm These Are Beyonce s Sexiest Outfits POPSUGAR Fashion UK Retrieved April 29 2020 Peterson Jessie August 26 2014 Chromat Only Had 4 Hours To Make Beyonce s VMA Performance Masks MTV News Viacom Media Networks Archived from the original on August 27 2014 Retrieved August 27 2014 D Kennedy Gerrick July 21 2014 Beyonce Juicy J show the right and wrong way to score a film Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on August 26 2014 Retrieved August 25 2014 Strecker Erin July 21 2014 Is Beyonce Partnering With Fifty Shades of Grey a Good Idea Billboard Archived from the original on July 30 2014 Retrieved August 25 2014 Respers France Lisa November 14 2014 50 Shades of Grey trailer is Haunted CNN Turner Broadcasting System Archived from the original on November 20 2014 Retrieved November 24 2014 Flume s Essential Mix is THE essential mix Stoney Roads Archived from the original on January 18 2017 Retrieved July 12 2017 BBC Radio 1 s Essential Mix Archived from the original on April 21 2017 Retrieved July 12 2017 Sources for the credits of Haunted and the music videos Beyonce 2013 Songs Beyonce com Parkwood Entertainment Archived from the original To see the personnel for Haunted click on the part titled Credits next to the song s title on July 29 2014 Retrieved August 25 2014 Beyonce 2013 Videos Beyonce com Parkwood Entertainment Archived from the original To see the personnel for Ghost and Haunted click on the part titled Credits next to the video s title on July 29 2014 Retrieved August 25 2014 Single Top 100 22 11 2014 Lescharts com Hung Medien Archived from the original on December 7 2014 Retrieved December 8 2014 Single Top 100 29 11 2014 Lescharts com Hung Medien Archived from the original on December 11 2014 Retrieved December 8 2014 Beyonce Haunted in French Les classement single Retrieved December 3 2014 Chart Log UK Update 21 02 2015 UK Singles Chart Zobbel de Retrieved November 21 2017 Brazilian single certifications Beyonce Haunted in Portuguese Pro Musica Brasil Retrieved January 5 2023 American single certifications Beyonce Haunted Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved August 9 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Haunted Beyonce song amp oldid 1211435432, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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