Kanye West is ringing in the new year with new music. After hours of Internet rumors and speculation Yeezus dropped “Only One,” on Wednesday (Dec. 31) shortly before the the 2015 ball dropped. Kanye West quietly dropped an emotional new song called “Only One.” Not only is new music from Kanye West an event in itself, but this song also features the legendary Paul McCartney, and is only the first of a series of collaborations between the two musicians. Their relationship is described as prolific: “It will be the first publicly available recording from what has become a prolific musical collaboration between these two legendary artists,” according to a press release.
The sentimental track finds West singing over simple and sweet piano chords. “As I lay me down to sleep, I hear her speak to me,” he whispers with his opening line to the song which is now available on iTunes.
“Only One” is the first single from West’s upcoming and untitled solo album. Back in May, a track titled “God Level” was featured in an Adidas commercial and in August an unfinished and unofficial version of “All Day” leaked onto the Internet.
From Kanye’s camp, here’s the story how the song initially came together:
“In early 2014, Paul McCartney and Kanye West first began working together in a small bungalow in Los Angeles. The process that would result in ‘Only One’ began with a simple brainstorming session between the two: With McCartney improvising on the keyboards and Kanye vocally sketching and shaping ideas in a stream-of-consciousness riff.”What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall in the studio while Paul and Kanye are improvising together! You can feel that in the song though, it feels like it’s unspooling naturally without any strict sense of order. But then, things got even more spiritual:
“When they played back the recording afterward, something remarkable happened. Kanye sat there with his family, holding his daughter North on his lap, and listened to his vocals, singing, “Hello, my only one . . . ” And in that moment, not only could he not recall having sung those words, but he realized that perhaps the words had never really come from him. The process of artistic creation is one that does not involve thinking, but often channeling. And 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.If that doesn’t give you chills, then the next part will:
‘My mom was singing to me, and through me to my daughter,’ he said, astonished.”
“To some, Kanye’s insight didn’t immediately register. But then he explained: The name Kanye, which his mother had chosen, means ‘only one.’ And then it dawned on everyone there: Something powerful and undeniable had occurred through the power of music and of letting go. A message had been passed down through generations.”That has to be pretty much the best omen for the start of a year, right? Even if you’re not a fan of Kanye or disagree with his politics, this is a special song. You can hear Paul McCartney’s influence too in the way that the song alludes to “Let It Be,” and there’s a peacefulness here that we rarely hear in Ye’s music.
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