Feeling Myself (Nicki Minaj song)

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"Feeling Myself"
Song by Nicki Minaj featuring Beyoncé
from the album The Pinkprint
ReleasedDecember 15, 2014
Recorded2014[1][2]
GenreHip hop
Length3:58
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Feeling Myself" is a song by rapper Nicki Minaj featuring Beyoncé from Minaj's third studio album, The Pinkprint (2014). It was written by Minaj, SZA, Beyoncé, and Hit-Boy and produced by the latter two. "Feeling Myself" is a hip hop song backed by a West Coast synth, driving bass and drums.

Background and recording[edit]

In May 2014, Minaj's manager Gee Roberson contacted her to inform her that Beyoncé wanted a remix of "Flawless" on which she would be featured. Following this, Beyoncé sent Minaj a new version of the song she wanted and told Minaj, "I want you to be you. I don't want you to hold back."[3] Minaj agreed to do the song with her and in return Beyoncé would be featured on The Pinkprint.[3] Singer-songwriter SZA was enlisted to co-write parts of the song. She was called and later went to the studio to meet and work with the song's producer, Hit-Boy. During the studio session, SZA wrote the song's lyrics whilst Beyoncé and Hit-boy produced it.[4]

According to Minaj's audio engineer, Aubry "Big Juice" Delaine, when Minaj first heard the beat, she was "crazy" about it. The final mixing took place around November 2014, right before the album had to be handed in. Delaine recalls, "it was crunch time. Hit-Boy, on the spot, added those hard 808 drums in the middle of the song." The song was then sent over to Beyoncé and her engineer Stuart White for her full vocals, with White ending up mixing the song. Delaine said when they sent the song back, "that's when Beyoncé put her sauce on it and all of her extra vocals. We listened to that and knew that song was out of here".[5]

Composition[edit]

The song's beat is built over a West Coast synth, driving bass and drums along with bells and whistles incorporated into the production.[6] The song contains rough edges, with high winding synths and intense lyrics that revolve around both Minaj and Beyoncé "bragging" about themselves.[7]

Music video[edit]

On May 18, 2015, the music video premiered exclusively on music streaming service Tidal. It features the two singers in various scenes at Coachella and several other locations. It also features Beyoncé in a Nebraska Husker hoodie.[8] In June 2015, Billboard named "Feeling Myself" video as one of the 10 best music videos of the first half of 2015.[9]

On February 3, 2015, an audio video for the song was uploaded to Minaj's official YouTube channel, which as of April 2021, has surpassed 130 million views.[citation needed]

Reception[edit]

Pitchfork named the song "Best New Track" of the day, with Molly Beauchemin commenting that "Nicki Minaj is the only woman who can get Beyoncé to do her bidding. When a woman capable of 'stopping the world' tells you to 'carry on', there's no choice but to bring it."[10] Additionally, Pitchfork named "Feeling Myself" the 13th best music video of 2015.[11]

Despite not being sent to radio as an official single from the album, "Feeling Myself" peaked at number 39 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, staying in the top 100 for 20 weeks. As of December 2017, the song has sold 474,261 copies in the US.[12]

Live performances[edit]

On July 24, 2015, Nicki Minaj performed "Feeling Myself" on Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series.[13] Minaj also performed the song during The Pinkprint Tour.[14] On October 20, 2015, Minaj and Beyoncé performed the song at the Tidal X1020 Charity Concert at the Barclays Center.[15][16] Beyoncé has also performed this song on the Formation and On the Run II tours as well as her 2018 Coachella performance as a mashup with "Flawless Remix".

Charts[edit]

Chart (2014–2015) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[17] 52
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[18] 75
Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[19] 42
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 67
France (SNEP)[21] 53
Scotland (OCC)[22] 40
UK Singles (OCC)[23] 64
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[24] 12
US Billboard Hot 100[25] 39
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[26] 12

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[27] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[29] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "16 Things We Learned About The Pinkprint From Nicki Minaj's Twitter Q&A". MTV. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  2. ^ Ramirez, Erika. "Nicki Minaj Explains How Beyonce's 'Flawless' Remix Came to Be". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Ramirez, Erika (August 4, 2014). "Nicki Minaj Explains How Beyoncé's 'Flawless' Remix Came to Be". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  4. ^ Mansell, Henry (January 1, 2015). "SZA Discusses Co-Writing Nicki Minaj's "Feeling Myself" & Updates "A" Album Status". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on January 3, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  5. ^ Nelson Jr, Keith (November 7, 2019). "Studio Sessions - Big Juice talks being Nicki Minaj's main engineer, her "MotorSport" verse, the rapper being a perfectionist and more". Revolt. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  6. ^ Hughes, Josiah (December 11, 2014). "Nicki Minaj "Feeling Myself" (ft. Beyoncé)". Exclaim!. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  7. ^ Menyes, Carolyn (December 11, 2014). "Buzz Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé "Feelin' Myself' Leaks Before 'The Pinkprint' Release Date". Music Times. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  8. ^ White, Caitlin (May 18, 2015). "Nicki Minaj – "Feeling Myself" (Feat. Beyoncé) Video". Stereogum. Spin Media. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  9. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (June 24, 2015). "Top 10 Best Music Videos of 2015 (so far)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  10. ^ Beauchemin, Molly (December 17, 2014). "Nicki Minaj "Feeling Myself" [ft. Beyoncé]". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  11. ^ "Best Music Videos of 2015". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  12. ^ Balfour, Jay (May 30, 2015). "Hip Hop Singles Sales: Wiz Khalifa, Fetty Wap, T'Wayne". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  13. ^ Brodsky, Rachel (July 24, 2015). "Nicki Minaj Performs 'Feeling Myself' on 'Good Morning America'". Spin. Spin Media. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  14. ^ Platon, Adelle (July 27, 2015). "Review: Nicki Minaj Takes The Lead And Owns It At 'Pinkprint Tour' Stop In Brooklyn". Vibe. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  15. ^ "TIDAL X 1020 Amplified by HTC". www.barclayscenter.com. Barclays Center (Wayback Machine). October 20, 2015. Archived from the original on October 20, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. ^ Clevver News (October 21, 2015). "Beyonce & Nicki Minaj "Feelin Myself" Tidal x 1020 Performance". youtube.com. YouTube. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  17. ^ Ryan, Gavin (May 30, 2015). "ARIA Singles: Taylor Swift Bad Blood Is No 1". Noise11. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  18. ^ "Nicki Minaj feat. Beyoncé – Feeling Myself" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
  19. ^ "Nicki Minaj feat. Beyoncé – Feeling Myself" (in Dutch). Ultratop Urban. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
  20. ^ "Nicki Minaj Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  21. ^ "Nicki Minaj + Beyoncé – Feeling Myself" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  22. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  23. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  24. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  25. ^ "Nicki Minaj Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
  26. ^ "Nicki Minaj Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
  27. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  28. ^ "British single certifications – Nicki Minaj feat. Beyoncé – Feeling Myself". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  29. ^ "American single certifications – Nicki Minaj – Feeling Myself". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
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