Ye (song)
Song by Burna Boy
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"Ye" is a song by Nigerian singer Burna Boy. It was released on August 6, 2018, as the sixth single from his third studio album, Outside (2018). The song was produced by Nigerian record producer Phantom. It peaked at number 26 and 31 on Billboard's Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts, respectively. "Ye" won Song of the Year and Listener's Choice at the 2019 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival.[1] It also won Song of the Year and was nominated for Best Pop Single and Best Recording of the Year at The Headies 2019.[2]
| "Ye" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Burna Boy | ||||
| from the album Outside | ||||
| Released | August 6, 2018 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:51 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Songwriter | Damini Ogulu | |||
| Producer | Phantom | |||
| Burna Boy singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Ye" on YouTube | ||||
In August 2019, Rolling Stone reported that "Ye" earned around 11 million streams over seven months across major U.S. streaming platforms.[3]
Background and reception
Phantom created the beat for "Ye" in less than two hours, combining together a kick, piano synths and a few snares.[4] His vocals were layered on the beat.[4] "Ye" saw a 200 percent spike in its streaming numbers after searches for Kanye West's album of the same name unintentionally caused listeners to stumbled upon it.[5] Burna Boy thanked West for the confusion on Twitter.[6] In an email to The Fader magazine, Burna Boy said the video "essentially shows the unrelenting nature of Nigerians".[7] A writer for The Native magazine said "Ye" is being viewed as a new anthem because it "embraces the anathema of every self-interest seeking seemingly good-natured Nigerian."[4]
Covers
Jamaican singer Koffee performed her rendition of "Ye" during her first ever London show. A few days later, she also performed her rendition on BBC Radio 1Xtra Live Lounge.[8]
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Headies | Song of the Year | "Ye" | Won |
| Best Pop Single | Nominated | |||
| Best Recording of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Soundcity MVP Awards Festival | Song of the Year | Won | ||
| Listener's Choice | Won |
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (2018–2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[9] | 31 |
| US Afrobeats Songs (Billboard)[10] | 12 |
| US Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[11] | 26 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2022) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Afrobeats Songs (Billboard)[12] | 14 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[13] | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| France (SNEP)[14] | Platinum | 200,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[15] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| Nigeria (TCSN)[16] | Silver | 25,000‡ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[17] | Platinum | 20,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[18] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[19] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
| Streaming | ||
| Sweden (GLF)[20] | Platinum | 8,000,000† |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||