FML (song)

"FML" is a song by American rap musician Kanye West from his seventh studio album The Life of Pablo (2016), which features vocals from recording artist the Weeknd.[1] It contains a sample of "Hit" by Section 25, which two of the band members praised West for sampling. West references his issues with mental health in the song. The song charted in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada in 2016.

"FML"
Song by Kanye West
from the album The Life of Pablo
ReleasedFebruary 14, 2016
Recorded2015–16
GenreHip hop
Length3:56
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

Background

In October 2016, a demo of the track, alongside one of "I Am a God" from West's sixth studio album Yeezus (2013), was uploaded to SoundCloud, which featured vocals from Travis Scott instead of the Weeknd and included a new sample.[2] A remix of the song was released by Alvin Risk.[3]

Composition and lyrics

A sample of "Hit" by Section 25 is heavily used to compose the outro, along with vocals from West.[4] In response to West sampling their work, Section 25 members Bethany and Vincent Cassidy heavily praised him.[5] The sample was also used in a leaked track by West titled "Fall Out of Heaven".[6]

Once all the changes had been made to the album in June 2016, the song's vocals had been made louder and background vocals were added on the second round of Weeknd's hook.[7]

"FML" is titled to stand for 'For My Lady', since West raps in the first verse "I been waiting for a minute/For my, lady" and the Weeknd sings on the chorus "I wish I would go ahead and fuck my life up/Can't let them get to me/And even though I always fuck my life up/Only I can mention me."[8] West mentions the antidepressant drug Lexapro in reference to his issues with mental health, a subject West mostly touched on in the song "I Feel Like That" from the end of his and Steve McQueen's music video for West's 2015 single "All Day".[9]

Critical reception

Pitchfork's Jayson Greene viewed the song as where West "alludes to something that sounds an awful lot like a manic episode".[10] Jake Indiana of Highsnobiety wrote in response to it that "there's a lot to love here, particularly in Ye's lyrics", but he had a mixed reaction to the Weeknd's appearance, describing it as where he "gives a massive assist on this guest spot, but by song's end his refrain becomes a bit whiny".[11] NME writer Larry Bartleet listed it 13th in his top 50 songs about depression list.[12]

Commercial performance

The track debuted at number 84 on the US Billboard Hot 100 within the same week that The Life of Pablo was released.[13] "FML" charted on the UK Singles Chart at exactly the same position upon the album's release and then never charted again on it.[14] On the Canadian Hot 100, the song debuted at number 97 in the same week.[15] This made the song stand along with "Ultralight Beam" and "Waves" as one of only three non-single releases from West's album to chart in Canada.[16] Alongside its debut on the US Billboard Hot 100, "FML" charted at number 30 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and spend a total of three weeks on it.[17]

In family culture

West's sister-in-law Kylie Jenner named the track as her favourite song from The Life of Pablo in March 2016.[18] His wife Kim Kardashian listed the track among her top 28 favourite songs by her husband in August 2016.[19]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from West's official website.[20]

  • Production – Kanye West & Mitus
  • Co-production – Metro Boomin, Noah Goldstein for Ark Productions, Inc. & Mike Dean #MWA for Dean's List Productions
  • Additional production – Charlie Heat for Very Good Beats, Inc., Hudson Mohawke & Andrew Dawson
  • Engineering – Noah Goldstein, Andrew Dawson, Anthony Kilhoffer & Mike Dean
  • The Weeknd vocals recorded – Shin Kamiyama
  • Mix – Manny Marroquin at Larrabee Studios, North Hollywood, CA
  • Mix assisted – Chris Galland, Ike Schultz & Jeff Jackson
  • Vocals – the Weeknd
  • Keyboards – Mike Dean

Charts
Chart (2016) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[21] 97
UK Singles (OCC)[22] 84
UK R&B (OCC)[23] 23
US Billboard Hot 100[24] 84
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[25] 30

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[26] Gold 45,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[28] Platinum 1,000,000

sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Notes
  1. Credited as co-producer
  2. Credited as additional producer

References
  1. Schwartz, Danny (February 11, 2016). "Kanye West's "The Life Of Pablo" Features Are Incredible"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  2. Britton, Luke Morgan (October 3, 2016). "Kanye West: Listen to unheard demos for 'I Am A God' and 'FML'". NME. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  3. West, Kanye. "FML (Alvin Risk Remix) (feat. The Weeknd) - Kanye West Song". BBC. BBC Music. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  4. Reiff, Corbin (February 15, 2016). "Here's Every Sample on Kanye West's New Album, 'The Life of Pablo'". Complex. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  5. Gehr, Richard (February 26, 2016). "Section 25: The Brit Post-Punkers on Being Sampled by Kanye West". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  6. Dionne, Zach (February 18, 2016). "Kanye West, Bon Iver & The-Dream Song Leaks: Hear 'Fall Out of Heaven'". Fuse. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  7. C.M., Emmanuel (June 17, 2016). "Every Change Kanye West Made to 'The Life of Pablo'". XXL. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  8. Riotta, Chris (February 14, 2016). ""FML" Lyrics: Meaning of Kanye West's Most Honest Track About Kim Kardashian on 'TLOP'". Mic. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  9. Basill, Ryan (October 20, 2016). "One of the Most Powerful Kanye West Songs is One You've Probably Never Heard". Noisey Vice. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  10. Greene, Jayson (February 15, 2016). "Kanye West: The Life of Pablo Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  11. Indiana, Jake (February 15, 2018). "Kanye West's 'The Life of Pablo': Every Song Ranked Worst to Best". Highsnobiety. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  12. Larry Bartleet (27 March 2019). "50 Songs About Depression". NME. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  13. Mendizabal, Amaya (April 12, 2016). "12 of Kanye West's 'The Life of Pablo' Tracks Are on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  14. "FML | Full Official Chart History |". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  15. "Canadian Music: Top 100 Songs - April 23, 2016". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  16. "Kanye West Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  17. "Kanye West FML Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  18. Platon, Adelle (March 1, 2016). "Kim Kardashian Shares Favorite 'Pablo' Joints from Kanye West's Crew". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  19. Britton, Luke Morgan (August 30, 2016). "Stream Kim Kardashian's playlist of her favourite Kanye West tracks". NME. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  20. davidbaker.tv, builtbylane.com ×. "The Life of Pablo". The Life of Pablo – Kanye West. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  21. "Kanye West Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  23. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  24. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  25. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  26. "Danish single certifications – Kanye West – FML". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  27. "British single certifications – Kanye West – FML". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  28. "American single certifications – Kanye West – FML". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 27, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
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