I Was Here (song)
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"I Was Here" is a song recorded by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé from her fourth studio album, '' 4'' (2011). It was written by Diane Warren, while production was handled by OneRepublic members
Ryan Tedder Ryan Tedder (born June 26, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. As well as being the lead vocalist of the pop rock band OneRepublic, he has an independent career as a songwriter and producer for various artists since th ...
and
Brent Kutzle Brent Michael Kutzle (born August 3, 1985) is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and film composer originating from Fountain Valley, California. He is the bassist and cellist for the pop rock band OneRepubli ...
, alongside
Kuk Harrell Thaddis Laphonia "Kuk" Harrell ( ) is an American songwriter, vocal producer, arranger and engineer. He was a member of a songwriting–production team composed of himself, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Terius "The-Dream" Nash. In 2011, Kuk ...
; while Beyoncé is credited on the vocal production. "I Was Here" is a reflective R&B ballad, in which Beyoncé vulnerably reviews her past, wanting to leave an impact on the world before her life comes to an end. Described as a "career song" by Warren, its development was motivated by the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
in the United States. Following the release of ''4'', "I Was Here" charted at number 131 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, 74 on the Swiss Singles Chart, and 44 on the South Korea Gaon International Singles Chart in early July 2011. Later, in 2012, the song also appeared on several charts internationally. A
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
for the song was released on August 19, 2012 and it features Beyoncé performing the song live at the
United Nations General Assembly Hall The United Nations General Assembly Building is part of the headquarters of the United Nations in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It contains the main assembly hall of the United Nations General Assembly, the main ...
while images of volunteers doing humanitarian work were projected on the screen behind her. It was donated to the World Humanitarian Day and aimed to create social media history with one billion people sharing the message of doing something good for another person. Upon its release, it received positive reviews from music critics who praised the projections, Beyoncé's vocal performance and her look. In late July, the song was included on the
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack ...
for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Final. "I Was Here" was also part of Beyoncé's
set list A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
for her residency show
4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé was the second concert residency by American recording artist Beyoncé. Held during four non-consecutive nights in August 2011 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City, the concerts were part of Beyoncé's campa ...
and was used in the Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live shows during an interlude. The live video from the DVD '' Live at Roseland: Elements of 4'' appeared online on November 16, 2011 containing Beyoncé's home movies and professional highlights. "I Was Here" was covered by Lea Michele for ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
''s soundtrack album '' Glee: The Music, The Graduation Album'' (2012).


Development and recording

"I Was Here" was written by Diane Warren and was produced by
Ryan Tedder Ryan Tedder (born June 26, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. As well as being the lead vocalist of the pop rock band OneRepublic, he has an independent career as a songwriter and producer for various artists since th ...
,
Brent Kutzle Brent Michael Kutzle (born August 3, 1985) is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and film composer originating from Fountain Valley, California. He is the bassist and cellist for the pop rock band OneRepubli ...
, Beyoncé and
Kuk Harrell Thaddis Laphonia "Kuk" Harrell ( ) is an American songwriter, vocal producer, arranger and engineer. He was a member of a songwriting–production team composed of himself, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Terius "The-Dream" Nash. In 2011, Kuk ...
. "I Was Here" is the only song on the record that was not co-written by Beyoncé. On June 1, 2011, Warren revealed in an interview for the ''
New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...
''s PopWrap that she wrote "the best ong she hasever written" a week and a half ago and that Beyoncé had already recorded it for her fourth studio album '' 4''. She described it as "a career song and probably my favorite thing I've ever written". The development of "I Was Here" was motivated by the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
. Warren wanted to work with Beyoncé since the Destiny's Child eras, but admitted that "I Was Here" was the ideal timing, "I thought that the one artist who would be my dream to sing I Was Here'would be Beyoncé. This is one of those magical stories where what is meant to be actually happens." In May 2011, Warren played the song on a
guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...
over the phone to Beyoncé's husband Jay-Z, who then called her. Upon hearing "I Was Here", Beyoncé immediately made up her mind, "Oh my god, I have to have this song." September 2011 was going to mark the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks and Beyoncé thought that the song would perfectly complete her album, which had nearly reached completion. The mastering of ''4'' was delayed to allow Beyoncé to record the song. Warren was present at the recording sessions, which took place two days following her conversation with Beyoncé and Jay-Z on the phone. She said, "There's nothing better than to hear the song that you came up with ung back It's like your heart found another heart", before adding:
I've never had chills through my entire body like I had from hearing Beyoncé sing this song. 'I Was Here' came from my soul and became the song that was coming from hers. In all my life, I have never heard anything as amazing as this. Hearing her sing 'I Was Here' will forever be one of the best moments of my life, and I know that this song will touch many other lives as well.


Composition

"I Was Here" is a
downtempo Downtempo (or downbeat) is a broad label for electronic music that features an atmospheric sound and slower beats than would typically be found in dance music. Closely related to ambient music but with greater emphasis on rhythm, the style may b ...
R&B
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
that is instrumentally based on synthesizers undercurrent,
indie rock Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produc ...
guitars,
musical keyboard A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, sh ...
s and
big drum Big Drum is a genre, a musical instrument, and traditional African religion from the Windward Islands. It is a kind of Caribbean music, associated mostly closely with the music of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Music of Guadeloupe, Carriacou ...
s provided by Tedder and Kutzle. The sound of the song's recurring
hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
uses a combination of a
xylophone The xylophone (; ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets. Like the glockenspiel (which uses metal bars), the xylophone essentially consists of a set of tuned wooden keys arranged in ...
and a
piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
. According to the sheet music published by
Alfred Music Publishing Alfred Music is an American music publishing company. Founded in New York in 1922, it is headquartered in Van Nuys, California, with additional branches in Miami, New York, Germany, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. History In New York Cit ...
at the website Musicnotes.com, "I Was Here" is written in the key of
E minor E minor is a minor scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has one sharp. Its relative major is G major and its parallel major is E major. The E natural minor scale is: : Changes needed ...
with a time signature and has a tempo of 37 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of Em–C–D–Dsus–Em–C–Em–C, and Beyoncé's vocals span two octaves from E3 to E5. James Reed of ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' felt that " I Was Here'is '
Halo Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to: * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Video games * ''Halo'' (franch ...
' on steroids — or Valium." It features Beyoncé as the female protagonist, who wants to make her mark on this Earth before her time is up as she wants that the world remember her impact. Ian Walker of AbsolutePunk elaborated on the song's composition: "'I Was Here' is Beyoncé's monument to the ages. The song climbs higher and higher, chorus by chorus, until Beyoncé reaches her apex, delivering some of her best vocals on the album. The lyrics are a bit uninspired, overly triumphant but somewhat humble as the singer contemplates her mark on history. Although she has garnered massive amounts of acclaim through her storied career, Beyoncé is far from satisfied." "I Was Here" begins with quivering
reverb Reverberation (also known as reverb), in acoustics, is a persistence of sound, after a sound is produced. Reverberation is created when a sound or signal is reflected causing numerous reflections to build up and then decay as the sound is abs ...
and a plaintively plucked guitar setting a somber mood for about fifteen seconds before the beats begin alongside Beyoncé's voice. Her vocals set a hushed and morbid tone on the song as she bring doses of edge and grit, singing: "I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of time / Know there was something that meant something that I left behind / When I leave this world, I'll leave no regrets / I'll leave something to remember, So they won't forget". She further sings throughout the song, "The hearts I have touched will be the proof that I leaved that I made a difference". Watery synths shimmer in the background before Beyoncé adopts an authoritative tone to chant the chorus lines: "I was here / I lived, I loved / I was here / I did, I've done / Everything that I wanted / And it was more than I thought it would be / I will leave my mark so everyone will know / I was here".


Critical reception

"I Was Here" garnered mixed to positive reviews from critics, most of whom felt the song's message was too deep for an artist like Beyoncé to sing, and criticized its placement on the track list of ''4''. Georgette Cline of ''The Boombox'' gave the song a positive review stating that, although the lyrics are a bit on the morbid side, it works in Beyoncé's favor, "proving she can tackle a myriad of subjects". Matthew Horton of
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
criticized the song's order of placement on the track list of ''4'', stating that "'
Run the World (Girls) "Run the World (Girls)" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, from her fourth studio album '' 4'' (2011), released as the lead single from the album on April 21, 2011. It was written and produced by R&B singer The-Dream and Beyoncé, w ...
' is tagged on like a bonus track following 'I Was Here', which sounds like the perfect ending for the album." Matthew Perpetua of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' also had the same view, saying it "disrupts the flow of up-tempo songs on the second half ''4''". Perpetua however calls it a "showstopper" and added that it "work well as a bittersweet emotional climax for the album". Perpetua finished his review by saying that "'I Was Here' is the blustery ballad one would expect by a Beyoncé/Warren team-up, and stands off as flat and generic when compared to the rest of ''4''." Another reviewer of the same magazine,
Jody Rosen Jody Rosen (born June 21, 1969 in New York City) is an American journalist and author. He is a contributing writer for ''The New York Times Magazine''. Career Journalism Rosen served as critic-at-large for '' T: The New York Times Style Magaz ...
complimented Beyoncé's vocals stating that she sings with authority; however, he coined "I Was Here" as a low point on the album and added that it is "swamped in '
My Way "My Way" is a song popularized in 1969 by Frank Sinatra set to the music of the French song "Comme d'habitude" composed by Jacques Revaux with lyrics by Gilles Thibaut and Claude François and first performed in 1967 by Claude François. Its E ...
'-style self-mythologizing." Steve Jones of ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'' showed appreciation for "I Was Here": "At 29, the still-in-her-prime Beyoncé seems a little young to be worrying about her legacy, as she does on the Warren power ballad I Was Here. But she puts so much feeling into it that it winds up being the album's most moving song." Joanne Dorken of
MTV UK MTV is a British pay television channel focusing on reality TV and music programming operated by Paramount Networks UK & Australia. The channel launched as part of MTV Networks Europe localisation strategy in 1997. MTV UK (previously MTV UK & ...
was also positive, praising the song's "simple backing music, and Beyoncé's flawless and beautiful voice." She concluded that "I Was Here" ends up being a "standout song on the album ndwe won't be forgetting Queen B in a hurry." Spencer Kornhaber of ''The Atlantic'' was also positive, writing, "Payoff comes on 11th song, the epically loping 'I Was Here.' Cameron Adams of the '' Herald Sun'' commented that "I Was Here" comes to "a show-stopping moment in a Beyonce concert near you". James Reed of ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' wrote that the collaboration of Diane Warren and Ryan Tedder, introduces "a new strain of her balladry: an ethereal marriage of R&B sensuality and stuttering indie-rock guitars." Condar Tao of the website Sputnikmusic showed his appreciation for the song, writing, " ..perhaps even more notable is the record's penultimate track, the Ryan Tedder-produced 'I Was Here'. Tedder is arguably one of the most irritating people working in pop today, and considering his track record, it's not a surprise that 'I Was Here' is the most contemporary-sounding song off of 4. What is surprising is just how good it is. The production is predictably icky, making that increasingly common mistake of using distant footsteps and reverbed guitar to convey a clichéd sense of 'epicness'." Gary Graff of ''Billboard'' said that the line "I want to leave my footprints on the sands of time" in the song defined the whole album. Simon Goddard of '' Q'' magazine chose "I Was Here" as one of the best songs on ''4'', describing it as a "breast-clutching tour de fource". Rich Juzwiak of ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
'' complimented "I Was Here" as knocking harder than anything on ''4s "bloated predecessor", '' I Am ... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). Similarly, Embling of Tiny Mix Tapes wrote: "'I Was Here' is a heavy brick of a song — overwrought, maudlin, delusionally grandiose — but it is also disarmingly honest about the addictive, undignified dimensions of fame and celebrity." Genevieve Koski of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' described "I Was Here" as "uncomfortably overwrought" although he said that Beyoncé manages to bring conviction to its lyrical content. Adam Markovitz of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' also gave the song a mixed review stating that it reached a "lifetime-movie levels of schmaltz". David Amidon of
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
stated that "I Was Here" is "plain awkward to here a woman as in her prime physically as Beyoncé is to even approach such a tune. The dull music from Ryan Tedder and an army of co-producers does not help matters." Michael Cragg of ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...
'' gave the song a negative review, stating that it disappoints as being "corny bluster at odds with the laid-back feel of her most accomplished album yet." Andy Gill of ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'' simply stated that "I Was Here" strains too hard for "
Empire State of Mind "Empire State of Mind" is a song performed by American rapper Jay-Z featuring American singer Alicia Keys from the former's 11th studio album, ''The Blueprint 3'' (2009). It was released on October 20, 2009. Produced by Al Shux, the song feature ...
" (2009) status.
Greg Kot Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the ''Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busines ...
of ''
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'' described the song as a "toxic string of cliches". Hamish MacBain of ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' gave "I Was Here" a mixed review stating the song sounds like an
X-Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003) ...
winner's single, full of unbelievably trite sentiments.


Chart performance

Although "I Was Here" was never released as a single, it appeared on several charts across the world following the release of ''4''. Selling 14,173 digital downloads, the song opened at number 44 on the South Korea Gaon International Singles Chart for the week ending July 2, 2011 which became its peak position on that chart. Following the release of ''4'', "I Was Here" also charted at number 131 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
on July 9, 2011. "I Was Here" additionally debuted on the Swiss Singles Chart at number 74 on July 10, 2011, before falling off the chart the following week. On the chart issue dated January 16, 2012, "I Was Here" debuted at number 87 on the Australian Singles Chart and number 26 on its urban chart. After the release of the music video of the song it appeared again on several charts. On the Irish Singles Chart, the song debuted at number 88 for the week ending August 30, 2012 which later became its peak position on that chart. On the Belgian Ultratip Singles Chart, the song debuted at number 83 on September 1, 2012 and four weeks later it peaked at number 16 on September 29, 2012. On the chart issue dated September 8, 2012, the song appeared at number 40 on the
UK R&B Chart The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Albums, or simply the UK Urban Chart) are 40-posi ...
. The next week it moved three positions up, at number 37, which became its peak position. On the
Hungarian Singles Chart Hungarian Recording Industry Association (Hungarian: ''Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége'', more commonly abbreviated to MAHASZ or Mahasz) is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. MAHASZ issues the Hungarian Music Awards, ...
, "I Was Here" debuted at number 6 on the chart issue dated September 9, 2012 which also became its peak position on that chart. For the week ending September 22, 2012, the song debuted at number 44 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs. The next week, it moved to number 31, and ascended on the chart over the next weeks. It reached its peak position of number 13 on the chart.


Music video


Background and release

On July 25, 2012 Beyoncé left a message for her fans on her official website stating "Leave Your Footprints on 19 August 2012", the opening lyrics to the song. On July 27, 2012 it was revealed that Beyoncé would be releasing a music video for the song as part of a global launch of World Humanitarian Day, held by the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is a United Nations (UN) body established in December 1991 by the General Assembly to strengthen the international response to complex emergencies and natural disaster ...
(OCHA). It was helmed by production company Ridley Scott & Associates and directors Kenzo Digital and
Sophie Muller Sophie Luise Elisabeth Muller (born 31 January 1962) is a British music video director who has directed more than 300 music videos. She won a Grammy Award for Annie Lennox's 1992 '' Diva'' video album, and an MTV Video Music Award for Lennox's so ...
.
Droga5 Droga5 is a global advertising agency headquartered in New York City with offices in London and Tokyo. History David Droga founded Droga5 in New York City in 2006. Droga said that he named the agency after the tag his mother used to sew into hi ...
, Sara Wallace and RSA Films served as
producers Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
of the video with the animation done by Dirt Empire NYC. The campaign aimed to reach 1 billion people with a single message when it launched, further making social media history. Several illustrations were launched on Beyoncé's website explaining how people could leave their mark on the world. The campaign was powered and measured by a new platform called Thunderclap created by creative shop DE-DE which aggregated the social reach of campaign supporters. Droga5's creative chairman
David Droga David Droga (born 1968) is an Australian advertising executive and the founder and chairman of Droga5, an advertising agency headquartered in New York City with offices in London and Tokyo. Droga5 was acquired by Accenture in 2019 and David was ...
further explained the decision to include Beyoncé for the World Humanitarian Day,
"The hope, first and foremost, was to put this on people’s radar. Apart from the UN and a few newsreaders who mention this every year, people don’t even know this day exists. It’s also to make people realize it’s not just about volunteering to go and live in the Congo for four years. It’s as much about working a soup kitchen as it is helping an elderly person. Contributing something positive doesn’t have to be a lifelong commitment; it can just be daily gestures. So, it was about giving the whole issue perspective... One video and a message aren't going to save everything. But when you say things together, maybe the message will be heard and hopefully will provoke action. Inherently people are good, and inherently people are distracted and somewhat lazy, so it comes down to how do you get people’s attention."
Prior to the release of the video, Beyoncé said: "We all see the headlines and we think what can I really do to help?... World Humanitarian Day is an opportunity for all of us to work together to make a difference. This is our time to leave our mark on the world and show that we were here and we care." During another interview posted on the UN website, Beyoncé said she was attracted to raising awareness on the day of recognition: "I found out that 22 people lost their lives helping people n Baghdad I thought it was such an incredible thing to turn that into something positive and try to include the world into doing something great for someone else". Another inspiration for Beyoncé to participate in the campaign were the finalists at the 2012 Do Something Awards and their humanitarian work. Beyoncé also enlisted the help of celebrities Gwyneth Paltrow, Rihanna,
Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
,
Justin Bieber Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
,
Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Uni ...
,
Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is n ...
, Jay-Z and First Lady Michelle Obama to support the cause as well as
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlant ...
, MTV, and
Oreo Oreo () (stylized as OREO) is a brand of sandwich cookie consisting of two biscuits or cookie pieces with a sweet creme filling. It was introduced by Nabisco on March 6, 1912, and through a series of corporate acquisitions, mergers and split ...
. On August 3, 2012, Beyoncé released a black and white promotional video for the World Humanitarian Day, produced by Sara Wallace. The video featured Beyoncé saying, "On August 19. It’s high time we rise together. Do one thing for a human being. Nothing is too small. … Make your mark and say I was here." The music video was expected to be released simultaneously in the main platforms of television, cinema, projection screens and facilities prepared for buildings in New York, Dubai and Geneva, on August 19. However, it premiered on August 18, 2012 instead. The next day, it was released on the
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in the US. The performance of the song received positive reviews from music critics and celebrities who attended.


Mapping and projection

The video was filmed in front of a live audience at the
United Nations General Assembly Hall The United Nations General Assembly Building is part of the headquarters of the United Nations in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It contains the main assembly hall of the United Nations General Assembly, the main ...
in New York on August 10, 2012. SuperUber worked on integration between animations and technology, the structure design and
projection mapping Projection mapping, similar to video mapping and spatial augmented reality, is a video projection, projection technique used to turn objects, often irregularly shaped, into display surfaces for video projection. The objects may be complex industr ...
that took over the General Assembly Hall after it was invited by Kenzo Digital. 10 20K HLM Barco projectors were placed and mapping was done using Pandora's widget designer and 5 Pandora's Dual Box servers. The final video had an 8856 x 1664 resolution and was split into 10 slices of 1080 x 1664 pixels, since each projector was turned on its side and the images were projected vertically in order to cover the whole structure. Two slices were fed into each system and SuperUber did the warping and edge blending inside Pandora. The screen which was used was over 12,000 square feet; Lucas Werthein, a representative for SuperUber commented that it was the largest indoor temporary screen that was a tilted compound curve adding that from an
engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...
standpoint, it is "extremely complex". It was custom-designed to mold to the inside of the General Assembly Hall. It spanned 68m X 15m and surrounded the audience with a 240 degree immersive projection. Ten synchronized and mapped projections covered the screen with 200,000 lumens, creating one continuous giant image. The screen which weighed 1000 pounds was
sewn Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a sewing needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era. Before the invention of spinning yarn or weaving fabri ...
by forty five people. The whole structure, which was hanging off the UN ceiling weighed 6000 pounds. Werthein revealed, "In order to create the proper tension for the screen to hold its shape we had to weld permanent rigging points into the dome of the general assembly." Peter Kirn of Create Digital Motion wrote that the projection mapping was performed onto a fairly simple surface: "What makes the mapping so effective is the way in which it can fill the space, making those pictures immersive on a grand architectural scale. It makes the image a real volume in which the performance can take place." Russ Rive, SuperUber's director said, "It’s an ambitious project that has completely transformed an iconic location – seen as immutable and unchanging, with its goldplated panel and grand volume. By adding a virtual layer to it, we could digitally rebuild it, playing with the architectural elements, and therefore changing the notion of something static. The technology made the integration between animation and architecture. We used projectors to 'paint with light' the UN General Assembly’s Hall – a unique opportunity to transform such an emblematic place."


Live performance and synopsis

On August 10, 2012, Beyoncé appeared at the Assembly for the rehearsals prior to the performance.
Julia Stiles Julia O'Hara Stiles (born March 28, 1981) is an American actress. Born and raised in New York City, Stiles began acting at the age of 11 as part of New York's La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. Her film debut was a small role in ''I'' ''Love Yo ...
,
The-Dream Terius Youngdell Nash (born September 20, 1977), better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, " Rid ...
and Diane Warren were the celebrities who attended the performance. Prior to the performing the song, Beyoncé met with United Nations leader Ban Ki-moon.
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations The deputy secretary-general of the United Nations is the deputy to the secretary-general of the United Nations. The office was created to handle many of the administrative responsibilities of the secretary-general, help manage Secretariat operat ...
Jan Eliasson Jan Kenneth Eliasson (born 17 September 1940) is a Swedish diplomat who was Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations from July 2012 to December 2016. A member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, Eliasson served as Minister for Fore ...
, announced Beyoncé's performance giving a short introduction about the singer: "Tonight hebrings more than her stunning talents; she brings inspiration to help another person, to help another human being". He further recalled a "dark day in the history of the U.N." when 22 humanitarian workers lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Iraq on August 19, 2003 adding that the event and the World Humanitarian Day both honor those lost lives and encourage others to join the effort. He further interviewed guests whose relatives lost their lives in the accident. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
Valerie Amos Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos, (born 13 March 1954) is a British Labour Party politician and diplomat who served as the eighth UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. Before her appointment to ...
also appeared encouraging everyone to log on to the website WHD-IWasHere.org by August 19 and commit to doing one good act to help someone in need further saying, "I told Beyoncé: It's great that we have her, because she can reach millions of people. I could spend the rest of my life doing what I do, and I wouldn't reach a 10th of that number. And she said: 'Don't sell yourself short.'. Beyoncé appeared on stage wearing a floor-length white gown with micro-sequins from designer Marc Bouwer's pre-fall collection while her hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail. She performed on a high-rise stage with a big screen spanning from ceiling to floor behind her. As she sang, the screen filled with images of U.N. aid workers on the scene in various wars, famines, and floods around the world. Following the performance, she announced, "I'd like to ask everyone to make sure they're a part of August 19th... It's such a beautiful, beautiful day, and I'd like to honor the 22 people who lost their lives. God bless you all. Thank you so much for having me." The music video for the song starts with Beyoncé singing the song with the U.N. audience seated in front of her, and images from recent disasters screening in panoramic view behind her. As the song progresses, scenes of globes and constellations turn up; laser lights and a small blue arrow, imprinted with the song's title, trace a path along the globe. The performance footage is also mixed with images of global volunteer efforts; as the giant screen displays globe-reaching graphics they morph into pictures of humanitarian work. The music video ends with the question "What Will You Do?" and offers the official website for the World Humanitarian Day.


Reception

Following Beyoncé's performance, American journalist Anderson Cooper who was present at the Hall and served as a host jokingly asked the crowd, "Is this what happens at the U.N. every Friday night? Because, I've gotta tell you ... I wanna be here every Friday night if this goes on." Diane Warren described the performance as "one of the best experiences ever" in her life. The performance and the music video received positive reviews from critics, who praised Beyoncé's live vocals. Pamela Falk of CBS News described the performance as "breathtaking" and "stunning". Jim Farber of '' Daily News'' was also positive about the performance saying that she "delivered a powerful live vocal to the song's musical track". Molly O'Brien of ''Prefix Magazine'' commented that the video was "simple and powerful: Beyoncé gives an impeccable live performance of the song... On the album, 'I Was Here' is pompous and a little cloying; live and accompanied by those images, it's got the same change-the-world flavor as Michael Jackson's '
Man in the Mirror "Man in the Mirror" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. It was written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. It was released on February 6, 1988, as the fourth single from Jackson ...
.'" Nadeska Alexis of the same publication wrote that Beyoncé belted out her vocals while members of the audience sang along further noting that the moment ended "all too quickly". A writer of '' OK!'' magazine praised Beyoncé for being "striking as always" while belting out "I Was Here" in the video. MTV Act's Jose Iniguez described the performance as "phenomenal, flawless, goosebump-inducing, inspiring" adding that it gave him life and made him feel "gobbled up" by the presence of Beyoncé. He added that "I Was Here" couldn't have been a better fit for the campaign and concluded that "Bey ncéwas simply flawless. Her voice, her dress, her touching (yet short) address after her performance sent chills down very limb." Leslie Gornstein of
E! Online E! (an initialism for Entertainment Television) is an American basic cable channel which primarily focuses on pop culture, celebrity focused reality shows, and movies, owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of NBCUniver ...
praised Beyoncé's dress worn during the video, writing that " treminds us of a long column of light". Lisa Potter from '' Marie Claire'' described the floor-length gown as "dramatic". A writer of MTV News also praised Beyoncé's "glamorous
ook Ook, OoK or OOK may refer to: * Ook Chung (born 1963), Korean-Canadian writer from Quebec * On-off keying, in radio technology * Toksook Bay Airport (IATA code OOK), in Alaska * Ook!, an esoteric programming language based on Brainfuck * Ook, th ...
in white". A writer of ''Rap-Up'' wrote in his review that the singer was "glowing" in her white dress, adding that she put her "powerful pipes on display as she belted out the empowering ballad". E! Online's Sierra Marquina described Beyoncé's look as "stunning". Melissa Maerz of ''Entertainment Weekly'' described the gown as "sleek, space-age white" and further praised Beyoncé for "belting out" the song emotionally with tears, comparing it with the live video from '' Live at Roseland: Elements of 4''. Adelle Platon of ''
Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...
'' magazine praised Beyoncé's look in a "stunning" white gown "belting against a backdrop of worldly images". Jason Lipshutz of ''Billboard'' wrote that the images of global volunteer efforts during the video were "striking". Peter Kirn from Create Digital Motion commented that the powerful projection used in the video "can make imagery big enough that it invites big thinking — and debate". Kirn concluded that "In the end, you see a performance in which neither Beyoncé nor the imagery upstages the other – it’s two powerful performances, not just one." ''The Huffington Post''s Sarah Dean described the video as inspiring while "shining a spotlight on humanitarian work". On August 29, 2012, according to Thunderclap 1.13 billion messages were shared worldwide. The video was nominated in the category for Best Video with a Social Message at the
2013 MTV Video Music Awards The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 25, 2013, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Marking the 30th installment of the award show, they were the first to be held in New York City not to use a venue within the borough of M ...
on August 25 but lost to
Macklemore Benjamin Hammond Haggerty (born June 19, 1983), better known by his stage name Macklemore ( ; (formerly Professor Macklemore), is an American rapper and songwriter. A native of Seattle, Washington, he has collaborated with producer Ryan Lewi ...
's "
Same Love Same may refer to: * Sameness or identity Places * Same (Homer), an island mentioned by Homer in the ''Odyssey'' * Same (polis), an ancient city * Same, East Timor Same ( ) is a town in the Same administrative post in the interior of East ...
". The music video gained 98.69 million views with 847,000 likes on YouTube as of August 16, 2018.


Live performances

Beyoncé performed "I Was Here" live for the first time on August 14, 2011 during her
4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé was the second concert residency by American recording artist Beyoncé. Held during four non-consecutive nights in August 2011 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City, the concerts were part of Beyoncé's campa ...
in
Roseland Ballroom The Roseland Ballroom was a multipurpose hall, in a converted ice skating rink, with a colorful ballroom dancing pedigree, in New York City's theater district, on West 52nd Street in Manhattan. The venue, according to its website, accommodat ...
, New York City. She performed the song in front of 3,500 people wearing a gold dress and backed by her all-female band and her backing singers, called the Mamas. "I Was Here" served as the closing song of the residency show with Beyoncé changing the line, on which the title of the song is based, to "Roseland, we were here." Jason Newman of '' Rap-Up'' magazine commented that "in less confident hands, the line would have come off as hokey. For Beyoncé, it was the recognition of a singular event before returning to the stadium." According to Brad Wete from ''Entertainment Weekly'', during the performance of the song Beyoncé "bowed, fanatic screams and cheers followed." Mike Wass of
Idolator An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry. Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books *''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music * Idolator (website), an American music blog * ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
wrote:
nowles'ability to bring new depth and texture to quality material is almost as impressive as her uncanny knack for connecting with the audience on an emotional level. Take, for instance, the final song — it was impossible not to be moved by nowlesas she fought tears while tackling the clearly personal lyrics of 'I Was Here'.
Jody Rosen of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', who had given the song a negative review wrote that "on record, I Was Here'was a hollow exercise in self-mythologizing. On Sunday night, though, Beyoncé brought the song to life, singing with a tenacious mix of shmaltz and soul that evoked two of her heroes,
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
and Aretha Franklin ..It sounded less like bluster than confession. It was almost intimate." Yolanda Sangweni of ''
Essence Essence ( la, essentia) is a polysemic term, used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it ...
'' magazine stated that ending the show with "I Was Here" was "triumphant note" and that " Diana Ross and Michael Jackson would be proud." During the ITV special ''A Night With Beyoncé'' which aired on December 4 in the United Kingdom, Beyoncé performed "I Was Here" to a selected crowd of fans. The performance from ''A Night With Beyoncé'' was later broadcast on ''
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'' (''NYRE'') is an annual New Year's Eve television special broadcast by ABC. The special broadcasts primarily from New York City's Times Square and prominently features coverage of its annual ball drop ev ...
'' on December 31, 2011. A writer of ''Essence'' magazine noted that she performed a "powerful rendition" of the song further adding that she "looked and sounded glorious". In May 2012, during Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live, a video montage of Beyoncé holding her child Blue Ivy Carter, drinking a pint of Guinness, and going whale-watching was shown while the song was played in the background, before she began singing the first verse of
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed " The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston i ...
's " I Will Always Love You".


Live video

The live performance for "I Was Here" as part of 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé, where it served as the closing song, was taped and premiered online on November 16, 2011. It was added on the DVD ''Live at Roseland: Elements of 4'', which was released in late November 2011. The video begins with Beyoncé onstage in a shimmery silver minidress, giving the crowd a bit of a windup about where "I Was Here" came from. She says: "It's taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am. I searched all around the world, and I found myself. You all are my inspiration. I want to sing this last song and dedicate it to all of you guys." The video then turns into a career retrospective in the form of Beyoncé's home movies and her professional highlights. It splices poignant memories throughout Beyoncé's life, from her childhood, to partying and vacations with her family, to most of the locations she visited around the world, to her rise with Destiny's Child into solo stardom and her love story with Jay-Z. Also containing footage from major performances and awards shows, the clip begins with a young Beyoncé thanking the judges in a talent show and later doing the snake in her living room, performing in her
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
-inspired neon overalls. The clip briefly returns to the center of the stage where Beyoncé starts to belt out the ballad over a montage of other home videos. It later shows Beyoncé, as an adult, hugging Michael Jackson, performing with
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
,
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the " Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before ...
, her husband, and contains cameos by Oprah Winfrey and Nelson Mandela. The montage additionally contains moments of the everyday behind-the-scenes footage of Beyoncé; her sometimes-awkward teenage hair, Beyoncé playing on a
Slip 'n Slide Slip ’N Slide is a children's toy invented by Robert Carrier and manufactured by Wham-O. It was first sold in 1961. The main form is a plastic sheet and a method of wetting it; when the surface is wet it becomes very slippery, allowing the use ...
, playing with her nephew in a pool, frolicking on a beach, going for whale watching, and trying on her actual wedding dress at the 3:36 mark. Other footage includes: Beyoncé performing on her world tours in support of her second and third studio albums, her performance at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival where she was the first major solo female headliner to appear on the Pyramid stage in over twenty years, a backstage scene of Beyoncé at the
52nd Grammy Awards The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares P ...
, holding her six Grammy awards, which broke the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night, The clip ends with Beyoncé revealing her baby bump on
2011 MTV Video Music Awards The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28, at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. On July 20, the nominees were announced. Katy Perry received the most nominations this year at ten, ...
. a performance of "Run the World (Girls)" at the 2011 ''Billboard'' Music Awards, where she was given the Millennium Award for recognizing her career achievements and influence in the music industry. Music critics generally welcomed the video as for most of her time in the spotlight, Beyoncé has been a strictly private celebrity. Melissa Maerz of ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote that it was pleasant to see Beyoncé unguarded as it is a rare occurrence. He added that though the clip is a more professional-looking than most people's home movies, it remains the closest thing that fans have seen so far to "Bey ncéjust being Bey ncé. Similarly, Brent Woodie of ''
The Christian Post ''The Christian Post'' is an American non-denominational, conservative, evangelical Christian online newspaper. Based in Washington, D.C., it was founded in March 2004. News topics include the Church, ministries, missions, education, Christ ...
'' commented about how the 2008 wedding of Beyoncé to Jay-Z was kept very private; there were no photographs or videos released from the event, leaving media and gossip columnists to speculate on the nuptials. He welcomed the clip for being the first behind-the-scenes footage of Beyoncé on her wedding day. Luchina Fisher of
ABC News ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
described it as "a home movie featuring highlights from Beyonce's decorated life" and felt that it's "the personal moments n the videothe singer's fans will no doubt devour". Samantha Cortez of '' Daily News'' felt that the content of the video which included Beyoncé's most personal moments and the lyrics of the song, "add even more sentiment to the video". At the 43rd NAACP Image Award presented on February 17, 2012, the video for "I Was Here" was nominated in the category for Outstanding Music Video.


Cover versions

A cover version of "I Was Here" performed by Lea Michele was included on ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
''s soundtrack album '' Glee: The Music, The Graduation Album'' released on May 14, 2012. On November 29, 2012, Diamond White, a contestant of the second season of ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'' in the US covered "I Was Here". Michele Amabile Angermiller of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' noted that "Her performance had some pitch problems, but she pulled it out." Daniel Fienberg from the website HitFix wrote that she made a smart choice with the performance of the song adding that there were "some sharp notes here and there, but she sings her heart out". Bobby Olivier of ''
The Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to '' The Jersey Journal'' of Jersey City, ''The Times'' of Trenton and the '' Staten Island Advance'', all of ...
'' described White's version as "pitchy" while Lisa de Moraes of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' wrote that she "blasts" through the song. ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' contestant Angela Miller performed the song during the twelfth season of the show in March 2013. Michael Slezak of the website
TVLine ''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs. History In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s Michael Ausiello announced that he would be leaving ''EW'' after nearly two years in their employ to est ...
graded the performance with B− saying that "tears may have affected the vocal a bit". Ericka Alston of ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' wrote that Miller made "an appropriate choice" with the song. On April 17, 2014, the song was performed live by
Teodora Sava Teodora Sava (, born November 27, 2001, Piatra Neamț) is a singer, former Antena 1 television channel star, and former contestant on the international music talent competition '' X Factor Romania''. Biography Teodora Sava was born on Novembe ...
when she was 12 years old, as a special guest of the Romanian kids talent show Next Star. In September 2014,
Vanessa Hudgens Vanessa Anne Hudgens (; born December 14, 1988) is an American actress and singer. After making her feature film debut in '' Thirteen'' (2003), Hudgens rose to fame portraying Gabriella Montez in the ''High School Musical'' film series (2006 ...
covered "I Was Here" during the Voices On Point gala in Los Angeles held in support for
LGBTQ ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is ...
students. She covered the song to honor Warren who received a Point Leadership Award at the event. Dutch singer
Glennis Grace Glenda Hulita Elisabeth Batta (born 19 June 1978), known professionally as Glennis Grace, is a Dutch singer. In 2005, she represented the Netherlands in the 50th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, and in 2018 she appeared on the 13th seas ...
performed the song live on November 10, 2014 during the Dutch national memorial ceremony in front of over 1600 relatives of the victims of
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17/MAS17) was a scheduled passenger flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur that was shot down by Russian forces on 17 July 2014, while flying over eastern Ukraine. All 283 passengers and 15 crew were killed. Cont ...
. Coach Delta Goodrem performed the song with her artist Judah Kelly on the grand finale of the sixth season of The Voice Australia.


Usage in media

On July 19, 2011, "I Was Here" provided the soundtrack for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Final. As reported by ABC News on September 11, 2011, Beyoncé paid tribute to the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
with "I Was Here" on the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the event. On September 21, 2011, it was announced via PR Newswire that
Boys & Girls Clubs of America Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) is a national organization of local chapters which provide voluntary after-school programs for young people. The organization, which holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code, h ...
(BGCA) would launch "a star-studded" new Public Service Advertising (PSA) campaign and that the soundtrack for the campaign would be "I Was Here". Nationwide, Boys & Girls Clubs provide high-impact, affordable programs, and caring adult mentors, to keep kids on the path to great futures, emphasizing academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. The director,
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of ''The Twilight Zone''. He ...
explained the reason behind choosing "I Was Here" as the soundtrack of their new PSA: "We wanted the most powerful piece of music possible, to underscore the dramatic message that what we do today to shape the future of our children is vitally important. We could not have picked a more moving track. Diane's words and Beyonce's delivery are over the top." In November 2013, the song was included on the relief album ''Songs for the Philippines''; the proceeds of it were donated to the
Philippine Red Cross The Philippine Red Cross (PRC; fil, Krus na Pula ng Pilipinas) is a non-profit humanitarian organization and a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The PRC was established in 1947, with roots in the Philippine Re ...
for the victims of
Typhoon Haiyan Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. On making landfall, Haiyan devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. It is one of the ...
.


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from ''4''
liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desc ...
. *Beyoncé Knowles – vocals, vocal production *Eric Aylands – assistant engineer *Smith Carlson – assistant engineer *Serban Ghenea – mixer *John Hanes –
mix engineer A mixing engineer (or simply mix engineer) is responsible for combining ("mixing") different sonic elements of an auditory piece into a complete rendition (also known as "final mix" or "mixdown"), whether in music, film, or any other content of a ...
*
Kuk Harrell Thaddis Laphonia "Kuk" Harrell ( ) is an American songwriter, vocal producer, arranger and engineer. He was a member of a songwriting–production team composed of himself, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Terius "The-Dream" Nash. In 2011, Kuk ...
– vocal production, vocal recorder *
Brent Kutzle Brent Michael Kutzle (born August 3, 1985) is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and film composer originating from Fountain Valley, California. He is the bassist and cellist for the pop rock band OneRepubli ...
– additional programming,
cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G ...
,
guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...
,
piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
, producer *Phil Seaford – assistant mix engineer *Jon Sher – assistant engineer *
Ryan Tedder Ryan Tedder (born June 26, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. As well as being the lead vocalist of the pop rock band OneRepublic, he has an independent career as a songwriter and producer for various artists since th ...
– additional programming, background vocals, drums, producer * Diane Warren –
songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...


Charts


Certifications and sales


References


External links

* * {{authority control 2011 songs 2010s ballads Beyoncé songs Contemporary R&B ballads Song recordings produced by Beyoncé Songs written by Diane Warren Song recordings produced by Ryan Tedder Music videos directed by Sophie Muller Music about the September 11 attacks