"Freedom Rings" is a song by American singer

Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...

. Conceived during recording sessions for her seventh studio album '' B7'' (2020), it was written by Norwood, Ryan "Ryghteous" M. Tedder,

Sebastian Kole Coleridge Gardner Tillman (born January 17, 1982), who goes by the stage name Sebastian Kole, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from Birmingham, Alabama. He is currently signed to EP Entertainment and Motown Records. Prior ...

, and Jeff "Gitty" Gitelman, while production was helmed by Gitelman and Tedder. A

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

y mid-tempo track that is built on heavy

guitar riff A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based on ...

s and a foot-stomping groove, its lyrics have been described as a "declaration of independence." Its standalone release through Norwood's newly founded label, Brand Nu Inc., and

eOne Music MNRK Music Group (pronounced "monarch"), formerly known as Koch Records and Entertainment One (eOne) Music/Records, is an American independent record label and music management company based in New York City. It was formed in 1987 as a music div ...

on September 27, 2019 commenced with the 25th anniversary of her eponymous debut album ''

'' in 1994. Her first release since 2016's " Beggin & Pleadin, it earned generally positive reviews from music critics, particularly for its vocal performance, and peaked at number seven on the US ''Billboard'' R&B Digital Songs in the week of October 12, 2019.

Conception

"Freedom Rings" was written by Norwood, Jeff "Gitty" Gitelman,

, and Ryan "Ryghteous" M. Tedder, while production on the song was overseen by Gitelman and Tedder. A musical declaration of independence, it was recorded in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

in mid-2019 during creative sessions alongside songwriter and producer Kole with whom Norwood shared deep conversations about her freedom and what she went through. In a behind-the-scenes video of the song's creation which she later released on her

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account, Norwood commented on their collaboration: "I lived 'Freedom Rings.' I lived every word in this song ..

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was really able to put together a poetic to this life life I've lived so long of not being free, coming to the realization that I've been free the whole time. I just needed to click my heals three times and just realize that I had it the whole time."

Critical reception

"Freedom Rings" earned generally positive reviews from music critics. Mike Wass from ''

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'' wrote that "Freedom Rings” is "a triumphant anthem about perseverance ..that clearly means a lot to the enduring hitmaker." ''

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'' found that the song had Norwood showing "off her powerful pipes while sharing her testimony on the soulful rock-tinged track," while ''

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'' noted that "Freedom Rings" appears "to show the R&B legend shedding light on her time away from the spotlight, rediscovering what made her fall in love with music and exorcising her demons." ''YouKnowIGotSoul'' felt that the song "is very different compared to what we’ve heard from Brandy in terms of production, but vocally Brandy is bringing her A game." SoulBounce remarked that "Brandy's taking a more soulful approach than her earlier fare. The track starts with bluesy guitar riffs and a foot-stomping groove as Brandy makes her own declaration of independence."

Chart performance

"Freedom Rings" peaked at number seven on the US ''Billboard'' R&B Digital Songs in the week of October 12, 2019. As of 2020, this marks Norwood's highest-charting release on the chart.

Charts

Release history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freedom Rings 2019 singles 2019 songs Brandy Norwood songs Songs written by Brandy Norwood Songs written by Sebastian Kole Songs written by Jeff Gitelman