Haunted (Beyoncé song)
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"Haunted" is a song by American recording artist
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
from her fifth studio album, ''
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
'' (2013). It was written and produced by Beyoncé and
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. Conceived by the latter following an infuriating meeting with a record label, the song was presented to Beyoncé who decided to record it following similar experiences in the
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. The song was inspired by the works of English musician
Aphex Twin Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known as Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born British musician, composer and DJ. He is known for his idiosyncratic work in electronic music, electronic styles such as techno, ambient music, ambient, and jun ...
and contains a
stream of consciousness In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a narrative mode or method that attempts "to depict the multitudinous thoughts and feelings which pass through the mind" of a narrator. The term was coined by Daniel Oliver (physician), Daniel Ol ...
rap Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
. Musically, it consists of two parts titled "Ghost" and "Haunted". It contains a minimalistic sound with keyboards, bass and percussion. Beyoncé raps the
spoken word Spoken word refers to an oral poetic performance art that is based mainly on the poem as well as the performer's aesthetic qualities. It is a late 20th century continuation of an ancient oral artistic tradition that focuses on the aesthetics of ...
segment of "Ghost" with robotic and reverbed vocals. Lyrically, "Haunted" contains sexually explicit and frank lyrics talking about desire. Many
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compared its sound with various artists and noted different influences and elements explored in its composition. Upon its release, the song was met with positive reviews, with critics praising its experimental sound and minimalistic approach. Two accompanying music videos were filmed for both parts of the song and placed separately on the visual album. The clip for "Ghost" was directed by Pierre Debusschere while
Jonas Åkerlund Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund (; born 10 November 1965) is a Swedish film director, screenwriter, music video director, and drummer. His video for Madonna's song "Ray of Light" won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form, and a record of fiv ...
served as the director for the second part, "Haunted". The former visual shows various close-up shots of Beyoncé lip-syncing the lyrics, while the latter features her walking in the corridor of a big
mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...
meeting various actors seen inside the rooms. Critics compared the video of "Haunted" and the singer's look with works by
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
, most notably with her song "
Justify My Love "Justify My Love" is a song by American singer Madonna from her first greatest hits album ''The Immaculate Collection'' (1990). It was released on November 6, 1990, by Sire Records as the lead single from ''The Immaculate Collection''. The song ...
" (1990). The song was performed live during the last European leg of
The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer Beyoncé. Announced in February 2013 with initial dates in Europe and North America, the tour contained seven legs and 132 shows. It began in Belgrade, Serbia on April ...
and at the On the Run Tour in 2014. Beyoncé also performed it at the
2014 MTV Video Music Awards The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 24, 2014 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. It was the 31st annual MTV Video Music Awards. Beyoncé and Iggy Azalea led the nominees with eight nominations each, while Eminem followed them ...
as part of a medley consisting of songs from her fifth studio album.


Background

"Haunted" was written and produced by
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
and New York-based musician
Boots A boot is a type of footwear. Boot or Boots may also refer to: Businesses * Boot Inn, Chester, Cheshire, England * Boots (company), a high-street pharmacy chain and manufacturer of pharmaceuticals in the United Kingdom * The Boot, Cromer Stre ...
, who was relatively unknown before the release of ''
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
'' (2013). He was signed to
Roc Nation Roc Nation is an entertainment agency founded by Jay-Z in 2008. The company is headquartered in Manhattan and has additional offices in Los Angeles and London. Roc Nation comprises a comprehensive talent agency, sports agency, record label, mana ...
, about six months prior to the album's release and produced 85% of ''Beyoncé'' also having writing credits on four of its tracks. During an interview with
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, Boots revealed that "Haunted" was the first song written by him which Beyoncé heard; it was originally titled "I'm Onto You" at that time. Beyoncé liked the song upon hearing it, leaving Boots confused as he felt the song was only showcasing his sad vocals, with a piano recorded on his iPhone as a voice memo. He also played her the
rap Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
of
stream of consciousness In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a narrative mode or method that attempts "to depict the multitudinous thoughts and feelings which pass through the mind" of a narrator. The term was coined by Daniel Oliver (physician), Daniel Ol ...
of "Ghost" during one of their early meetings inspired by an infuriating meeting with a record label. Beyoncé could immediately connect to the topic as she had also experienced the same things in the record industry when people advised her about the sound of her music. For the music of "Ghost", Boots created a beat from a "dreamlike, hypnotic place" working with guitars and building layers inspired by the work of musician
Aphex Twin Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known as Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born British musician, composer and DJ. He is known for his idiosyncratic work in electronic music, electronic styles such as techno, ambient music, ambient, and jun ...
. Boots said, " phex Twin'sworks like that are more floaty, more without than within, but I made mine grounded in that thumping beat, so you can't get out of that feeling." He also elaborated about its concept, "It's like that song is leading you by the hand, but you're blindfolded and you don't know where you're going. You're scared and you're not sure what to expect from it, but as the album unfolds, we take the blindfold off and you realize it's a surprise party for you." Beyoncé also explained the meaning of "Haunted" on her
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channel where she also revealed her admiration for Boots, "The song is really about temptation in this music industry and being exposed to this crazy madness." The vocal production of the song was handled by Beyoncé and contains background vocals provided by Boots and Kwane Wyatt. "Haunted" was recorded at
Jungle City Studios Jungle City Studios is a recording studio owned and operated by Ann Mincieli, Alicia Keys's longtime engineer and studio coordinator. Located in Chelsea, Manhattan, it was designed by John Storyk of Walters-Storyk Design Group. Recordings at Ju ...
and
Oven Studios Oven Studios is the personal recording studio of American singer-songwriter and record producer Alicia Keys, located in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, New York. Background Designed by the Walters-Storyk Design Group, the studio was ori ...
, both located in New York City under the guidance of Boots and Stuart White. It was later mixed by Tony Maserati and White at Mirrorball Studios in North Hollywood. The track was eventually
mastered Mastering, a form of audio post production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device (the master), the source from which all copies will be produced (via meth ...
by
Tom Coyne Tom Coyne may refer to: * Tom Coyne (writer), American writer and professor * Tom Coyne (broadcaster) (1930–2015), British television presenter * Tom Coyne (music engineer) (1954–2017), American mastering engineer * Thomas Coyne (cricketer) ( ...
and Aya Merril in
Sterling Sound George Marino (April 15, 1947 – June 4, 2012) was an American mastering engineer known for working on albums by rock bands starting in the late 1960s. Biography Marino was born on April 15, 1947, in the New York City borough The Bronx. He at ...
in New York City. All instruments were provided by Boots, with additional
drum programming Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices and computer software, such as sequencers and workstations or hardware synthesizers, sampler and sequencers, to generate sounds of musical instruments. These mus ...
by
Hit-Boy Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he had signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. ...
.


Composition

"Haunted" is a two-part song, consisting of "Ghost" and "Haunted" collectively running for a length of approximately six minutes. Its composition was described as ranging from
contemporary R&B Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhythm ...
to "straight up
experimentalism Experimentalism is the philosophical belief that the way to truth is through experiments and empiricism. It is also associated with instrumentalism, the belief that truth should be evaluated based upon its demonstrated usefulness. Experimentalism ...
". ''
Mojo Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...
'' Priya Elan compared the song's composition with works by English band
The xx The xx are an English indie rock band from Wandsworth, London, formed in 2005. The band consists of Romy Madley Croft (guitar, vocals), Oliver Sim (bass guitar, vocals), Jamie Smith, also known as Jamie xx (beats, MPC, record production), a ...
. The song features sexually explicit and frank lyrics in line with a prominent theme of the album about sexuality also present in other songs. Its instrumentation consists of "murky" keyboards and a "creeping", pulsating
bassline Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched Part ( ...
. Beyoncé sings over mournful piano stabs which are repeated along with drums and airy vocals along with a pounding club rhythm. "Ghost" is an alt hip hop and
Electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...
song featuring Beyoncé
rapping Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
with recessed and reverbed vocals. The song contains ambient beats, bass and percussion and a poetic spoken word vocal with high
loop Loop or LOOP may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live * Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets * Loop Mobile, an ...
. It was created by using a minimal approach and a
falsetto ''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous ed ...
vocal was applied along with various "warped, ghost-ly" effects. "Ghost" opens with an audio recording of the singer winning a Sammy Davis Jr. Award in 1989 in Houston for a townwide talent show. It continues with a person incorrectly pronouncing her name as "'Bee Awnz' Knowles". According to ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' columnist Brandon Soderberg, the song begins with a "random, frustrating indignity from her youth into a full-blown, racially loaded origin story" and also features expressions of her celebrity. Lyrically, Beyoncé makes a prediction about her album's sales and offers commentary on record labels through a
spoken word Spoken word refers to an oral poetic performance art that is based mainly on the poem as well as the performer's aesthetic qualities. It is a late 20th century continuation of an ancient oral artistic tradition that focuses on the aesthetics of ...
intro: "I don't trust these record labels, I'm tourin'" and later adds, "Soul not for sale/Probably won't make no money off this/Oh well." Speaking about the record industry, she sings about being bored with labels during the lines, "All the shit I do is boring / All these record labels... boring". The lyrics of the song also discuss the failure of taking risks in the
music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...
. She also expresses sadness for people having to work banal and monotonous jobs in the lines, "All these people on the planet/Workin' nine to five just to stay alive/How come?". Soderberg felt that the fast conversational vocal style adopted by the singer was reminiscent of rapper
Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his Progressive rap, progressive musical styles and Social consciousness, socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most infl ...
. Anupa Mistry of the same publication felt that she borrowed Lamar's "alien-robot cadence and sings in a pinched choral croon" which she further compared with
Bat for Lashes Natasha Khan (born 25 October 1979), known professionally as Bat for Lashes, is an English singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. She has released five studio albums: ''Fur and Gold'' (2006), ''Two Suns'' (2009), '' The Haun ...
. Una Mullally of ''
The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...
'' wrote that the singer's "monotone" rapping is accompanied by "the flatness of the tone reflecting the repetition of labour". Janice Llamoca from
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compared the part where Beyoncé sings the line "oh well" with
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
's "shrug .
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 the ''
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'' found the same line to be
sarcastic Sarcasm is the caustic use of words, often in a humorous way, to mock someone or something. Sarcasm may employ ambivalence, although it is not necessarily ironic. Most noticeable in spoken word, sarcasm is mainly distinguished by the inflection ...
. Sal Cinquemani from
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described her vocals during the line as half-rapped and "half-shrug das if directly countering Scheinman's silver linings playbook".
Rob Sheffield Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author. He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at ''Blen ...
from ''
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'' felt that the singer confessed she got "bored" with the "popstar routine" in "Ghost". During the end, "Ghost" quickly transitions into "Haunted" which contains elements of hip hop and R&B music.
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of ''
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'' described it as a
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track talking about "being haunted in love". Instrumentally, it consists of percussion and an off-kilter club beat which was compared with Jacques Greene and
Burial Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
. Its sound is operatic and the lyrics undersung, with piano chords and various rhythmic effects, such as foot-tapping. Lyrically, it talks about desire, with Ryan Dennehy from
AbsolutePunk ''AbsolutePunk'' was a website, online community, and alternative music news source founded by Jason Tate (the most recent CEO). The website mainly focused on artists who are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but it was known to fea ...
noting it was about "frank sexual desires". ''
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'' Brittany Spanos felt the song was discussing lingering memories of the past. Trent Wolbe of ''
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'' compared the sound of "Haunted" with music by bands The Knife,
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and
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. Andrew Barker from ''
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'' found a
trance Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...
genre similar to
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
's '' Bedtime Stories''. The song includes sexual lyrics that are reflected throughout the album, including, "The bedroom's my runway / Slap me! / I'm pinned to the doorway / Kiss, bite, foreplay" and "My wicked tongue / Where will it be?" set to "sonorous... and chilly charged beats".


Critical reception

"Haunted" was well received by music critics. Neil McCormick of ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...
'' felt that the "modernist sonic approach is pushed to the fore" on "Ghost". ''Spin'' Brandon Sorderberg felt that the line "nine-to-five" just to stay alive" was repeated "way too many times". Anupa Mistry of the same publication described the song as "multi-directional, mood-shifting". ''
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'' Alex Rees said the song is a "sharp critique of postmodern culture, except then all of a sudden there's a bunch of nasty sex talk." Mesfin Fekadu from the
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described "Haunted" as a "gloomy" song. Writing for the website The 405, editor White Caitlin felt the singer offered part of her insecurities and flaws through the song and "sheds
slut-shaming Slut-shaming is the practice of criticizing people, especially women and girls, who are perceived to violate expectations of behavior and appearance regarding issues related to sexuality. The term is used to reclaim the word ''slut'' and empower ...
, the shackled role of uptight matriarch or calculated star". ''
Fact A fact is a datum about one or more aspects of a circumstance, which, if accepted as true and proven true, allows a logical conclusion to be reached on a true–false evaluation. Standard reference works are often used to check facts. Scient ...
''s Chris Kelly described its composition as "foreboding" and found a "seductive" and "haunting" hook; he further described the first part as "smoky ethereality". ''Mojo''s Priya Elan felt that some of the lines were a "
nihilistic Nihilism (; ) is a philosophy, or family of views within philosophy, that rejects generally accepted or fundamental aspects of human existence, such as objective truth, knowledge, morality, values, or meaning of life, meaning. The term was pop ...
streak". In a review for ''
The Quietus ''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics. Content ''The Quiet ...
'', Mof Gimmers described "Haunted" as a "perfect slice of vanguard-pop". Greg Kot of the ''Chicago Tribune'' described it as a "two-part dream". Robert Leedham of the website
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felt that the album's "confessional moments are when you connect with it the most", exemplifying the statement with lyrics from "Haunted". Andrew Hampp and Erika Ramirez of ''Billboard'' magazine felt that "Haunted" was one of the best songs on the album along with being " hemost insightful ne. They concluded that while the song was "one of the album's most staunchly non-commercial moments, but endlessly listenable just the same". Nick Catucci from ''
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'' chose "Haunted" as one of the best songs from the album, describing it as a "moody, genre-melding epic" and noting, " ttreat relationships with the same raw instinct that suffuses her sex songs".
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reviewer Andy Kellman also chose "Haunted" as one of the highlights on ''Beyoncé''. Una Mullally of ''The Irish Times'' deemed "Haunted" the best song on the album and an indicator of the prominent minimalism throughout the whole record. AbsolutePunk writer Ryan Dennehy remarked in his review that "ethereal echoes" of the singer's voice "elevate it above just a post- Weeknd, dark update to staid topics". Philip Matusavage of
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described the sound of "Ghost" as "sleek ambient"
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, adding that it sounded typical for the singer and served as a "Beyoncé manifesto". He concluded his review by stating that if the references to disagreements Beyoncé talked about in the song were real, "the result proves to be the most sonically adventurous album of Beyoncé's career." Julia Leconte writing for ''
Now Now most commonly refers to the present time. Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to: Organizations * Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization * National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization * Now ...
'' praised Beyoncé's vocals as "perfect". ''
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'' Ryan B. Patrick felt that the song's minimalistic sound allowed the singer to "ironically champion artistic integrity and proclaim her thoughts on the industry". Chris Bosman from the website
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who felt that the song was the record's "mood setter" and contained "ghostly vibes", wrote that it "dabbles in R&Burial, Evian Christ's drag-influenced codeine hip-hop, and
Nothing Was the Same ''Nothing Was the Same'' is the third studio album by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on September 24, 2013, through OVO Sound, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records. Work on the record began in 2012 and cont ...
's
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club rap". He felt that during the lines "Slap me, I'm pinned to the doorway / Kiss, bite, foreplay", Beyoncé "slides" the last word, making the song sound "even less radio friendly". Bosman further stated that "Haunted" along with "
Partition Partition may refer to: Computing Hardware * Disk partitioning, the division of a hard disk drive * Memory partition, a subdivision of a computer's memory, usually for use by a single job Software * Partition (database), the division of a ...
" and "
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", "are confident enough to take one, two, three left turns while maintaining thematic cohesion." ''
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'' journalist Michael Cragg compared the song with works by
Janelle Monáe Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Mon ...
and described its sound as "doom-laden". Ryan E.C. Hamm from '' Under the Radar'' magazine felt that "It's remarkable to hear a pop star at the height of her arena-tour powers taking chances like 'Haunted,' a dirge of a song that behaves more as spoken word until it's '
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
'-y breakdown". Having described the track as "eerie", Jason Newman from
Fuse Fuse or FUSE may refer to: Devices * Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current ** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles * Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...
added it was suitable for
softcore pornography Softcore pornography or softcore porn, is commercial still photography or film that has a pornographic or erotic component but is less sexually graphic and intrusive than hardcore pornography, defined by a lack of visual sexual penetration. Sof ...
with the singer being "in her best coo". He further described it as an erotic ballad and a "slow, creeping burn", noting that it sounded like
Trent Reznor Michael Trent Reznor (born May 17, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and composer. He serves as the lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and principal songwriter of the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, wh ...
remixing Madonna's "Justify My Love". Claire Lobenfeld from ''Complex'' magazine described it as Beyoncé's version of "Justify My Love". Joey Guerra from the ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' described the song as "ominous". Mike Wass from Idolator felt that the singer explored a new soundscape with "Haunted" with "minimal beats hover nglike fog". Wass also praised Boots' production and noted that the singer declared her artistic integrity with the lyrics. In a review of the song, Randall Roberts of the ''
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 Un ...
'' compared its break with Madonna's work during ''
Ray of Light ''Ray of Light'' is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released in early 1998 by Maverick Records. A stylistic and aesthetical departure from her previous work, ''Ray of Light'' is an electronica and techno-pop reco ...
'' with a
chopped and screwed Chopped and screwed (also called screwed and chopped or slowed and throwed) is a music genre and technique of remixing music that involves slowing down the tempo and deejaying. It developed in the Houston hip hop scene in the early 1990s by DJ ...
sound characteristic for Houston. Melissa Locker from ''Time'' magazine stated that the lyrics of the song were one of the "best humblebrags ever" while also noting that they hinted at the singer "dabbling in fiction". ''
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, Virgini ...
'' writer Elysa Gardner wrote that in "Haunted" along with another song on the album, "
Jealous Jealousy generally refers to the thoughts or feelings of insecurity, fear, and concern over a relative lack of possessions or safety. Jealousy can consist of one or more emotions such as anger, resentment, inadequacy, helplessness or disgust. ...
", the singer "embodies success and privilege on the surface, but there is a sense that her contentment is fragile". Korina Lopez of the same publication stated that she seemed "surprisingly in touch with the 9-to-5 grind, echoing her own career frustration".
MTV News MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
writer James Montgomery felt that Beyoncé showcased a "newfound sense of self" on the "cold, coital" song. Tim Finney of ''Complex'' magazine considered "Ghost" "a collision of opposites... less a song than a transfixing eye-hole glimpse into another, entirely separate world the singer could inhabit if she chose". Deeming the song a " eepy mood piece", Jody Rosen of
Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
noted a lack of a music hook. In the annual
Pazz and Jop Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abse ...
mass critics poll of the year's best in music in 2013, "Haunted" was ranked at number 228.


Music videos

Music videos for both "Ghost" and "Haunted" were released on December 13, 2013 through the
iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
on ''Beyoncé'' itself along with a clip for every other track on the album. Todd Tourso served as the creative director for both of the visuals as well as the rest of the album's videos. On November 24, 2014 the videos for "Ghost" and "Haunted" were uploaded to the singer's
Vevo Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...
account.


"Ghost"

The music video for "Ghost" was directed by Belgian
director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...
Pierre Debusschere. Beyoncé is seen wearing a swimsuit by
Seafolly Seafolly has stores located in Australia, United States and Singapore, and over 2700 stockists worldwide. Seafolly was founded in 1975 by Peter and Yvonne Halas. Their son Anthony Halas took over as CEO in 1998 and went on to expand the brand in ...
with a nude mesh midsection and her look is also complete with red lips. While creating the video for "
Pretty Hurts "Pretty Hurts" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her eponymous fifth studio album (2013). It impacted mainstream radio in the United States on June 10, 2014, as the third single from the album. The song was written by Sia, Am ...
", she sent a note to director
Melina Matsoukas Melina Matsoukas (born January 14, 1981) is an American music video, film, commercial and television director. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner and four-time MTV Video Music Awards winner for her "We Found Love" and "Formation" music video ...
requesting from her to include footage from her childhood as the clip was meant to connect to the next one on the album, "Ghost". The video openes with a close-up shot of Beyoncé's face lip-syncing the song's lyrics. Various shots of the singer with different outfits and placed at different sets are featured. Other scenes show dancers with their whole body covered in a white clothing. According to the architecture firm
Elenberg Fraser Elenberg Fraser is an Australian architecture firm, based in Melbourne with regional hubs in Brisbane and Ho Chi Minh City. It was established in 1998 by Zahava Elenberg and Callum Fraser, both RMIT University graduates. Notable projects include ...
, the skyscraper
Premier Tower Premier Tower is a mixed-use skyscraper on the corner of Bourke and Spencer Streets, in Melbourne, Australia. Designed by Elenberg Fraser, plans for a 294-metre (965 ft) tall building with 90-storeys were initially proposed in 2014; howe ...
under its construction on 134 Spencer Street in Melbourne, Australia was designed drawing inspiration by Beyoncé's look in the music video for "Ghost". Writing for
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, John Walker wrote that Beyoncé "serves multiple levels of
Martha Graham Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991) was an American modern dancer and choreographer. Her style, the Graham technique, reshaped American dance and is still taught worldwide. Graham danced and taught for over seventy years. She wa ...
realness" in the video for "Ghost". Lindsey Weber from the website Vulture compared the dancer seen in the video with a "bodysock" one from Yeezus. Neil McCormick of ''The Daily Telegraph'' felt that the singer looked "perfect" in a bikini in the song's music video. Insanul Ahmed of ''Complex'' praised her look as "sexy". A writer from ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' described the singer's look in the video as "minimalist". Brent DiCrescenzo of the magazine '' Time Out'' called the video a "
Cover Girl A cover girl is a woman whose photograph features on the front cover of a magazine. She may be a model, celebrity or entertainer. The term would generally not be used to describe a casual, once-off appearance by a person on the cover of a magaz ...
ad with full-body condoms". Whitney Phaneuf of the website
HitFix HitFix, or HitFix.com, was an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information, and reviews and critiques of film, music, and television. In mid-2010 HitFix crossed the 1,00 ...
compared it with
Comme des Garçons Comme des Garçons (also known as CDG) is a Japanese fashion label based in Paris that was created and led by Rei Kawakubo. Its French flagship store is located in Paris. This label owns a world-wide store chain featuring various lines of prod ...
and found a "deadpan expression of a model". Michelle Collins from '' Vanity Fair'' wrote in her review that the video was "jarring as it is soul-crushing".
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 ...
from Vulture felt that the clip "has its moments, mostly involving billowing fabric". Michael Zelenko from ''
The Fader ''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes. It is o ...
'' praised the director's work on the video and remarked it included "stark portraits of a blase Beyonce, slithering, perching and dancing against black and white backgrounds". While reviewing the album, Emily Mackay 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 ...
'' talked about the video for "Ghost",
"Some joyous shagging songs, though, are paltry excitement beside that of seeing an artist of such fame, long held as iconic without enough genuinely exciting music to back it up, reach her full throttle of awesomeness. The video for 'Ghost' sums it up best, Beyonce glaring and writhing defiantly as she speak-sings 'I'm climbing up the wall ’cause all the shit I hear is boring/All the shit I do is boring/All these record labels boring'. Let's hope Beyonce keeps finding new ways to amuse herself – there could be some very interesting times ahead."


Impact

The song inspired Australian company
Elenberg Fraser Elenberg Fraser is an Australian architecture firm, based in Melbourne with regional hubs in Brisbane and Ho Chi Minh City. It was established in 1998 by Zahava Elenberg and Callum Fraser, both RMIT University graduates. Notable projects include ...
to construct a two-hundred-and-twenty-six-metre-high skyscraper in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
that features a curvaceous form taken from the music video.


"Haunted"


Background

The music video for "Haunted" was directed by Swedish film and music video director
Jonas Åkerlund Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund (; born 10 November 1965) is a Swedish film director, screenwriter, music video director, and drummer. His video for Madonna's song "Ray of Light" won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form, and a record of fiv ...
and styled by Dagmarette Yen and B. Åkerlend. It was shot using four cameras and in a period of two days. On November 15, 2013,
Popjustice Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 by UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for ''NME'', ''The Guardian'', ''Attitude'' and many others. It is composed of the work of editor Robinson, features editor Michael Cra ...
reported that one of the actors who was featured in the video, J-Hustle, shared a picture on his Twitter account while being on a five-day set for the filming. He added that a song with "a slow vibe" was played in the background during the shooting and that its potential name was "Ghost Haunted". Beyoncé first discussed about the video with Åkerlend during a concert she had in Stockholm in 2013. Having invited him for the performance, the singer played several songs for the director afterwards and the pair went on to exchange several ideas about its concept. During an interview with ''
Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
'', Åkerlund talked about the process:
"It was not like a solid plan of 'This is what I think we should do.' It was a pretty long process. And she was traveling and touring, so we had time to bounce ideas back and forth, figure out what the best vision was. And meanwhile, she was shooting all these other videos and I wasn't really involved in what those other ideas were."
He noted that several ideas of the video which were initially conceived were similar with "other videos that people were working on" and also explained that the video contained many sexually explicit scenes and ideas when initially shot. However, he felt that the team managed to balance between the singer's look, her performance and a strong idea along with several other things. Åkerlund further noted that its concept remained largely unchanged as none of the big ideas were excluded. Beyoncé conceived some of the initial ideas behind the looks and the scenarios for many of the rooms which were eventually shot. Her look remained largely the same as the director pictured it before the filming of the video had started. On December 2, 2014, a behind-the-scenes video consisting of footage from the making of the video for "Haunted" and "Superpower" with commentary by Jonas Åkerlund was released online. In the clip, he explained how both videos were slightly different compared to the singer's previous work as they contained less choreography. He went on saying the video for "Haunted" had a "cinematic" and "surreal" tone inspired by its music, further comparing it with a score for a movie. He concluded that the team had "all the elements to create something special"


Synopsis

The video opens with a three-second film
countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...
and proceeds with shots of several empty rooms and televisions in a big
mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...
. Most of the scenes were shot at the Villa de Leon. Beyoncé is seen driving a car and eventually arriving at the mansion while a song is played in the background. She enters inside the building with two luggages embellished with the letter "B" and throws her coat on the ground while a servant is seen lighting a cigarette she had previously taken from her hair. He hands her a key and the singer is seen climbing up the stairs. As she arrives in the hallway on the second floor, the song starts playing in the background and Beyoncé starts a journey, looking from room to room as she goes forward in the corridor. In the various rooms, she meets men wearing vest tops with their faces painted white with black eyes staring at her as she passes down the corridor. Later she meets other people in leather and masks, before being surrounded by a troop of lace-clad dancers. One shot shows a man in colourful clothes and leopard print Speedos surrounded by bubbles in a bathtub. Another room contains a family of four
mannequin A mannequin (also called a dummy, lay figure, or dress form) is a doll, often articulated, used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, window dressers and others, especially to display or fit clothing and show off different fabrics and textiles. Pr ...
s in a 1960s-styled kitchen, preparing for a plastic-looking meal. A bare African-American is seen dancing and painting herself with a large brush while being almost naked. She is also seen with her legs spread around a TV screen and Beyoncé is seen on it, singing the song. During one scene, Beyoncé performs a dance choreography on a couch along with several other female dancers. Throughout the video, she is seen wearing a tuxedo with a tie, a white fur jacket and platform heels designed by Saint Laurent. The black-and-white jumpsuit she wears is designed by Russian designer
Ulyana Sergeenko Ulyana Viktorovna Sergeenko (russian: Ульяна Викторовна Сергеенко; born 30 August 1979) is a Kazakh and Russian fashion designer. Early life Sergeenko was born into a family of linguists in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, ...
. Her look is further complete with dark make-up around the eyes and red lipstick while her hair is marcelled and blonde.


Reception

Anupa Mistry from ''Spin'' wrote that the location where the video was filmed was filled with "freaks and weirdos" to channel Madonna during the 1990s in a better way. Lauren Cochrane of ''The Guardian'' wrote in her review of the video that it was a "homage" to Madonna with the suit and
marcel wave Marcelling is a hair styling technique in which hot curling tongs are used to induce a curl into the hair. Its appearance was similar to that of a finger wave but it is created using a different method. Marcelled hair was a popular style for w ...
Beyoncé had. She added that anyone who watched the video for "Justify My Love", "knows that a hotel corridor is an excellent place to film a video" and went on to praise Beyoncé's looks and outfits. Kitty Empire of ''The Observer'' stated, "Less originally, the high-concept Haunted video finds Beyoncé in a posh hotel populated by sexually motivated freaks, with many shades of Madonna invoked." Bronwyn Barnes of ''Entertainment Weekly'' found similarities with the singer's look and Madonna's. Whitney Phaneuf writing for the website HitFix felt that the video was a fit for the song's
industrial Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...
sound and described the singer's look as "goth-glam". She concluded the scenes are quickly cut throughout the video, "never culminating in a linear narrative and forcing the viewer to fill in the blanks". Sharing what he perceived to be "key" moments in each of the seventeen music videos, Walker of MTV identified one for "Haunted" where Beyoncé "begins to crack under the pressures of her iconic status". Jon Dolan of ''Rolling Stone'' described the video for the song as the " eppiest" on the album. A writer from ''The New York Times'' focused on the singer's look in the video, saying that she portrayed a
fashionista Fashionista or fashionistas may also refer to: *Fashionista, an avid leader and follower of fashion *Fashionista (website), a website about fashion Entertainment * ''Fashionista'' (TV series), an Australian TV series * "Fashionista", a song by N ...
. Randal Roberts of ''Los Angeles Times'' also provided a positive review for her "stunning" look while smoking a cigarette. Brent DiCrescenzo of ''Time Out'' described the video as "
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
meets Robert Palmer". Michelle Collins of ''Vanity Fair'' noted the scary atmosphere of the video and described the singer's look as "straight-up 1920s glamour" with a hair styled similar to
Josephine Baker Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...
. Collins went on to compare it with the opening credits of ''American Horror Story'' and found " ghtmarish images strung together in one very long, very creepy sequence of Beyoncé looking for her hotel room". Andrew Hampp and Erika Ramirez from ''Billboard'' magazine compared the video with Madonna's work and ''
American Horror Story ''American Horror Story'' is an American anthology horror television series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the cable network FX. The first installment in the '' American Story'' media franchise, each season is conceived as a ...
'', concluding " e spine-tinglingly glam... video for this track is worth Beyoncé's case for making this a simultaneous visual-and-audio experience alone". Describing the video as "scary", Lindsay Weber from Vulture further called it the singer's best impression of ''American Horror Story''. Jason Newman from the website Fuse described the video as "equally frightening s the song part Korean horror film, part Lynchian psychosexual fantasy." ''The Fader'' editor Michael Zelenko noted the clip presented a classic story where an "innocent guest scaught in ghost-infested hotel". Insanul Ahmed of ''Complex'' described the visual as "creepy".
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 ...
journalist Michael Rothman compared the video's opening with horror movies and '' The Ring'' in particular and went on to praise it overally as Beyoncé's "best yet". Trent Wolbe of ''The Verge'' criticized Åkerlund's work on the album, feeling that his contributions "feel like boring opulence porn", something he found on "Haunted".


Live performances

"Haunted" was performed as the opening song for Beyoncé's first concert of the last European leg of
The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer Beyoncé. Announced in February 2013 with initial dates in Europe and North America, the tour contained seven legs and 132 shows. It began in Belgrade, Serbia on April ...
in Glasgow on February 20, 2014. The performance of the song featured backing dancers and strobing lights with the singer's look being completed by a glittery gown.
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
's Robert Copsey felt that "Haunted" worked as a "brilliantly spooky opener". David Pollock from ''
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 publis ...
'' found a "thundering bass containing a heavy dubstep influence" during the performance of the song. Mark Savage from
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...
felt that the concert included various "unparalleled" vocal styles and ranges, including the "hushed and sultry" "Haunted". A professionally recorded live performance of the song from the tour aired on June 30, 2014, as the first episode of ''Beyonce: X10'', an
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
series documenting renditions of the song performed during The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. Anna Silman from Vulture discussed the performance saying that it was full of "kaleidoscopic visuals and headache-inducing strobe lights and fog to make you grateful you weren't there for the live performance (almost)". The song was later also added to the set list of Beyoncé's co-headlining tour with
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, the On the Run Tour. During the performance, her look was complete with a drop-sleeve piece with black lace. While reviewing a concert of the show, Erica K. Landau of ''USA Today'' compared Beyoncé's look to
Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasi ...
. She went on to deem the song a highlight of the performance praising her "creamy" vocals in contrast with the other songs on the set list. Similarly, Dan DeLuca writing for
Philadelphia Media Network The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC (formerly Philadelphia Media Network (PMN)) is an American media company. It owns ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' and '' Philadelphia Daily News''. The company is owned by The Philadelphia Foundation, a nonprofit orga ...
considered the song to be a showcase of her vocals. Leila Cobo of the magazine ''Billboard'' considered the song to be a highlight of the show, showcasing the singer's "vocal prowess" and "her ability to connect as a singer and not just as a striking personality". While reviewing another concert, Mike Wass of Idolator considered the performance a religious experience. In another concert review, Mikael Wood of the ''Los Angeles Times'' noted that the attention among the people in the crowd "drift dnoticeably during 'Haunted'" resulting in a mild reception of the song's performance. At the
2014 MTV Video Music Awards The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 24, 2014 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. It was the 31st annual MTV Video Music Awards. Beyoncé and Iggy Azalea led the nominees with eight nominations each, while Eminem followed them ...
, Beyoncé performed "Haunted" along with a medley of songs from her fifth studio album. It served as the second song of the set and it featured the singer dressed in a jewelled bodysuit created by
Tom Ford Thomas Carlyle Ford (born August 27, 1961) is an American fashion designer and filmmaker. He launched his eponymous luxury brand in 2005, having previously served as the creative director at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. Ford wrote and directe ...
. After concluding with "
Mine Mine, mines, miners or mining may refer to: Extraction or digging * Miner, a person engaged in mining or digging *Mining, extraction of mineral resources from the ground through a mine Grammar *Mine, a first-person English possessive pronoun ...
" she announced "MTV, welcome to my world" and performed "Haunted" surrounded by smoke on stage. As she sang the song, Beyoncé was surrounded by dancers wearing bustiers, sleeves and face cages by fashion label
Chromat Chromat is an American fashion label based in New York City. The label was formed by Becca McCharen-Tran in 2010. Drawing from Becca McCharen-Tran's background in architecture and urban design, Chromat focuses on empowering garments for all bod ...
. Nadeska Alexis of MTV News stated that the performance of the song was among the "most soul-baring of the night".


Usage in media

In March 2014, "Haunted" was used during the screening of the film ''
Fifty Shades of Grey ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James. It became the first instalment in the ''Fifty Shades'' novel series that follows the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, ...
'' at
CinemaCon The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is an American trade organization whose members are the owners of movie theaters. Most of the worldwide List of movie theater chains, major theater chains' operators are members, as are hundreds ...
. On November 13, 2014, the song was used in the film's second trailer. In October 2015, Australian musician
Flume A flume is a human-made channel for water, in the form of an open declined gravity chute whose walls are raised above the surrounding terrain, in contrast to a trench or ditch. Flumes are not to be confused with aqueducts, which are built to tr ...
appeared on the BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix show and released a remix of "Haunted". According to the architecture firm
Elenberg Fraser Elenberg Fraser is an Australian architecture firm, based in Melbourne with regional hubs in Brisbane and Ho Chi Minh City. It was established in 1998 by Zahava Elenberg and Callum Fraser, both RMIT University graduates. Notable projects include ...
, the skyscraper
Premier Tower Premier Tower is a mixed-use skyscraper on the corner of Bourke and Spencer Streets, in Melbourne, Australia. Designed by Elenberg Fraser, plans for a 294-metre (965 ft) tall building with 90-storeys were initially proposed in 2014; howe ...
under its construction on 134 Spencer Street in Melbourne, Australia was designed drawing inspiration by Beyoncé's look in the music video for "Ghost".


Credits and personnel

Credits adopted from the album's liner notes and the singer's official website. Song credits *Writing —
Boots A boot is a type of footwear. Boot or Boots may also refer to: Businesses * Boot Inn, Chester, Cheshire, England * Boots (company), a high-street pharmacy chain and manufacturer of pharmaceuticals in the United Kingdom * The Boot, Cromer Stre ...
, Beyoncé Knowles *Production — Boots, Knowles *Vocal production — Knowles *Recording — Boots and Stuart White;
Jungle City Studios Jungle City Studios is a recording studio owned and operated by Ann Mincieli, Alicia Keys's longtime engineer and studio coordinator. Located in Chelsea, Manhattan, it was designed by John Storyk of Walters-Storyk Design Group. Recordings at Ju ...
,
Oven Studios Oven Studios is the personal recording studio of American singer-songwriter and record producer Alicia Keys, located in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, New York. Background Designed by the Walters-Storyk Design Group, the studio was ori ...
, New York City *Second
engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, 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 rang ...
 — Ramon Rivas *Instrumentation — Boots *Additional drum programming —
Hit-Boy Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he had signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. ...
*
Background vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used ...
 — Boots *Additional background vocals — Kwane Wyatt *
Audio mixing Audio mixing is the process by which multiple sounds are combined into one or more channels. In the process, a source's volume level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated or enhanced. This practical, aesthetic, ...
 — Tony Maserati, Stuart White; Mirrorball Studios, North Hollywood, California * Mix engineering — James Krausse, Justin Hergett *Mix consulting — Derek Dixie * Mastering —
Tom Coyne Tom Coyne may refer to: * Tom Coyne (writer), American writer and professor * Tom Coyne (broadcaster) (1930–2015), British television presenter * Tom Coyne (music engineer) (1954–2017), American mastering engineer * Thomas Coyne (cricketer) ( ...
, Aya Merril;
Sterling Sound George Marino (April 15, 1947 – June 4, 2012) was an American mastering engineer known for working on albums by rock bands starting in the late 1960s. Biography Marino was born on April 15, 1947, in the New York City borough The Bronx. He at ...
, New York City ;"Ghost" video credits *
Director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...
 — Pierre Debusschere *Creative director — Todd Tourso *
Director of photography The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...
 — Stefan Duscio *Executive producer — Erinn Williams, Ziggy Le Vin *Producer — Keeley Could *Production company — Art + Commerce,
Parkwood Entertainment Parkwood Entertainment, LLC is an American management, production, entertainment company and record label founded by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter in 2010. The company began as a production unit for films and videos in 2008. It has offices located in N ...
*Choreography — Anthony Burrell *
Stylist Stylist can refer to: Occupations * Automotive stylist or car stylist, a person involved in designing the appearance and ergonomics of automobiles * Food stylist, a person who makes food look attractive in photographs * Hair stylist, a person w ...
 — Karen Langley *Additional styling — Ty Hunter, Raquel Smith, Tim White *Dance — Shivawn Joubert *Editor — Alexander Hammer *
Brand manager A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
 — Melissa Vargas *Hair — Neal Farinah *Make-up — Sir John *
Color correction Color correction is a process used in stage lighting, photography, television, cinematography, and other disciplines, which uses color gels, or filters, to alter the overall color of the light. Typically the light color is measured on a scale kno ...
 — Rob Sciarratta *
Visual effects Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated VFX) is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live-action shot in filmmaking and video production. The integration of live-action footage and other live-action foota ...
 — Kroma *Photography — Robin Harper ;"Haunted" video credits *Director —
Jonas Åkerlund Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund (; born 10 November 1965) is a Swedish film director, screenwriter, music video director, and drummer. His video for Madonna's song "Ray of Light" won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form, and a record of fiv ...
*Director of photography — Pär Ekberg *Director of photography (second unit) — Todd Heater *Executive producer — Scott Horan *Producer — Scott Pourroy *Production company — Black Dog Films / Acme – Smith *Choreography — Dana Foglia, Frank Gatson *Dancers — HAannah Douglass,
Ashley Everett Ashley Chrisha Marie Everett (born April 19, 1989) is an American dancer and actress. She is best known as lead backup dancer and dance captain for Beyoncé, and has worked with such artists as Usher, Jennifer Lopez, Ne-Yo, Tina Turner, Ciara, S ...
, Kim Gingras, Mishay Petronelli *Stylist — B. Åkerlund *Additional styling — Ty Hunter, Raquel Smith, Tim White *Other performers — Jasmond Carrol, Viet Dang, Dahlia Dark, Elle Evans,
Kim Fowley Kim Vincent Fowley (July 21, 1939 – January 15, 2015) was the American record producer, songwriter and musician who was behind a string of novelty and cult pop rock singles in the 1960s, and managed The Runaways in the 1970s. He has been ...
, Megalo Jaxson, Josh Kanan, Amy Kingston, Ellen Leigh, Morgan Leigh,
Maye Musk Maye Musk (''née'' Haldeman; born April 19, 1948) is a model and dietitian. She has been a model for 50 years, appearing on the covers of magazines, including a ''Time'' magazine health edition, ''Women's Day'', international editions of ''V ...
, Reese Nance-Gasnter, Louis Oberlander, Holly Redden, Jodie Smith, Dylan Stephens, Guetcha Tondreau, Edward Vigiletti *Art director — Christina Zollenkopf *Production designer — Emma Fairley *Editor — Luis Moreno, Jeremiah Shuff *Brand manager — Melissa Vargas *Assistant editor — Joe Sinopoli *Hair — Kim Kimble *Make-up — Francesca Tolot *Nails — Tom Bachik *Color correction — Luis Moreno *Visual effects — Kroma *Photography — Nick Farrell


Charts

The song debuted at number 99 on the
French Singles Chart French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with France ...
on November 22, 2014. The following week, which also marked its last week on the chart, it fell to the position of 171.


Certifications


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haunted (Beyonce song) 2013 songs American hip hop songs Beyoncé songs Music videos directed by Jonas Åkerlund Song recordings produced by Beyoncé Songs written by Beyoncé Songs written by Boots (musician)