"Ave Maria" is a song by American singer Beyoncé from her third studio album I Am… Sasha Fierce (2008). The song was written by Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench, Makeba Riddick, Beyoncé, and the production duo Stargate. According to Ghost, "Ave Maria" was inspired by Beyoncé's marriage and her own marriage. The song is a reworking of Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria." It includes piano and string music. Throughout the pop-R&B ballad, Beyoncé sings in a lower voice and uses an operatic soprano style. The lyrics describe feeling alone even when surrounded by friends.

Critics had mixed opinions about the song. Some praised its ballad style and Beyoncé's singing, while others said it was a typical version of the original. After the release of I Am… Sasha Fierce, "Ave Maria" debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 150 on November 29, 2008, based on download sales. The song was performed during Beyoncé's I Am… World Tour (2009–2010), where she wore a wedding dress and veil. It was later included on her live album I Am… World Tour (2010). Beyoncé also performed the song as a tribute to Michael Jackson during the 2009 BET Awards.

Writing and inspiration

Mikkel Storleer Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen, who perform together as Stargate, wrote and produced the song with Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench, Makeba Riddick, and Beyoncé, who also helped produce it. The song was created in Bangladesh, as well as at Patchwerk and Silent Sound Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2008. Beyoncé worked with Amanda Ghost to rewrite Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria” after they co-wrote the song “Disappear” in London. Beyoncé said “Ave Maria” was one of the most personal songs on the album. Amanda Ghost told The Daily Telegraph that Beyoncé’s references to rapper Jay-Z are often unclear and open to interpretation, but her music, including “Ave Maria,” allows her to express herself clearly. Beyoncé and Ghost both appreciated Schubert’s original song and used it during their weddings. Their marriages inspired them to create their own version of the recording. Beyoncé explained the song’s meaning:

“Ave Maria” appears on the I Am… disc of the double album I Am… Sasha Fierce because it is a pop-R&B ballad that shows Beyoncé’s feelings about love and the person she is “underneath all the makeup, underneath the lights, and underneath all the exciting star drama.” Beyoncé has said she enjoys singing ballads because “the music and the emotion in the story are told so much better. It’s a better connection because you can hear it and it’s not all these other distractions. I really wanted people to hear my voice and hear what I had to say.” During an interview, Beyoncé said “Ave Maria” was the most personal song on the entire album.

Composition

"Ave Maria" is a song that lasts 3 minutes and 42 seconds. The Village Voice's Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond said the song "has elements of opera." According to sheet music published by EMI Music Publishing, the song is written in the key of C Major. It has a slow tempo of 75 beats per minute and is set in common time. The song uses parts of Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria," but Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly noted that it "takes inspiration from the classic song, but is not a direct copy." The main instruments in the song include a piano and string instruments. Throughout the song, Beyoncé sings in a lower voice range with an operatic soprano style, which gives her more vocal strength, as stated by Jennifer Vineyard of MTV News. Her voice reaches from the note B3 to E5. The lyrics describe feeling alone even when surrounded by friends, as shown in the lines, "How can the silence seem so loud?" and "There's only us when the lights go down." This idea was also mentioned by Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle, who wrote that the song "tells a story about a woman in need."

Critical reception

Contemporary music critics had different opinions about Beyoncé's version of "Ave Maria." Some praised her emotional singing, while others said her version was similar to the original. Joey Guerra from the Houston Chronicle praised Beyoncé's heartfelt and soft singing style on "Ave Maria." He also said it was a creative version of the classic song that worked well. Eric R. Danton from the Hartford Courant praised Beyoncé's rework of the song, calling her lyrics an "elegant take on the timeless melody." Ryan Dombal from Pitchfork said Beyoncé's singing was "vocally impeccable," but he thought the song felt more like a performance piece than a personal expression. Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly mentioned that "Ave Maria" was one of the "lovely ballads" on the I Am album. Matos Michaelangelo from The A.V. Club said Beyoncé has a talent for grand musical moments, and the melodies of "Halo" and "Ave Maria" gave her room to shine. Greg Kot from the Chicago Tribune said "Ave Maria" offered a "rare moment of comfort" and described it as delicate. Jim Farber from the New York Daily News praised the song's "operatic flourishes" and called it "heavenly." Elysa Gardner from USA Today recommended "Ave Maria" as one of the best songs to download from the album. A critic from People magazine noted that "Ave Maria" showed Beyoncé's range, similar to another song on the album.

Spence D. from IGN Music said "Ave Maria" showed Beyoncé in "crystal clear form" because the soft music highlighted her strong voice. Darryl Sterdan from Jam! said Beyoncé used the classic song as inspiration for a sweeping performance, similar to a quote by John Lennon. Talia Kraines from BBC Online called the song "very strange, but wonderful." Robert Christgau from his consumer guide said he disliked the song, calling it lacking compared to other versions. Bernard Zuel from The Sydney Morning Herald said the song was "pompous and frankly embarrassing." Colin McGuire from PopMatters said the song was "pretty normal" and that it had been done too many times before. Alexis Petridis from The Guardian called the song "dreary." James Reed from The Boston Globe said the song was a good idea but ruined by a weak musical arrangement. Adam Mazmanian from The Washington Times gave a negative review, saying the high notes in "Ave Maria" should have been kept private. In 2013, John Boone and Jennifer Cady from E! Online ranked "Ave Maria" as the tenth best Beyoncé song, saying it made listeners emotional.

Live performances

During Beyoncé's I Am… World Tour from 2009 to 2010, she performed "Ave Maria" while wearing a wedding dress. She combined the song with Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" from 1998. The wedding dress Beyoncé wore was originally designed as a black dress by Thierry Mugler. Her mother and designer, Tina Knowles, modified the dress so Beyoncé could dance in it. During a performance in Sunrise, Florida on June 29, 2009, animated images of turntables, faders, and club equipment appeared behind Beyoncé and her musicians. Beyoncé was accompanied by two drummers, two keyboardists, a percussionist, a horn section, three backup vocalists called the Mamas, and a lead guitarist named Bibi McGill. A writer from News & Record noted that the most unusual moment of the concert was Beyoncé's sincere performance of "Ave Maria" while wearing a wedding dress and veil.

After performing "Ave Maria" at The O2 Arena in London, a writer from the Irish Independent wrote that an Irish audience might feel a sense of sadness when hearing the song. Alice Jones of The Independent called the performance an unusual part of the tour. A writer from People magazine compared Beyoncé's appearance during the performance with Madonna's look. Ann Powers of Los Angeles Times compared the performance with Madonna's 1984 MTV Video Music Awards performance and noted that both "Ave Maria" and Beyoncé's 1989 song "Like a Prayer" used religious imagery to express romantic feelings. A writer from The Evening Chronicle praised Beyoncé's vocal performance of the song, calling it "incredible." MTV News' Jayson Rodriguez said Beyoncé showed a softer side during the ballad. Jim Farber of the Daily News praised the performance, stating that Beyoncé sang with new delicacy and smoothly transitioned into an operatic ending. Barbara Ellen of The Observer criticized the performance, comparing it to "Challenge Anneka" and "bridezilla" and calling it "nonsense."

Beyoncé performed "Ave Maria" at the Burswood Entertainment Complex in Perth, Western Australia, on September 25, 2009. Jay Hanna of The Sunday Times called the performance "stunning." Jay Lustig of New Jersey On-Line described the same performance as "operatic." Holly Byrnes of The Daily Telegraph wrote that Beyoncé's performance of the ballad during another stop in Australia was so powerful it could have "raised the sails of the Sydney Opera House." Patrick Emery of The Australian described another performance in Australia as "soaring." A live version of "Ave Maria" is included on Beyoncé's 2010 live album, I Am… World Tour. Andy Gill of The Independent criticized the performance on the DVD, saying Beyoncé's emotional delivery made the song hard to understand.

On December 3, 2008, Beyoncé performed "Ave Maria" at the Rockefeller Center in New York, and the performance was broadcast on NBC. A writer from People magazine called the performance "rousing." Beyoncé sang the song as a tribute to Michael Jackson at the 2008 Essence Music Festival. She later performed the song during the 2009 BET Awards, combining it with Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" in honor of Michael Jackson after his death. Beyoncé wore a white Balmain mini dress and performed a "moving version" of "Ave Maria." A writer from The Daily Telegraph said the performance was both "sexy and angelic." A writer from The Hindu noted that the performance was "simultaneously sexy and angelic."

Cover versions

On May 12, 2012, Molly Rainford, a contestant on the sixth season of Britain's Got Talent, performed "Ave Maria" during the show's final. Daniel Sperling of Digital Spy said Rainford performed a modified version of the song. He called her performance "incredible." A writer for BBC Online described her singing as "moving."

On May 28, 2012, Fatai Veamatahau sang "Ave Maria" on The Voice (Australia). Simon Holt of The Sydney Morning Herald said her voice "brought tears to many eyes," including coach and mentor Seal's. Coach Joel Madden said: "I have to be respectful. That was a very spiritual performance. I'm not sure what it was like for people at home, but that felt electric in here." A reviewer for Take 40 Australia called Veamatahau's version "rousing." Her performance reached number 25 on the Australian Singles Chart during the week of June 10, 2012.

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the liner notes of I Am… Sasha Fierce.

• Beyoncé Knowles – songwriter and vocals
• Amanda Ghost – songwriter
• Ian Dench – songwriter and guitar
• Makeba Riddick – songwriter
• Mikkel S.Eriksen – songwriter, producer, recorder, and other musical parts
• Tor Erik Hermansen – songwriter, production, and other musical parts
• Mark "Spike" Stent – audio mixing
• Matt Green – assistant for audio mixing
• Recorded at Roc the Mic Studios, New York City, New York
• Mixed at Record Plant, Los Angeles, California

Charts

After the album was released online, the song "Ave Maria" first appeared on the UK Singles Chart at position 150 on November 29, 2008. In 2010, it was listed on the Portuguese Ringtone Chart at number 16.