The Light Is Coming

The Light Is ComingSong by Ariana Grande
General information
Main artist	Ariana Grande
Featured artist	Nicki Minaj
Release date	June 20, 2018
Recorded	February 2017
Studio	Glenwood Place Studios (Burbank, California) Jungle City Studios and Germano Studios (New York City) Chalice Recording Studios and Conway Recording Studios (Hollywood, California) The Lunchtable (Los Angeles, California)
Length	3:48
Album	Sweetener
Label	Republic Records
Songwriter(s)	Pharrell Williams, Onika Maraj, Ariana Grande
Producer(s)	Pharrell Williams
Credits	the light is coming credits
Sweetener track list
"Blazed"
"The Light Is Coming"
"R.E.M"
Music video

"The Light Is Coming" (stylized in all lowercase) is the third track from Ariana Grande's fourth studio album, Sweetener. It features rapper Nicki Minaj. The song was released as the album's first promotional single through Republic Records on June 20, 2018.

It was placed at #3 on Slant magazine's list "The 25 Best Singles of 2018".

Background

Grande confirmed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 1, 2018.

On May 7, 2018, Grande confirmed via Twitter that "The Light Is Coming" will be the next song released from the album and one week later she teased some of the lyrics on Twitter. On May 20, 2018, Grande opened the 2018 Billboard Music Awards with "No Tears Left To Cry". At the end of her performance, the title "The Light Is Coming" was displayed. On May 27, 2018, Grande shared a snippet of the song on her Instagram and Twitter accounts, which revealed that it features rapper Nicki Minaj. On May 29, 2018, Grande posted a clip of her rehearsing the song.

On June 2, 2018, Grande performed part of the song at Wango Tango.

Music video

The official music video was filmed on May 25, 2018.

On June 4, 2018, Grande confirmed on Twitter that the music video for the track has already been shot. A 5-second-snippet was posted by Grande on her social media accounts on June 19, 2018.

It was premiered exclusively on Reebok's website on June 20, 2018. The music video was directed by Dave Meyers who worked with Grande on her music video for "No Tears Left To Cry".

Live performances

Grande debuted the song on June 2, 2018, at Wango Tango as a snippet. It is a regular part of the setlist of Grande's Sweetener World Tour, which began on March 18, 2019.

Trivia

• The song is Grande's fifth collaboration with Minaj, after "Bang Bang" (My Everything, 2014), "Get On Your Knees" (The Pinkprint, 2014), "Side To Side" (Dangerous Woman, 2016) and "Bed" (Queen, 2018).
• In her interview with The FADER, Grande revealed that she auditioned eight different rappers for the song before turning to Minaj.
• In an interview with British Vogue, it was revealed that English rapper Skepta was going to be featured on Grande's album Sweetener. It is believed that Skepta was originally one of the choices for "The Light Is Coming".
• "You wouldn't let anybody speak for this and instead" is a sample from a CNN clip of a man shouting at a senator from a Town Hall in 2009. On June 25, 2018, Grande said that the reason of putting that line is "about people and their loud ass opinions making them deaf to others, and the light."

Gallery

Photo shoot

Lyrics

[Intro]
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—

[Verse 1: Nicki Minaj]
Ay yo, trophy wife, out you won me
Until you had to find out it's one me
Now you benched, aww, your bum knee
Now I'm the bad guy, call me Chun-Li (ooh)
'Cause you was slippin', yep, you clumsy
And everything I peeped, can't just unsee
Sips tea, and it's unsweet
Respect bad gyal when mi done speak (now, now)
Now he shooting his shot like drive-by
Why you had to make me go call up my side guy?
Ca-ca-can't let a f-boy eff up my nice vibes
Yo Ariana, come let me give you a high five!

[Chorus: Ariana Grande]
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—

Verse 2: Ariana Grande]
"What did she say?", "What did he say?"
You don't listen 'cause you know everything
You don't even need dreams
Tellin' everybody, "Stay woke, don't sleep"

[Refrain: Ariana Grande]
Ah, gonna break that shit down
You don't wait, tell 'em wait another round
Ah, guess you're way above it now
And that's your way to love it now

[Pre-Chorus: Ariana Grande]
How can they tell you shit that you've been through?
They are so confused, who cares about their rationale?
If it ain't your view
That's the bottom line
Know-it-all (know-it-all)
Give you a box of chances, every time you blow it all (blow it all)
As if it were shade, you would just throw it all (throw it all)
It's like you're trying not to glow at all (glow at all)
Know-it-all (know-it-all)

[Chorus: Ariana Grande]
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole, stole, st-st-stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole, stole, stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole, stole, st-st-stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole, stole, stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—

[Verse 3: Ariana Grande]
Why do we have chemistry?
With a need for speed
Doin' things that trouble clings to
And burns off our wings

[Refrain: Ariana Grande]
Ah, gonna break that shit down
You don't wait, tell 'em wait another round
Ah, guess you're way above it now
And that's your way to love it now

[Pre-Chorus: Ariana Grande]
How can they tell you shit that you've been through?
They are so confused, who cares about their rationale?
If it ain't your view
That's the bottom line
Know-it-all (know-it-all)
Give you a box of chances, every time you blow it all (blow it all)
As if it were shade, you would just throw it all (throw it all)
It's like you're trying not to glow at all (glow at all)
Know-it-all (know-it-all)

[Chorus: Ariana Grande]
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole, stole, st-st-stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole, stole, stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole, stole, st-st-stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead—
The light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole
You wouldn't let anybody speak and inst—