Ghost (song)

"Ghost" is a song by British singer and songwriter, Ella Henderson. It was released on 6 June 2014, through Syco Music as the debut single from her debut studio album, Chapter One. The song was co-written by Henderson and Kenan Williams, and its producers, Ryan Tedder and Noel Zancanella. The music video was released on Vevo on 22 April 2014.

The song entered at number one on the UK Singles Chart, as well as in the Republic of Ireland. It has also peaked within the top ten of the charts in Australia, Belgium, Germany, Hungary and New Zealand. Since its release, it has sold over 1.2 million copies in the UK and in excess of 1 million in the US. It was the sixth best-selling single of 2014 in the UK. "Ghost" was included on Digital Spy 's "Single of the Year", raking at number one. It was nominated for the Brit Awards 2015 in the category of Best British Single, and Song of the Year in the BBC Music Awards.

Writing and recording
After Henderson finished in sixth place on ninth series The X Factor, she had signed to Simon Cowell's record label Syco Music on 22 January 2013. She has been being let to be involved creatively from the label. Meanwhile, Henderson worked with the label and almost finished up the album. She got an email from OneRepublic frontman, Ryan Tedder that he had contacted with the label to work with her. They met at a studio in London to just have dinner, but they ended up writing the chorus with a piano. In that time she instantly felt that the song was going to be her first single. She gave an interview to Digital Spy about adjusting to Tedder's way of working ,

We didn't even sit down and write, it was just going in there, standing at the mic and ad-libbing. That's how the "Give up the ghost" tagline came about. I was just like, 'Give up the ghost, let's try and get rid of this haunting feeling'. It was all just so free and I think that was one of my favorite ways to work. We only did three takes and we did it the whole way through. There was no chopping and editing. It was all very live.

On 12 January 2014, Henderson's 18th birthday, She recorded at Tedder's recording studio in Denver by Smith Carlson. In addition, "Ghost" also was co-written by Kenan Williams and record producer Noel Zancanella, and produced by Tedder and Zancanella.

Release
On 9 March 2014, Henderson tweeted on Twitter about her first new single.

RT: U guessed it guys!! I'm currently out here in NEW ORLEANS where we are shooting the video for my first single called...

— Ella Henderson (@EllaHenderson)

Later, she announced that "Ghost" would be her debut single and posted a photo in the music video set.

My first single is called ... GHOST !!

— Ella Henderson (@EllaHenderson)

It was released first on 6 June 2014 in Austria, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland and in the UK on 8 June 2014 in Digital download through Syco Music. The song received its debut radio airplay on Capital FM on 10 May 2014.

Critical reception
Digital Spy — Lewis Corner gave the song a positive review, "Ghost" is dark, brooding, and full of pain, but it would make a worthy and unforgettable debut that let alone someone who was shocking eliminated. He stated, "I keep going to the river to pray / 'Cause I need something that can wash out the pain", are the lines that the music has stomping Americana-folk beats and taut guitar twangs, between the style of Adele and Leona Lewis.

Music video
The music video was filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana on 10 March 2014 and directed by Charles Mehling. It was released on Vevo on 22 April 2014 and 23 April on YouTube.

Other version
Another video was released for the Switch remix of the song on 10 April 2014 on YouTube, and via Instagram, Vine, and Snapchat. This video, directed by Jem Talbot, features a young woman (played by Samara Zwain) exploring an empty house and reminiscing on a relationship. Talbot said about the concept that he wanted to make something on memory and pitfalls.

Chords
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