Eight years after her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, and four years after her True EP, Solange finally returned with her latest album A Seat at the Table. The album landed itself on many year-end lists and sky-rocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard charts, especially thanks to her hit single "Cranes in the Sky."
For the past few months, "Cranes in the Sky" has received rave reviews from far and wide, a few remixes, and was paired with a stunning music video. Fans have not been able to stop talking about the single since its release. The lyrics clearly imply that the song was inspired by her ability to overcome tough situations in her life.
In an interview with host Hrishikesh Hirway for Song Exploder, Solange gives a full break down of how "Cranes in the Sky" came together. She explained that the creation began in 2008 while she was working on her second album. Solange reached out to Raphael Saadiq with the intentions of working together on Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, but it didn't ending up working out for that album. Years later she listened to a CD of beats Saadiq had previously given her and found the foundation for what would be "Cranes in the Sky."
Listen to the whole story unfold below.
