Kanye West

Lore & Background

Thomas Bangalter revealed that during the recording of Random Access Memories in April 2013, the duo worked with West on material for his next album. At the June 10 listening party, West stated he worked with them on three or four songs, though 'Black Skinhead' was the only track publicly known at the time to feature their involvement. In a July 2013 interview, Bangalter confirmed Daft Punk were the first people West came to during the creation of Yeezus.

In Their Own Story

On June 9, 2013, nine days before the album's release, West performed 'On Sight' live for the first time at the Governors Ball Music Festival. Later that year, on The Yeezus Tour, he played the choir sample repeatedly during a performance at Seattle's KeyArena in October. In December 2013, he opened a concert at Dallas' American Airlines Center with the track, and earlier in October, he staggered out to its bleeps for an opener at Los Angeles' Staples Center.

Reader's Guide

West worked with Daft Punk on 'On Sight,' which features electronic production crafted mostly by the duo. The song opens with a polarizing intro confirmed as intentional by Rick Rubin and includes a studio recreation of 'Sermon (He'll Give Us What We Really Need)' by Holy Name of Mary Choral Family. In the outro, West recalls the refrain from his 2007 single 'Stronger.' Critics widely praised the track's position as the album opener, with Jon Pareles noting the music hurls West's rhymes like a catapult.

Did You Know?

• The song contains lyrics about Parkinson's disease that were criticized as 'distasteful' by the American Parkinson Disease Association.
• 'On Sight' replaced 'Blood on the Leaves' as the opening track of Yeezus at the last minute.
• The track charted at number ten on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and number 38 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts in 2013.
• Noah Goldstein stated that the song's sound is so unique it cannot be mistaken for another artist like J. Cole.