User:Mrs. Hastings/sandbox/Float

"Float" is a song recorded by American singer Janelle Monáe for her fourth studio album, The Age of Pleasure (2023). It was written by the singer, Jarrett Goodly, Nana Kwabena Tuffuor, and Nathaniel Irvin III, and produced by Kwabena, Nate Wonder and Sensei Bueno. The song was released on February 16, 2023, by Wondaland Arts Society and Bad Boy Records, as the album's lead single.

Background
"Float" was first teased in late 2022 in television ads narrated by Monáe for the National Basketball Association (NBA). On December 1, Monáe's 37th birthday, the singer teased the song in a positive social media post, stating, "It's float season for me, baby. Floating in gratitude. Feeling much lighter. Fucked around and got more free." On January 25, 2023, Monáe published a montage of videos from their birthday celebrations, sound tracked by "Float". The song was then used in a celebratory video after American basketball player LeBron James became NBA's all-time leading scorer. Atlantic Records confirmed that "Float" will continue appearing in NBA's ads throughout the season.

Composition
Writing for Pitchfork, Jayson Greene noted that "Float" has a "teasing hook, easeful switch-ups between singing and rapping, and some endearingly clunky bars thrown out over heavy-lidded 808s and oozing brass" from featured artists Seun Kuti and Egypt 80. A press release issued after the song's release affirmed it was inspired by several pop and sport cultures elements, including Mary Poppins' umbrella, Aladdin's magic carpet, Ja Morant's abilities, and Nithyananda's perception of levitation, among others. After its release, the song was pointed out by listeners as a "queer anthem" due to its lyrics of self-positivity.

Critical reception
Greene praised Monáe's artistry and noted that, in "Float", the singer has "nothing to prove, just the sound of a top-tier talent doing a little victory dance".