Fans stunned to learn Ryan Tedder co-wrote Beyoncé's Halo

Beyoncé fans have been left gobsmacked after learning she isn't the sole writer behind one of her most iconic songs. Released in 2009, Halo is a love song inspired by her relationship with Jay-Z, and it quickly impressed listeners, spending 49 weeks in the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart and 31 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100.

However, fans have shared their shock after learning Ryan Tedder and Evan "Kidd" Bogart actually wrote the track specifically for Beyoncé after she requested a song. She reportedly asked them to centre the track around the idea of 'a guardian angel protecting someone'.

OneRepublic's live version praised

In an Instagram video shared by Billboard, OneRepublic are seen performing Halo at the Hollywood Bowl, as fans praise Ryan Tedder's version. One user said: "It was so good!" Another user added: "Still remember watching OneRepublic perform it live in Jacksonville, FL, in September 2022. Legendary night." A third user said: "The world needs more Ryan Tedder." One more user added: "Every time you hear this, it’s a love song to Jay-Z."

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How the song came together

Speaking about the song in an interview with Billboard Magazine, Tedder said: "I was playing a pickup game right before a show in Michigan and I tore my Achilles heel.

"It was the most intense pain I ever experienced in my life. I passed out. So I ended up going home for two weeks. My wife forbids me from writing or doing any work whatsoever.

"Evan Bogart and I were super close friends, he was having his explosion as a songwriter, and I texted him and said, ‘My wife’s gone for three hours, will you come over?

"Let’s write one song'. Beyoncé had contacted me because of a song on our first album called ‘Come Home'.

"So he came over and I said, ‘Dude, Beyoncé wants me to do a song. Let’s do a song in three hours’. I had this idea for a patch of this weird choir of angels thing started playing it and within three hours we had ‘Halo'."

The duo wrote the song thinking about what was going on in Beyoncé’s life and her relationship with Jay-Z. After finishing the song and adding "angelic keyboard parts", they reportedly sent a demo to Jay-Z's label, Roc Nation.

Label's reaction and Leona Lewis rumours

A statement on Story of Songs added: "The label thought it was perfect for Beyoncé and begged the two writers not to give the song to anyone else.

"The song was 'on hold' for Beyoncé, which meant she had the rights to it, but when she took a while to record it, Ryan Tedder told Leona Lewis’ management that Lewis could have it if Beyoncé passed.

"This led to some rumours that the song was written for Lewis, which the two writers denied."