Songfacts®:

• "Daylight" is a haunting, piano-driven ballad that captures the essence of the human struggle between darkness and light. David Kushner's honesty is a breath of fresh air, as he recognizes that even the most virtuous among us can be attracted to darkness. He acknowledges the power of temptation and the alluring nature of our sinful desires, which can often override our better judgment.
• Through his music, Kushner aims to convey the paradoxical desire for something that is simultaneously harmful and irresistible. He uses the contrasting elements of light and darkness to illustrate this inner conflict. "The lyrics 'Oh I love it and I hate it at the same time you and I drink the poison from the same vine' encapsulate this concept," said the singer.
• Kushner is acutely aware of the darkness within him. The first verse of the song explores a complex relationship that brings pleasure on a physical level but leaves Kushner with an internal sense of discomfort. He acknowledges that the nature of their interactions may not be in line with his moral or ethical values.
  
  Telling myself I won't go there
  Oh, but I know that I won't care
  Tryna wash away all the blood I've spilt
  This lust is a burden that we both share
  
  However, Kushner loses that battle in the second verse of the song and wonders if he will ever be able to find forgiveness.
  
  Tellin' myself it's the last time
  Can you spare any mercy that you might find
  If I'm down on my knees again?
  Deep down, way down, Lord, I try
  Try to follow your light, but it's nighttime
  Please don't leave me in the end
  
  Kushner strives to follow God's path and do what is right, but often stumbles and falls. In those moments, he cries out for mercy and forgiveness, hoping that God will show him compassion and grace.
• The singer wrote "Daylight" with Hayden Robert Huders, Jeremy Fedryk, and John Bruce Williams. It was one of his easiest music-making processes. "I went into the studio to write a different song," Kushner told Paper. "While I was there, I wrote what the melody and lyrics and chorus is today. A couple days later, I wrote the pre-chorus and then finished the rest of the song a week later. It was one of the fastest songs I probably wrote."
• Kushner is a Christian, and his faith influences much of his music. This song's story is based on biblical references that inspired him as a child. "I would want to do things that would lead to darkness but also want to be in the light," he said. "Those are real things. We all go through darkness and we all have brighter moments, too."
  
  He added that "Daylight" speaks from his own life experiences. "To me, it's a realization of my own desires and the complexity of those desires," Kushner said. "The desire for light, but always running towards the darkness instead of light."
• Rob Kirwan produced the orchestral ballad. Irish producer Kirwan has collaborated with Hozier on several of his songs, including his 2013 global hit single, "Take Me to Church."
• Kushner started writing "Daylight" in January 2023 while taking a break from working on another track. "I first sang [the melody] in my falsetto voice... it was just a vomit vocal that came out," he told Billboard.
  
  After crafting the chorus, he eagerly shared it with his girlfriend, who embraced it with enthusiasm. Kushner completed the composition on his landlord's piano and recorded a raw demo at his own home.
  
  Kushner promoted "Daylight" with a TikTok that he made with his girlfriend and fellow TikTok influencer, Nicole Mitchell. Although the response was not overwhelming, it gained some traction, capturing attention in its own right.
  
  Kushner's manager, Brent Shows, recognized the song's potential and reached out to Rob Kirwan. Upon hearing the demo for "Daylight," Kirwan was captivated and declared his interest in producing it.
  
  Because of the mounting excitement surrounding "Daylight," Kushner felt compelled to expedite its release. Trusting Kushner's instincts, Shows agreed to move the original release date forward, from May 5 to April 14, 2023.
• "Daylight" arrived alongside a music video that transports the viewer to a mystical woodland church. Throughout the visual, we see Kushner immersed in the beauty of nature, surrounded by the elements of fire, water, air, and ash. Directed by Luke Shaw and Landon Juern, the clip perfectly captures the pensive and soulful mood of the song.
• "Daylight" was a huge worldwide hit. It topped the charts in Latvia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, and Switzerland.