In fact, she falls into the category of public figures that are instantly recognizable around the world at the mention of just a first name: Beyoncé.Īs a brand, Beyoncé has come to represent a tireless work ethic, high-energy performances, strength, and beauty, all of which have inspired fierce loyalty to the woman in charge of it all. Take it.įrom bursting onto the scene with Destiny’s Child in 1998 to high-profile endorsements, clothing lines, movies, mic-drop pregnancy announcements and solo mega stardom, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s resume is so layered that she really doesn’t need an introduction. The songs are few and far between that a person might feel comfortable singing aloud with children, but the album exists as an anthem that undoubtedly will empower them in the future.This article originally ran in 2016 and has been updated.Įver felt overwhelmed by an artist’s extensive back catalog? Been meaning to check out a band, but you just don’t know where to begin? In 10 Songs is here to help, offering a crash course and entry point into the daunting discographies of iconic artists of all genres. Across 15 tracks, everything from desire to self-image to sexual appetite is addressed frankly and (as the track labels caution) explicitly. She centers womanist agency and authority. In “I’m that Girl,” she declares:Īnd everything next to me gets lit up too.īeyoncé understands the reach of her halo and the power and necessity of amplifying the radiance of Black women and Black girls. And she understands her unique, galvanizing role at the center of this movement as she recognizes the many ways that Black lives matter. She places an emphasis on "survivance," activity and agency in opposition to forces that seek to oppress. In "Renaissance," she celebrates Blackness, Black folks, Black love. We’ve all witnessed these ill-effects relayed via cell phone videos: disrupting grocery stores and even interrupting the serenity of bird-watching.īeyoncé’s success anchors itself, in part, in highlighting resilience over grievance. With these words, she calls out white women who have served as antagonists in the everyday drama of Black life. I just entered the country with derringers,Ĭause them Karens just turned into terrorists. In the same song (and echoing the flow of Childish Gambino’s “America”), she raps: In “Energy,” she sings, “votin’ out 45, don’t getta outta line.” A subtle nod to the power of voter registration and the effects of voting, she reminds us that politicians serve at our pleasure. Politically active in support of Barack Obama, the nation’s 44th president,Beyoncé urges her listeners to be politically engaged. "Renaissance" has moments of profound social commentary, particularly drawing attention to the increasing presence of white nationalism and the distressing rise of anti-Black racism. Beyonce appears at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on March 14, 2021. Her advice: Walk away from them and head toward those things and people who will embrace and brighten your glow.
Life is too short for jobs and relationships that are neither fulfilling nor nourishing. Beyonce spotlights the introspection that has occurred throughout the past 2 1/2 years: “Break My Soul” could be the summer anthem for the Great Resignation and the need for personal and professional renewal.
Similar to Beyoncé’s "Lemonade" (2016), the album frames and reframes our cultural moment: the insights gained from our global health pandemic and more. However, "Renaissance," the first act of an expected trilogy, is greater than a series of tracks engineered to work up a sweat. Certainly celebratory, the album is less a resurrection of “old” musical forms and more a reminder that the groove of Blackness - historically developed in juke joints, advanced by Chicago House pioneers, reinvented in urban balls, popularized in New York discos - remains as strong as ever. It is a fantasy project that recalls those physical delights taken away by social distancing at the start of the pandemic.Īt first glance , "Renaissance" is simply a dance album that recalls the legacies of house, disco and Afrobeat. (Myung Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)īeyoncé’s latest album, "Renaissance," is a vivid, immersive soundscape that remembers - even as it recreates - the feeling of being together: dancing in clubs or house parties, hearts beating in sync and in rhythm, grinding on the club floor anticipating other forms of intimacy. Beyonce performs during the show at the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 27, 2022.
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