“Beyoncé is impossible to hate,” freelance music writer Cyclone Wehner remarks.
It’s a controversial statement, but Beyoncé is on a roll. Her 2013 self-titled album became the fastest selling album in the history of the iTunes Store. Her most contentious and authentic album yet, ‘Lemonade’, was streamed 115 million times. And don’t forget the ‘Formation’ world tour that the singer is also in the middle of.
Heralding form Houston, Texas, Beyoncé Knowles Carter rose to fame in 1997 as the front woman of the internationally successful R&B girl group, Destiny's Child. In 2005, the band split after Knowles’ critically acclaimed solo album, Dangerously in Love, was released.
Destiny’s Child from left to right: Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams.
Photo found at: http://frontrowliveent.com/beyonce-destinys-child-reunited-during-super-bowl-xlvii-halftime-show/
Fast forward 13 years and Beyoncé is globally recognised as the new Queen of Music, releasing albums that consistently debut at number one on the Billboard 100 chart, with a total of 20 Grammys to her name. With the April release of the politically and emotionally charged album, ‘Lemonade’, it isn’t hard to understand why amongst music critics, such as Wehner, Beyoncé is so highly regarded.
“She is a statement-making, trend-setting phenomenon,” Wehner said.
“Above all, she’s just…endured.”
To refer to ‘Lemonade’ solely as a statement of the singer’s, rapper husband Jay Z’s, rumoured infidelity, is to miss the point of the 12 track and 50 minute visual album.
The first words of Lemonade are almost hauntingly sung, “you can taste the dishonesty…” instantly planting the idea that the album is about infidelity. Another song, Pray You Catch Me is absent of belted out notes that have become the staple of a Beyoncé song, instead favouring the use of tone. Yet, the listener is drawn into the song and the album. PopMatters writer and contributing editor, Christian Gerard refers to the opening track as his favourite.
“It starts the album off on such a powerful and ominous vibe,” Gerard said.
“She’s a very talented artist.”
A still from the album’s visual accompaniment, shows Knowles hiding behind bushes as she sings Pray You Catch Me, a song about suspicion.
Photo found: Twitter, Beyoncé Diva account https://twitter.com/Bey_Diva_/status/724066033527611393
A master of creative artistry, Knowles provides the listener with a story, singing, in one instance of suspicion before seamlessly transitioning the album’s narrative to anger, understanding and finally, forgiveness.
Lemonade is much more than a series of commercial tracks placed together for album sales, this genre-hopping album is a deeply emotional story. Professing the hardships of relationships and the steps one has to go through before finding a way back to true love.
The album offers a rare insight into the life of the notoriously private star, who, in recent years, seldom gives interviews. That is, until the accompanying visual element depicts the real message behind Lemonade.
“To focus on the theme of infidelity alone, is a bit myopic,” Wehner suggests.
“Beyoncé taps into the zeitgeist, a wider discussion about race.”
Moving beyond the theme of a cheating partner, the visual element of Lemonade addresses the Black Lives Matter Movement and the inner strength of women. The words of Malcolm X are intertwined with pictures of different women as he professes, “the most disrespected person in America is the black woman”, working to clarify the message behind Lemonade. Before seamlessly transitioning to shots of a baseball bat wielding Beyoncé, strutting down the street, destroying motifs of masculinity as she sings about being walked all over by a lying partner.
American rapper, Kendrick Lamar, an outspoken critic of police brutality and racism, lends his voice to the track, Freedom. He collaborates with the rich tone of Beyoncé to produce a track that exposes law enforcement as always “asking what’s in my possession” before Beyoncé explodes into a verse about how she won’t let her “freedom rot in hell.”
A still from the visual accompaniment, where Beyoncé is painted by a Nigerian visual artist, who describes his work as painting the essence and the soul.
Photo found at: http://www.that1960chick.com/2016/04/25/naija-artist-laolu-senbanjo-brings-yoruba-culture-to-beyonces-lemonade-visual-album-through-his-body-art
In the highly controversial track, Formation, Beyoncé is seen on top of a police car, before the camera flashes to a wall that reads, “stop shooting us.” If the message of the album wasn’t clear by the last track, there is no confusion now.
Despite the ensuing controversy behind the lyrics and the visuals of this song, music lovers still tuned in to her American Super Bowl Half Time performance cameo, purchased tickets to the Formation World Tour and bought the album.
Beyoncé can do no wrong.
Christian Gerard credits the maturity of Beyoncé and her creative talent for the success of ‘Lemonade’ and her brand. In a time where people are criticised for speaking out about world issues, Beyoncé has crafted this album as an ode to the struggles of the black race, specifically the woman, while also presenting a theme of empowerment. Told through the narrative arc of infidelity, (whether it is true or not), Beyoncé explores the struggles, strength and endurance of the black race. Creating a compelling album that’s true depth is not fully realised by only listening the album and not the visual, and vice versa.
“Beyoncé has traditionally been so guarded,” Wehner offers.
“Now we are seeing an artist who feels less constricted and less confined by expectations.”
Without a doubt ‘Lemonade’ sparked controversy, with even the most diehard fans questioning the reasoning behind Beyoncé’s most bold statement to date. Yet, the album has been embraced as much as any other.
Beyoncé seen in the video clip for Formation, standing on top of a submerged police car. Her most controversial move to date.
Photo found at: http://www.hellnotesforbeauty.com/2016/02/illuminated-chaos-metaphysical-and.html
In a music industry saturated with pop stars, Beyoncé differs from US contemporaries like Taylor Swift. Swift writes commercial songs about her breakups, while in Beyoncé’s case, her music is a mode of storytelling that goes against the grain, working to explore greater issues in the world.
In a world that is becoming increasingly intrusive into the lives of the famous, it is easy to become tired of a celebrity or even grow to dislike them because of their actions. Not Beyoncé. She has had few, if any, missteps. Biding time at the beginning of her career, she conformed to the mould that the music industry adheres to for success.
The key to the success of Beyoncé is her undeniable talent, versatility and willingness to stir controversy. At one moment deeply affected by the betrayals of her partner, singing in hushed tones, almost holding back. To the next moment, taking on a rapper’s persona, screaming curse words down the lens of the camera.
As a music critic, Cyclone Wehner says, Beyoncé’s experiments in music genre appeals to a wide audience, from pop, hip-hop, black or white fans. Being so widely liked lays the foundation for Beyoncé’s success.
“…Almost as if her music has transcended genre and is now just the Beyoncé genre” Wehner adds.
So, how can you hate someone for that?
‘Lemonade’ is streaming online and available in stores now.
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