The Lady of R&B: The Return of Queen B

Beyoncé ended the summer with her lively and riveting latest studio album Renaissance. This album has the perfect tempo for a club or festival and it is a gift that keeps on giving to her loyal fans. 

She incorporates both the LGBTQ and African American cultures in her album by sampling clips of both mainstream and lesser known African American drag queen songs such as Moi Renee’s “Miss Honey” and Kevin Aviance’s “Cunty.” Other iconic black artists she samples include Grace Jones, Donna Summer, Lyn Collins, The Clark Sisters and many others. 

Additionally, she went outside of her usual music style with this album. She utilized various genres of African American music from both the 20th and 21st centuries and remixed it to suit the rhythmic sound of the album; most of the genres used were R&B, soul and pop. Though this album is for everyone, it is a love letter to the African American community since it is full of their culture and it brings a sense of comfort and nostalgia for them.  

The album contains messages of freedom, stability, self-love and euphoria in each of the songs. Though all the songs display this, “Summer Renaissance,” “Alien Superstar,” “Pure/Honey,” “Cozy” and “Break My Soul” exhibit pure happiness and self-indulgence the most. 

In her song “Cozy,” the lyrics “Comfortable in my skin. Cozy with who I am. Comfortable in my skin,” really capture the carefree and self-loving nature of the album. 

Though I found it hard to choose just one favorite song, I would have to say that I find myself relistening to “Summer Renaissance,” “Cuff It” and “Plastic Off the Sofa” since the rhythm and lyrics of all three are soothing to me. Two runner ups would be “Virgo’s Groove” and “Alien Superstar.” It is an ideal album to listen to as a therapeutic tool for when I am feeling dispirited. I love the serotonin I receive every time I stream this while driving or while doing chores around the house.

Her courageous step out of her comfort zone grants her audience a new and refreshing sound to break from the standard pop music the public is typically given. This is a great step in the music industry since it could open doors for other artists to follow suit with exploring innovative sounds. 

Her fans will be excited to know that Renaissance was Act I of an upcoming saga and she will follow it up with at least two more acts sometime in the near future. Though she is no stranger to creating short films, this news comes as a surprise since she has never produced a trilogy project. Considering her impressive background, it is safe to assume her fans are in for a treat and I cannot wait to see what she has up her sleeve.