I still remember the brilliant moment when Beyonce released “Formation” as the first single off Lemonade, and then like two days later (?) she performed the song at the Super Bowl Half-Time Show with Coldplay and Bruno Mars and everyone already knew all of the words. That still cracks me up. We had, as a society, all been listening to “Formation” on repeat ever since it came out.
Lemonade was Beyonce’s last full-length studio album before this… Act i Renaissance, or reversed, Renaissance Act i. The Beyonaissance is upon us, in any case. Last night, Beyonce dropped the lyric video for the first single from the new album. I expect everyone here has already listened to the song twenty times and we’ll all be able to sing along by the end of the day. Only Beyonce and Adele can create this kind of obsessive hype over their new album or new single.
Beyonce collaborated with Big Freedia, which is amazing because Big Freedia was part of “Formation” too!! I love the light, fun, dance energy of the song. It’s a fun summer song and people will be hearing it at cookouts, barbeques, parties and clubs all summer. Lemonade felt like such a heavy, important, political treatise for Bey – is Act i Renaissance a return to Beyonce just making “fun” dance music? Lyrically, “Break My Soul” is interesting too because it feels like she’s really trying to make something fun for the girls who hate their jobs and just want to shake their asses.
Photos courtesy of Beyonce’s Instagram.
I deeply respect Beyonce, I consider Lemonade should win the Nobel prize, but I don’t know which frenzy you are speaking of – I didn’t even hear she released anything anywhere, and now when I did, I am writing this comment without listening the song.
I guess that’s me
Omg, I want to live in a universe where Beyoncé wins the Nobel Prize for literature!!!
I’m in the same boat- I heard the hype that she was releasing something called renaissance but didn’t recall the date and haven’t heard anything is out until this post.
I’m used to “twitter things” blowing by me but wouldn’t have expected this to! Off to listen now! ETA- love it, our “9 to 5” for 2022.
Nobel Prize for literature?
That is just absurd. Lol
I get that Beyoncé fans insist on deifying her every breath and exaggerate every accomplishment, but Yeats, TS Eliot, Camu…and Beyoncé?!
Let’s call for Maya Angelou to get which imo should rightfully be hers.
It’s so weird how people clutch pearls when Beyoncé fans are being hyperbolic.
Try being a Taylor Swift fan. LOL I like this song! I can see myself bopping to it.
@Lila my comment was in reference to Bob Dylan winning the Nobel Prize for literature for his “contribution to American culture”. The NP committee are the ones that opened the door for absurd fans like me to consider it an option.
Same here- first time I heard of it. Different bubble, I guess? Or maybe it’s a US thing.
Didn’t immediately love it but really like that Bey seems to be making fun summer music. Also I love Big Freedia and love to see Beyonce showcasing bounce artists.
Same, I enjoyed it but it didn’t immediately grab me the way Crazy in Love, Single Ladies, or Formation did. Still, it is a fun song, and I can practically already hear people blasting it in their cars this summer.
Yeah, same. I’m listening to it now and while I loved the New Orleans bounce in the intro, I was mostly “meh”. But I was bopping my head and shoulders by the time I got halfway through. I think it’s a good dance bop, but not a gripping hit.
It’s just okay.
I might be the exception, but….
it was playing on my phone as I drove to work today, on my birthday. I usually take my birthday off to feel the sun on my face and the wind in my hair and to be with my loved ones and really appreciate/reflect on being alive, but I had to move my vacation day because we are having a “very important” meeting today.
…So listening to Beyonce repeat ‘You won’t break my soul…” as I shimmied through traffic really worked for me. It’s joyful, but doesn’t pretend life is perfect, and I dig it.
Happy Birthday !
I always enjoy reading your comments !
Thank you, ME! That’s very kind. 🙂
Honk for Big Freedia!!!!
The BeyHive were starved for ‘lighter’ music so i bet she will release some summer bangers.
Love the sampling of 80s dance music. The theme is definitely Great Resignation on point.
@Kaiser, I don’t think it’s necessary to attack me because I woke up at 6:15 am, opened my Spotify app and listened to this song! 😂
I tried to say up until Midnight and couldn’t do it. 😄
She really said its a hot girl and gay summer! It’s giving very much vogueing anthem. I LOVE IT.
Queen Bey seem to know to be on time. Catchy beat, and great lyrics.
I am is a less than competent job right now and I have a regional is trying to break me because of their incompetence before I was hired.
Naw, you ain’t breaking my soul.
I tried to get into it, but maybe it’s because I’m sick with Covid and just not in a hype mood…I wasn’t feeling it.
This may be a situational banger for me. I need to hear it in the moment or see a music video.
Yeah, I’m not into this one. It’s totally lacking a hook. Maybe her next single will be better. Or maybe she’s just gotten old with the rest of us.
Hate almost everything about my job except the kids! Im doing it for my innocent patients. This job won’t break my soul! Love Bey’s song!
Meh. It sounds like a “lite” and slow version remix of “Push the Feeling On” from early 90’s club days. Not really feeling it. There was really no buzz on any of my socials about this, although I don’t have any BeyHive stans in my circles, but I do know regular B fans (the ones who aren’t irrational, unhinged lunatics who worship her every move). Haven’t seen anyone really hyping it up.
I got it at midnight, and I can’t wait until the 29th when they release more. It Broke my soul! 😊
It’s a jam. Don’t know why but it’s giving me Jess Glynne vibes.
There hasn’t been any real buzz for Beyoncé’s new stuff or radio play. She had a good run but the kids aren’t into her music so she won’t get that much play anymore. Her music has aged out. Also, I don’t know anyone that listened to formation and knows all the lyrics. It wasn’t even played that much on the radio.
I mean I knew all the lyrics to formation and def remember it being played at dance clubs. I don’t listen to the radio though so I don’t know if it got that kind of play. However, I’d argue the lyrics from formation are iconic for a lot of people. I get chills thinking about those lyrics. Get that it’s not that way for everyone and I’m not a young person so what do i know? Although, it seems like the kids don’t listen to the radio as much and get there music in different ways so I’m not sure I’d use that as a source of measurement but maybe I’m wrong.
@Fabiola
As a parent of a Gen Zer, I can concur. My daughter and her friends aren’t really into Beyonce like that. Those kids are more into the Chloe Baily’s, Sza, Summer Walker, Doja Cat, Olivia Rodrigo, Tinashe, Bad Bunny, Ozuna, Becky G’s etc.
I don’t anyone who listens to Chole, SZA or Summer Walker but not Beyoncé. That’s weird.
@GT,
I said they weren’t into her like that. Of course they listen to her songs, they grew up listening to most of them. But they have their own artists from their generation that they are checking for.
Same, my Gen Z daughter loves Doja Cat, among others. Beyonce isn’t on her radar. It happens.
Do people still listen to radio?
Sad people, like me, who don’t have apple play and hate Sirius still listen to the radio in the car.
Beyonce was buzzing all night. Before I went to bed the major gossip blogs were covering it and it was up and down the timeline. The groups were divided into 2 camps: “if you hated Drake’s new single keep the same energy for Beyonce/ she could produce a cough & her fans will buy it” vs “Yesss!!!! Beyonce said we’s outside now and we are ready!!! This is my summer banger”. When I woke up the major news sources were covering it. I’m in mostly Black groups and follow Black entertainment maybe that’s why but the major news outlets were most definitely PWI. All those saying Beyonce isn’t popping….just stop, stop ✋🏾. In the immortal words of Beyonce chapter Formtion verse 10 ” you know you are that itch when you cause all this conversation”.
I have not listened to this, but what I respect about Beyonce is that she is a collaborator and she features other artists and gives credit and recognition to them. It pisses me off to this day that that counted against her when folks defended Beck’s win for Album of the Year over her. This mythology of ‘doing it all yourself’ is just that: a myth. Nobody does anything completely by themselves and that shouldn’t be an expectation, let alone the standard for greatness (and I think an examination of the standard and how it is applied would likely point to racism and sexism). So kudos to her for continuing her collaborative work and slaying.
I’m a huge B fan and I’m not loving this one. Honestly, I don’t think her music has been as good since she stopped collaborating with Teresa Barbara Whites, who she’s worked with for every album she’s ever done. But, I will be working out to Break My Soul for sure this summer, and looking forward to new music from Queen B!
I love how her voice has gotten deeper and richer with time.
The song is lit. Although I still prefer the Formation era songs, I really enjoyed it, it’s perfect for the summer. Can’t wait to see more. Just a light and cool vibe
Great summer bop, timely lyrics. 🐝
I’ve been listening to her past albums a ton since the news of renaissance. Man, her albums have consistently gotten better and I’m psyched for this one.
Great anthem for anyone needing change from toxicity. Through music Bey is speaking strength for the soul.
More bounce in popular music, I say. Maybe some Katey Red next?
I love bounce I wish she carried that bounce vibe through the whole tune. I feel like it needed that hardness, that 90’s europop ain’t doing it for me.
I think the actual video for this song will make people like it more. I’m seeing some TikTok dances come from this for sure. I wouldn’t be surprised if Blue Ivy is in the entire video cosplaying her mom. She looks grown now and so much like her !
Warning for those sensitive to light or have epilepsy, the lyric video has fast intense flashing lights at the end of the video starting at 4:10. Please be careful and maybe a warning can be added in the write up as the only warning is in the pinned comment when you play it on YouTube itself.
Meh, hopefully she releases something better this summer.
I like her but still think she’s overrated…
I dug this tune when it was called” Show me Love” and came out in the 90’s. This is a solid meh from me.
“Only Beyonce and Adele can create this kind of obsessive hype over their new album or new single.”
BTS ARMY: cries in 6 consecutive #1 albums.
It feels like a slower version of One Kiss by Dua Lipa. Her fans on Twitter were upset with the Dua Lipa comparisons, but I definitely feel One Kiss vibes, more so than Show Me Love.
Why does she look like Michelle Pfeiffer? What did she do with her face?
Thank you. I didn’t recognize her at all in the main photo. It looks like a Stepford wife, not Beyoncé.