Beyoncé’s seventh studio album ‘Renaissance,’ once again proves and reinforces her reign as Queen Bey. She showcases her music versatility by dipping her toe into the influences of ‘70s/’80s house music, encapsulating the feeling of the sweaty nightclub goers that dance late into the night into the early morning. The music flows seamlessly into the next track, never breaking the disco beat to keep the dance floor grooving.
‘Renaissance’ is Beyoncé’s follow-up of the by-now iconic album ‘Lemonade.’ Prior to her latest release, the world went six years without a new solo studio album from Queen B. In June of 2022, the silence was broken. ‘Break My Soul,’ the first track released by her newest addition, broke the internet as people were quitting their jobs and dancing to the infectious beat. Unlike ‘Lemonade’ which focused on loss, grief, and anger, ‘Renaissance’ focuses on joy and freedom. As Beyoncé shared in her British Vogue interview, “My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment, a place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration. I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.”
In first track ‘I’M THAT GIRL’ Beyoncé starts the album off strong with the sample from Thomas Mephis’ ‘Still Pimpin’ with the repeat lyrics of “Please, motherfuckers ain’t stopping me” showing us once again she isn’t going anywhere. She then moves genres with ‘PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA’ a slow RnB, funk fusion, where she angelically sings about her relationship with Jay-Z. The song then transitions into a more fun, upbeat, disco groove ‘VIRGO’S GROOVE’ once again using her incredible vocals to run all over the track as she talks about how Jay-Z is the love of her life. The final track, ‘SUMMER RENAISSANCE’ samples the great Donna Summer’s iconic ‘I Feel Love’ once again showing us the Queen can flawlessly transition into any genre. I shall give her a “round of applause” for that.
‘Renaissance’ feels like a breath of fresh air. With all the loneliness of being trapped inside due to the pandemic for years, being able to feel like we are celebrating and dancing in clubs connects us at a time like this, even if we cannot physically be together. As Beyoncé revealed, ‘Renaissance’ is only act I, which is terrifying and exciting as the Queen never reveals what she does next.
Written by: Isabella Egan
GEM Magazine 