{"id":33913,"date":"2022-08-18T16:00:01","date_gmt":"2022-08-18T16:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/traklife.com\/featured\/entering-beyonce-renaissance\/"},"modified":"2023-09-16T21:26:03","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T21:26:03","slug":"entering-beyonce-renaissance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/traklife.com\/culture\/entering-beyonce-renaissance\/","title":{"rendered":"Entering Beyonc\u00e9’s ‘RENAISSANCE’"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new musical renaissance has officially begun, thanks to Beyonc\u00e9.<\/p>\n

The singer\u2019s seventh solo studio album, titled RENAISSANCE<\/em>, was leaked<\/a> on July 27, a few days before its intended release. \u201cThank you for your unwavering support. Thank you for being patient,\u201d she wrote on an Instagram post<\/a>, addressing fans who opposed the leak. \u201cWe are going to take our time and enjoy the music. I will continue to give my all and do my best to bring you joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Mason Poole<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Queen Bey\u2019s fans have waited eagerly for her first solo studio album since Lemonade<\/a>. <\/em>It was a hard act to follow \u2013 the most acclaimed album of her career and the world\u2019s best-selling album in 2016. Lemonade<\/em> featured some of Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s most experimental content at the time, especially for R&B in the mid-2010s.<\/p>\n

But RENAISSANCE<\/em> tackles the challenge effortlessly. A euphoric journey of Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s self-proclaimed \u201cdisco trap,\u201d the album blends genres and influences of hip-hop, R&B, disco, techno, \u201880s pop, and house music. Each track flows seamlessly into the next, like a DJ\u2019s playlist in a nightclub.<\/p>\n

Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s voice soars on the nostalgic songs \u201cCUFF IT,\u201d \u201cPLASTIC OFF THE SOFA,\u201d and \u201cVIRGO\u2019S GROOVE,\u201d which are reminiscent of 1970s funk and disco styles. Nearly every song on the album contains some type of sample, but most notable is the album\u2019s closer, \u201cSUMMER RENAISSANCE,\u201d which interpolates \u201cI Feel Love<\/a>\u201d by disco legend Donna Summer. On her latest twerk jam, \u201cCHURCH GIRL,\u201d Beyonc\u00e9 gives a nod to gospel music with a fuzzy sample of The Clark Sisters\u2019 \u201cCenter Thy Will<\/a>\u201d that loops in the background of a heavy trap beat, rich harmonies, soulful vocals, and a sassy rap from Bey.<\/p>\n

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Kennedi Carter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The album is also becoming an anthem for queer communities. Many tracks on RENAISSANCE <\/em>like \u201cI\u2019M THAT GIRL,\u201d \u201cCOZY,\u201d \u201cALIEN SUPERSTAR,\u201d \u201cMOVE,\u201d \u201cHEATED,\u201d and \u201cPURE\/HONEY\u201d have lyrical elements and references to drag and ballroom culture, which was built around dance music. In the album\u2019s liner notes is a dedication to Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s late Uncle Johnny, who was gay. \u201cHe was my godmother and the first person to expose me to a lot of the music and culture that serve as inspiration for this album,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

Commercially, RENAISSANCE <\/em>is already taking Beyonc\u00e9 to new heights. All 16 songs on the album have charted on the Billboard Hot 100, with the lead single \u201cBREAK MY SOUL<\/a>\u201d topping the chart. RENAISSANCE <\/em>debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making Beyonc\u00e9 the first female artist to debut her first seven studio albums at number one in America.<\/p>\n

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Carlijn Jacobs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Though Beyonc\u00e9 has managed to find success across four decades and various eras of popular music, she hardly sacrifices quality or individuality as she continually reinvents herself. Full of diversely impressive moments, RENAISSANCE <\/em>is proof Beyonc\u00e9 still knows how to showcase the versatility of her talents and lyrical depth.<\/p>\n

RENAISSANCE <\/em>was written during and partially inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is notated as \u201cAct I\u201d of a three-part project.<\/p>\n

Listen below to Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s seventh studio album, RENAISSANCE<\/em>.<\/p>\n