In reading conspiracy theories about Beyoncé, I came to believe that our society is always ready to attack women, particularly women of color.
On March 29, Beyoncé released her ninth studio album, “Cowboy Carter,” the second act of her ninth studio album, “Renaissance.” The album’s aesthetics promised a full-blown country album, with cowboy hats, horses, and American flags galore.
Now that it’s been 10 years since 2011 and I’m an almost-adult, I’d like to celebrate by revisiting some of my favorite songs from the year.
On April 17, Beyoncé released her concert documentary “Homecoming,” a full-length recording of her 2018 Coachella performance of the same name, on Netflix. In conjunction with the release of the film, she also released a companion album featuring all the music and commentary from the film.
Her use of African imagery has been huge because her popularity is second to none. One would think with her uses of African culture, she would perform on the continent. Alas, you would be wrong.
When people question Beyonce’s concern for black people and ask her to “do more,” what does that mean? Are they asking for her to use her platform and resources to elevate black people? She’s done that.
On Super Bowl Sunday, Beyonce Knowles shocked and offended angry white people everywhere when she dared to remind the world that she is, in fact, black. But perhaps that’s an oversimplification of the criticism she’s received in light of her new “Formation” music video and halftime performance, so I’ll take a minute to examine the charges.
It’s not news to most that the music industry has become vastly digitalized, revolutionizing our ability to hear and buy songs from our favorite artists and bands via a plethora of online and app-based sources. But the latest trend of surprise albums, directly fueled by the music industry’s use of the Internet, may prove to be the next step in the industry’s evolution.
Just like any other year, 2013 was full of some truly great pop culture moments. Here are a few of Cadenza’s picks of the best. Beyonce knocks the lights out at the Super Bowl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZzkCJSu_m0 It was a refreshing change for the Super Bowl halftime show; instead of washed-up rock bands, a relevant pop star played.
In 2012, Beyonce signed a $50 million deal with Pepsi to create a partnership that included advertising, commercials and PepsiCo’s funding of Beyonce’s creative projects. Unless you have been living in a blackout, you have probably seen the advertisements. This year’s Super Bowl halftime show, starring Beyonce, was sponsored by Pepsi.
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