Ever since I was a little girl, Beyonce had always been a huge inspiration to me. I love everything she stands for and does for marginalized communities. So, when Beyonce dropped her seventh studio album RENAISSANCE, I was ALL over it as a fan. Beyonce’s music has evolved more than ever, especially over the last ten years. When RENAISSANCE dropped on July 29th, I was more excited than ever. The last music that Beyonce came out with was her soundtrack to the live-action Lion King movie. Before that, Beyonce hadn’t dropped original music since “Lemonade” in 2016. Such a long time…way too long! I heard this album’s vibe was going to be almost like “club” music. Beyonce’s motivation for writing this album was to celebrate Black artists while also giving dance music a platform. With that being said, I couldn’t be more excited to jump in and start reviewing some songs.
I’M THAT GIRL
As for the first song on the album, I was kind of disappointed. Maybe I was just expecting old-school Beyonce to make a comeback. It was a little too slow for my liking, and the song took a minute to pick up in pace. I couldn’t really tell where the song was going, but it didn’t stick out to me until the rap at the end. From this song, I could tell the album was going to be groovy, but also a little risqué.
Rating: 7/10
COZY
I absolutely loved this song, I think it’s my second favorite on the album. After listening, it’s impossible not to think Beyonce is “that girl.” The song talks about being comfortable in your own skin and being proud of who you are and your heritage, which is an awesome message. All while having a fun, playful beat to dance to. It’s a very catchy song, and I will definitely be adding it to my playlist and hitting replay.
Rating: 9/10
ALIEN SUPERSTAR
This song was a little funky and different, but I liked it. Beyonce is basically talking about how she’s from another planet, but that’s what makes her so great. It’s kind of a metaphoric message, which I always appreciate. It was off to a strange start with some slower rapping and spoken words, but towards the end, I was very impressed. Beyonce was subtly flexing in this song about how she’s “too classy for this world” and I agree. Great song!!
Rating: 8/10
CUFF IT
Another fun party song, this is definitely a song to listen to with your drunk friends at a party or club. I was hooked from the beginning. The end really gave the song everything it needed though. Beyonce really went for it with the vocals, and she did NOT disappoint. This song was very catchy, and I was humming and bopping my head by the end of it.
Rating: 8/10
ENERGY (feat. Beam)
This song had the first feature on the album, which did not let me down. I didn’t know who Beam was, but I like whomever it is. Great vibes. The song had great *energy* (sorry I had to), and I could see it being a really good workout song. It also has a rap at the end which I loved.
Rating: 8/10
BREAK MY SOUL
I had already heard this song, I’m not going to lie. But I LOVE it. It’s very fun and has a positive message basically saying no one can break you no matter how hard they try. Especially Beyonce. I thought this song was similar to the previous one in the way it would be a good workout vibe. I listen to this one all the time at work, and it never gets old.
Rating: 10/10
CHURCH GIRL
This was the first song I wasn’t a fan of sadly. It started out promising with a choir singing in the back but then turned very dirty real fast. A little too dirty for my liking. Something about the whole song was just off to me. A different vibe from the rest of the album for sure.
Rating: 5/10
PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA
I think this song might have been the slowest on the album. I wasn’t expecting any ballads because I knew this was a dance album, but we almost got one! I think this song would make good study music for some reason because of the easy-going pace. It’s a mellow and happy love song, but it wasn’t too catchy.
Rating: 7/10
VIRGO’S GROOVE
This song went back to the groovy vibe of the album and was six minutes long. I’m not really a fan of long songs, but it sounded just like most of the other songs on the album. I’m not really educated on astrology or Virgo’s, but I’m happy they got a shout-out!
Rating: 7/10
MOVE (feat. Grace Jones & Tems)
This piece started off a little aggressive, but in a good way. One of the lyrics was, “it’s the Yonce groove,” and I agree. She says she’s the “big boss on the move” and to “bounce.” Another fun vibe, I could see myself playing this song again and again.
Rating: 8/10
HEATED
I LOVED this one. It’s definitely a simple and catchy summer song. It also had great vocals, and the rap at the end I liked a lot. I think this song would be perfect for turning up in the car on a hot day with the windows down. It was very upbeat and fun. I added this one to the playlist for sure. <3
Rating: 9/10
THIQUE
Another different vibe on the album, but not a bad one. Beyonce talks about her cash getting larger while also rapping. It was pretty catchy but also slowed down at the end. It stuck out to me, maybe because of the spelling, but I also liked the beat.
Rating: 8/10
ALL UP IN YOUR MIND
I also loved this song. It had another contrasting vibe to the rest of the album. There was a lot of bass, which I’m always a sucker for. There was also some rasp coming from Beyonce which reminded me of her older music. The song just kept getting better and better, with super catchy and fun lyrics.
Rating: 9/10
AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM
After listening to this song, I’m not really quite sure what America’s problem is or was, but at least the song is catchy. The beat at the beginning was familiar for some reason, this was also another love song. I just wish I understood more about what the song was trying to get at.
Rating: 9/10
PURE/HONEY
Another long song, this one was five minutes. It really went all over the place and was hard to predict so it wasn’t too catchy. The pace switched up a lot: it was slow then it went back to normal, then it got faster. Maybe if I gave the song more listens, then it would grow on me.
Rating: 7/10
SUMMER RENAISSANCE
The last song of the album sadly. But it was pretty basic, it had the same groovy vibe as a lot of the other songs I listened to. It’s definitely a summer song that you’ll want to dance to and it’s pretty catchy. I think it was a good song to end on.
Rating: 8/10
Beyonce’s album was definitely unlike any other she has come out with in the past. This album was filled with energy, rapping, and self-love. Listening to this album for the first time was really fun and uplifting. I recommend this album for anyone who loves to dance or needs a good vibe sent their way. Beyonce’s music has empowered women for decades and I love that she’s never strayed from that. It’s really important to show young women that it’s okay to be themselves and have a little fun. After giving the album a listen, I am definitely still a huge supporter and will continue to be for the rest of her future albums.