Beyoncé Knowles requires zero introduction in the music industry, especially since she holds 32 Grammy awards, the most an artist has won in history. Still, in case you need a refresher of what she has been up to lately, Beyoncé is creating a musical path in genres she has yet to immerse herself in.
Her latest era of music, RENAISSANCE, has exhibited a shift in her musicality and highlighted her dynamic nature as an artist. There will be three acts to the RENAISSANCE album, and Beyonce has fully come out with what has been referred to as ‘Act 1’, titled RENAISSANCE, and recently released two singles for ‘Act 2′. I am so excited to see what she has in store for the last two acts of RENAISSANCE, but for now, I want to dissect Beyoncé’s ascension into different genres of music.
I simply can’t sum up Beyoncé’s star power and influence, but she is notoriously known for her stellar stage presence, powerful voice, and established existence in the R&B, hip-hop, and pop genres. Now, Beyoncé is showing us her trailblazing nature in the music industry, breaking outside of the box that she typically thrives in (in terms of music genres).
In July of 2022, Beyoncé dropped her first act of the RENAISSANCE album. RENAISSANCE (which I hope you’ve listened to because it is life-changing) has a starkly different vibe than Beyoncé’s former albums. ‘Act 1’ dives into the club and house music vibe, stressing the relevance of music that’s notably popular in the Black LGBTQIA+ spaces.
Contributing writer Julianne Shepard, reviewing for Pitchfork, said, “Beyoncé’s seventh album is not just a pop star’s immaculate dance record, but a rich celebration of club music and its sweaty, emancipatory spirit.” Beyoncé exudes an air of confidence and self-expression in this album, which directly compliments the meaning of dance and club music. Beyoncé strives to make listeners feel good and confident, and with this genre style, it’s hard to feel anything but free when listening to the beat and her lyrics.
Next, the reclaimed genre of Beyoncé ‘Act 2’ of the three-part RENAISSANCE project is eagerly awaited. The entire album for ‘Act 2’ will be released on March 29; yet, earlier in February, Beyonce dropped two singles with zero warning. These two singles enter the country music genre, respectively named “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “16 CARRIAGES.”
Beyonce is from Houston, Texas, so it only makes sense that she is introducing herself to country music. With her two singles alone, Beyoncé has already begun to break records. According to Billboard, “Beyoncé makes her debut on Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart (dated Feb. 24) with her first two entries on the survey: ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ at No. 1 and ‘16 Carriages’ at No. 9.”
The entire album for ‘Act 2’ of Beyonc’s three-part album has yet to drop, and Beyoncé is already making noise with her spirited and magnetic approach to artistry.
Beyoncé is breaking into new genres with her RENAISSANCE era, and I think she is bringing Black artistry back to genres created and popularized by Black people.
Beyoncé’s ability and confidence to try her hand at different genres, even though she is already so popular, is intriguing. She will always have a powerful quality about her because she is Beyoncé, and her willingness to do different things in music emphasizes her passion as a musician and trendsetting nature.
If you have yet to listen to RENAISSANCE, you may be inclined to discover a different genre than Beyoncé is traditionally known for.