Hello everyone, I
hope you're doing well. Today it's story time again! You guys are used to it now. And let's be honest, today we're dealing
with someone iconic. You have the right to be shocked, but it took me a while
to understand why Beyoncé was so important and what she had done
to stand out as much compared to other
women in music. Because these people
are part of pop culture, they are a staple
when you grow up, and if we don't ask
ourselves the question, we don't care about why or how. So I hope you will
also learn a little more, maybe understand a
little better who Beyoncé is. Before this video starts, know that it is sponsored by... Saily. Yes, it's a new
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sponsoring this video and supporting the channel. Now, let's move on to the video! Quite some artists must wonder what is the right recipe to
go from anonymity to glory. It takes work,
talent... but then what? In terms of vocal technique,
Beyoncé was clearly gifted. But then, so are
many young singers. So how did she make it and become this icon of feminism anti-racism, the LGBT cause? Everything she represents today. Beyoncé knew how to exploit
her talent from childhood, thanks to her temperament,
maturity and unique personality. The former singer of Destiny's
Child was not simply born to be a star, or a champion of the oppressed, She just made sure
to become those things. This is the incredible story... ...of Beyoncé. Hi. My name is Beyoncé. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles. I don't know if I'm the
Queen of anything yet. I'm working towards that. This is Beyoncé
Giselle Carter-Knowles. She was born on September 4
1981, in Houston, Texas. Beyonce is the daughter
of Mathew Knowles, from Alabama, who
worked as a salesperson, and of Celestine Anne
Beyoncé, aka Tina, a bank employee born
in Galveston, Texas. The couple got married in 1980, less than two years before
Beyoncé's came into the world. A year after Beyoncé's birth,
and a little thanks to that, Tina found the courage to
quit her job to open Headliners, her own hair salon,
which was a huge success. The family then moves to
a wealthier neighborhood, in a big six-room house. On June 24, 1986, their second
daughter Solange Knowles was born, who you may know, because like her
older sister, she also became a singer. Oh, a small - but
important - digression: Beyoncé's first name is
also her mom's maiden name. Yup, it's weird. And at first, Beyoncé is not very
comfortable having a first name that is... a family name!? Just give me a first name, guys? But behind this strange
choice, there is a family history. Contrary to what we
often read on the internet, Tina did not change her family
name, "Beyincé" (with an i) to "Beyoncé" with an o to name her daughter. In a podcast, she explains
that her brother Skip ans she are the only members of
her family called Beyoncé. While all the others, including
her mother, are called Beyincé. So why? Well, the hospital did not
correctly spell her name at birth. Agnes Beyoncé, Tina's mother, and Beyoncé's grandmother
(are you following?) allegedly tried to
correct it, but they said: "You're lucky you even
have a birth certificate", implying that black people
do not usually have one. It is a good reminder that
the name "Beyoncé" with an o stems from... racial injustice. And those things were unfortunately
common in the southern states of the USA because the 1950s were
a period of segregation. But this isn't a history lesson. In addition, the name
"Beyoncé", with an acute accent, has a French origin. According to Tina, it was
not a mere negligence, but rather a deliberate
act to remove an heritage that society deemed
unworthy for her skin color. You may be wondering: why
does Beyoncé have a French name? Let's dive into her family tree. My daddy Alabama, Mama Louisiana, you mix that n****
with that creole make a Texas "bama"! Beyoncé is the
descendant of a Breton born at the end of the 18th
century, who then lived in Louisiana, former French colony in the US. Beyoncé has other French-speaking
ancestors, such as a military hero from Acadia, a region next to Quebec, and a baron from
Béarn, in the Pyreneans. All with French names. As for the name Beyoncé,
it popped on her family tree as Buyincé through her maternal
grandfather, Albert-Lumis Buyincé. Beyoncé has both creole and
French ancestry through her mother. That's it for her name. I know a lot of things
were said about it, not always true, so I wanted to set
the record straight. And to be honest, I know
you guys are chauvinistic, and that you love those
anecdotes. So here you go! What is less cool is that
she also has a slave ancestor. In other words, an ex-slave
owner married a slave. In an article in Vogue
magazine, Beyoncé said that she had done her own
research on her genealogy. And that she took the
time to digest the news. And that will heavily influence her texts, her music and even her visual themes
during her entire career. Beyoncé and Solange grew
up in a rather well-off family which was infused with music. Tina and Mathew are fans
of Barry White, Marvin Gaye, Motown music that
they sing at home. It's going to be a big
part of her childhood. She tried to dance before
even knowing how to walk. Beyoncé's my name! And it is precisely through dance
that Beyoncé took her first artistic steps. She went to St. Mary's, a Catholic primary school, where she learns
ballet as well as jazz. But it is a Michael
Jackson concert in 1986, to which she went
when she was only 5, which truly sealed her destiny. When I was 5 years old,
it was my first concert. And that night, I decided
exactly my purpose. He is the reason I do what I do. Because I would have never experienced
that magic if it wasn't for him. From then, her whole life
will revolve around music. She sells tickets
for shows she gives, with her sister, at home. Solange reports that Beyoncé
trained tirelessly in front of her mirror and this for hours. Like many little girls of
the same age, at that point. But unlike other little
girls, Beyoncé is rather shy. She was raised in
the Methodist tradition, which is a branch
of Protestantism. Beyoncé also sung
for her church choir but she is not as
comfortable as at home. D'Arlette Johnson, her dance
teacher, helped her gain confidence and explain to her parents that
their daughter has great potential. She hit a note, I
said "sing it again!" And she sang it, and when
her parents came to pick her up, I said she can sing,
you know she can sing. "Oh yeah, she sings in the house..." No! She can sing, she really can sing! D'Arlette believes
so much in her that she pushes her parents to register
the 7 years-old to young talent contests. Beyoncé is very nervous on stage, it's normal, she's only 7, she truly shocks everyone. Even her parents are
baffled by her performance. We were looking at each
other, Tina and I, saying: "This can't be
Beyoncé, our child!" I said that there is something special
about Beyoncé when it comes to music. There is something
special when she performs. She asked me backstage
if I'd sign something for her. But frankly, I think I better get
her to sign something for me now before she starts charging for it. In total, Beyoncé will
participate in about 30 contests and win them all. Her parents support her because on
stage, their daughter can truly be herself. And then her life as a child goes on.
Her parents buy her a karaoke machine. And then, as it is not enough, in 1989, they hire a vocal
coach, David Lee Brewer, international opera tenor. This guy actually lived in an
apartment above the Knowles' garage! The first time David
heard Beyoncé's voice, when she was only 8, he said: I looked at her and I said, "you are going to be the
biggest star in the world." And she went... "hihihi!" And that was the beginning
of our work together. Like many parents who are very
invested in their children's success, we know that it can go too far. Take it with a grain of salt, But in his book, her
vocal coach Brewer tells that Beyoncé's mom
commented on everything she ate and ordered her to do
abs reps every evening, reminding her of the sacrifices she
had to make to become a music star. And all that is nothing compared
to how her father was involved. Here we goooo! Coach daddy How do you feel as a parent? I'm very proud. Not only of my
daughter but all the girls. They work extremely hard, it's a commitment to do this. At school, Beyoncé goes to
make friends with Latavia Roberson. The two will participate in an
audition to form a girl's band. And both succeed in the test. At 9 years old, they join the group
Girls Tyme with two other pre-teens. And from the beginning, Beyoncé is treated
as the pillar and the main singer of the crew. Soon after, Beyoncé meets Kelly Rowland,
another young girl passionate about singing. And because of family problems, Kelly often finds shelter
in the Knowles family, and even moves to
their home for a while. She calls Mathew,
Beyoncé's father, dad. and Beyoncé and she
call each other cousins. It was only natural she
would join Girls Tyme. But in 1993,
something goes wrong. The group suffered their
first defeat in Star Search, the biggest talent show of the time. The judges give Champion... 4 stars, a perfect score! The challenger Girl's Tyme receives... 3 stars! Champion wins again! Today, the show is known
for making future stars lose: Justin Timberlake,
Usher, Christina Aguilera, Aliyah, Britney Spears... Take it from me: they
really suck at scouting! Maybe you need to lose in this
show to have an actual future! But the group is pumped up and Beyoncé's dad,
now co-manager, decides to make
them work without rest. And it ends up working, as the crew does the opening
act of popular R&B groups. In parallel, the father decides to
reduce the group down to 4 girls with Beyoncé, Kelly, Latavia and
their last recruit, LeToya Luckett. Girls Tyme practices at Headliners,
Tina's hairdressing salon, Mathew even sets up a bootcamp so they can practice
dancing and singing. Beyoncé's father is going
to take all this very seriously, as in 1995, he quit his job to
become their full-time manager, while trying to get them
a contract with a label. His resignation will put his family
in a very tough financial situation. Beyoncé's parents are
forced to live in different flats, making their
couple issues worse. In 1996, on Tina's advice, they choose their definitive name: Destiny's Child. A name inspired by the Hebrew
Bible and the Old Testament. Beyoncé and the Destiny's Child. In 1997, the band signs
at Columbia Records, one of the biggest American record
labels, known for names such as Celine Dion, Mariah Carey,
Daft Punk, Adele, etc. From then, it's really quick. The same year, their very first
official song as Destiny's Child, Killing Time, is included in the original sound
track of the first Men In Black movie. Then there was another single, which was quite successful
in the USA and the UK, and in 1998, their first album: Destiny's Child. This album reached 67th
place on the Billboard 200 the ranking of the
best-selling US albums, so it's a really nice start. But it is truly with their
album The Writing on the Wall that their success
became worldwide. The album is ranked 5th, and their very first n°1 singles,
Bills Bills Bills and Say My Name, are played all around the world. There is one big problem though: LaTavia and LeToya suspect
Beyoncé's dad, Mathew Knowles, of messing with money and
favoring Kelly and his daughter. They look for another manager and Beyoncé's
dad doesn't like it. So... he fires them! You can tell the dad wants
to keep control. The two girls learned about being fired
with the release of the clip of Say My Name, in which they were
replaced by two new singers, Farrah Franklin and of
course, Michelle Williams. LeToya and LaTavia
are credited for singing, ... but they're not in the clip! And they learn it by
watching the clip, thinking: "what the hell, who are they?!" And Destiny's Child's issues go on, as Farrah Franklin ends up
leaving a few months later, due to the negativity
within the group. This is reminiscent of this live performance,
where Beyoncé has the main character syndrome. Okay, not very nice of her. It shows the end
of a team's spirit. End of 2000, the group
has reached its final form, with trio Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly
Rowland and Michelle Williams. Through this troubled period,
the group's results are good as The Writing on the Wall
sells more than 11 million copies. Not bad for a group that looks
like a summer job for some. In October 2000, the
girls release a new single for an American
blockbuster, Charlie's Angels. Featuring, among
others, Cameron Diaz. The single is ranked first in the
US from November to January 2001. It was a record this year, but also in the entire
Destiny's Child career. Be patient, there'll
be other records. The press sees in Independent Woman
a hymn to women's empowerment. And for the clip, it's really
fitting that the group is now a trio, because of the obvious
parallel between the band the 3 heroines of the film. It is clear from
Beyoncé's 1st verse: She refers to
singles Bills Bills Bills Except this time, it's Beyoncé,
not her boyfriend, who pays her bills. Already at this time, the singer is involved in
the writing of almost all Destiny's Child songs. and co-produces a lot of them. The other members were also credited
on the lyrics of The Writing on the Wall, but no longer in the next album, as
Beyoncé will take complete control. But before talking about this album, let's
remind that 2001 was huge for the band: as the Destiny's Child
won their first two Grammys for Say My Name, including
that of the best song of R&B. Oh God! I can't believe we're
winning a Grammy, ladies! Their career is going smoothly, but you have to remember
the social context. In the early 2000s, the place of black women is
still a concern for the industry. They are not represented,
have less opportunities, have to make twice the effort to
reach the same level as others. This isn't news. For example, a well-known fact is that all fashion
houses at the time refused to dress Beyoncé
and the girls for their clips whereas Britney
Spears, Spice Girls, etc. have no problem associating
themselves to brands. So, as an independent woman, Beyoncé's mother and her uncle designed, sewed and
made the girls' stage outfits. I wanted to be a
little more glamorous, and my mom was like,
let's do an old 40s suit. So she designed it
and this on our line... Of course, it's amazing to work as a family,
it's authentic, it's cute. But when you read between the lines, you realize that it was
out of necessity, not choice. On April 25, 2001, the group
released its third album, Survivor. The main single is a hit is similar to Independent Woman. Beyoncé allegedly
wrote most of Survivor during a flight for a concert as the
opening act of Christina Aguilera. She explains that the song talks
about what survival means for women, and how difficult it is to be one when
some people try to bring you down. It echoes what we just said. Beyoncé also refers to the recent problems within the
group and their media consequences, and more broadly, to all the
criticisms they have received, and how they managed to
overcome them on their own. The imagery of the clip is in
keeping with Independent Woman. The 3 women are
survivors of a shipwreck, and are depicted like true
amazons on a deserted island. We already feel that through her
music, she wants to convey messages, that nothing is left to chance
because she has things to say. On the same album,
we also have Nasty Girl, which also has a clip. Surprisingly, Nasty Girl defends women's
rights to dress sexy, while remaining classy. With hindsight, it could be the
reproduction of the patriarchy's codes rather than an emancipation, but let's stop debating
and pretending: Beyoncé is only 20 years old. The feminist and
modern Beyoncé we know is not born yet. Beyoncé Only. In parallel with Survivor,
the three singers, pushed by Beyoncé's father, have started to develop
their first solo projects. Michelle Williams releases
her first gospel album in 2002. On her side, Kelly Rowland sings
the first single of a Destiny's Child outside the group, thanks
to a featuring on a Nelly song. As for Beyoncé... ... nothing yet. She starts playing in movies. First in 2001, in musical TV
show Carmen: A Hip Hopera, but especially in her
role of Foxxy Cleopatra in comedy Austin Power: God Member. Comedy for which she also recorded
her first solo song, Work It Out. So, officially, we can say that Beyoncé's
solo career has just started. We have to mention it, but it is then that Beyoncé
has a decisive encounter: I'm talking about Shawn Corey
Carter, better known as Jay-Z. There is a lot of different
information on the exact dates of their first meeting,
their first flirt, etc. because the two stars waited several
years before revealing their relationship. Beyoncé is still a
teenager at the time, and the rapper is 12
years older than her. Something Beyoncé's
dad really isn't fond of! In the magazine Seventeen,
Beyoncé confessed they met in 1999,
when she was barely 18, on the occasion of her
duo I Got That with Amil, a rapper who was Jay-Z's
protégée at the time. Jennifer Lopez always looks great. Rihanna's been looking beautiful. Let me think of a guy... Jay-Z? He looks pretty good! Looks pretty good. Ok, enough of him! As for Jay-Z, he
mentions their appearance in the MTV Spring
Break Festival in Cancun, as one of their
first real meetings. Anyway, it's not a scoop. Those two obviously
like each other a lot, and this is the beginning
of a long relationship. Beyoncé first appears on
Jay-Z's single Bonnie & Clyde, where, thanks to Kanye
West's advice, they do a cover of Me and My Girlfriend, by Tupac. Originally, Tupac's "girlfriend"
is a metaphor for his gun, but with Jay-Z and Beyoncé, the reference to the gangster
couple takes a whole new meaning now that we know
the rest of their story. Anyway. The year is now 2003, and
things are getting serious. Everybody has heard that song. A month later, it is featured on Beyoncé's
first solo album, Dangerously In Love. With more than 6 million
sales, just in the US, it remains to this day one of the
most popular singles of Beyoncé. The song is also a
huge critical success, being cited among the best songs of
the 2000s by many music newspapers, like Pitchfork, ranking it 4th, or NME and Rolling Stone, which even ranked
it at first place. Rolling Stone, hugely
important in the US, wrote in 2021 that Crazy In Love
was one of the 20 best songs of all time. A pretty good achievement
for a solo debut, in my humble opinion! But it also places the bar
very high for what comes next. Dangerously In Love will
meet those expectations, as the album sold nearly
11 million copies worldwide, with other giga popular
singles, like Naughty Girl, and of course, the hit of
summer 2003, Baby Boy. To this day, it still is Beyoncé's
best-selling solo album. Then, things go very fast. She sings the American
Anthem at the Super Bowl, in her hometown of Houston. It's no small feat. Then she takes the Grammys
by storm, thanks to her album. This is unbelievable. Performing was enough for me. I'm so honored, I want to thank the Grammys
for giving me this wonderful opportunity. This is my 1st
record as a solo artist. She wins no less than 5 rewards. Let's set up a Grammy
counter in the top right! Along with Lauryn Hill, Alicia
Keys or Norah Jones, she enters the very closed circle of female
artists who won as many awards during a single ceremony. So now that Beyoncé
achieved success solo, everyone was like: "yeah
so she's dating Jay-Z, she keeps flexing, no recognition for her old
friends, what terrible world, blabla. Then out of the blue,
while being criticized, Beyoncé reunited with Kelly Rowland and
Michelle Williams to release, in November 2004, their last album
as Destiny's Child. Their main single:
Lose My Breath. As a reference to their
name and incredible career, the album is called Destiny Fulfilled. Quick translation for you! Each of them had solo success, Beyoncé more than the others, but symbolically, it's
like a completed mission. They go on a farewell tour, in Asia, in Australia,
in North America, then they release a best-of
and one last live album, Live in Atlanta, after which they announced
that they split, this time for good. The end of an era. In 2005, Beyoncé
and her mother Tina, who had been making, the costumes
of the Destiny's Child for years, launch their common clothing
line project, House of Deréon. The brand has a spectacular start in
Oprah Winfrey's ultra popular show. We're about to see for the 1st time Beyoncé's and Tina's new fashion. You might recognize
Beyoncé's first two models, come on out! Then, it begins. Beyoncé sings, in French, the
Oscar-winning song from "Les choristes" Not sure what to do with
this, just letting you know. In 2006, Beyoncé appears in
two new roles in the cinema: Pink Panther, where
she plays popstar Xania, and in Dreamgirls a feature film inspired by cult
Motown band: The Supremes. B'Day In 2006, Beyoncé finally
releases her second album. It is entitled B'Day, (and not bidet!) because it's out
on September 4th, her 25th birthday. Twenty-five... The album is carried by
her biggest hit, Irreplaceable. The title holds the record of
the number of weeks in first place for a song by Beyoncé, in solo. And among all her singles, it comes right behind Independent
Woman, part 1 by Destiny's Child, which lasted for 11 weeks. It is about a breakup
with an unfaithful man but without the usual drama. The story of this song is Beyoncé kicking out her ex, saying there are plenty of fish in
the sea, so get out of my house. Basically. In this song, we also find the
theme of financial autonomy. It goes even further as Beyoncé
completely reverses the stereotypes. She is the rich one,
taking care of her ex. At this point, she
already has her own approach to
relationships with men. She never feels sorry for herself, but wants to highlight her strength and her
ability to move forward. The clip also shows for
the first time Shugamama, a female-only band
accompanying Beyoncé in her album but also during her tour in
2007, The Beyoncé Experience. The message is clear: women
can make it without men. But Irreplaceable is not
the only title about infidelity. There's also Ring The Alarm, the second extract of B-Day. Those clues are
starting to raise attention and people start wondering
if Beyoncé is actually talking... ...about Jay-Z. Rumors in 2005 even
mentioned Rihanna, and Beyoncé being
allegedly jealous because remember, the
young singer works with Jay-Z. But Beyoncé, interviewed
at the time by New York Mag, denies any allusion to Jay-Z
in her songs about infidelity. She declares: "I'm not going through
that in my life right now, but I have before." "And I wanted to make a record
that women could relate to." At the time, a lot of
people couldn't imagine that singers can
tell you a story, it's not always
about their life. But people are not convinced. They're like: "yeah,
it's all and act and stuff!" When in fact, she did go
through that with her ex, Lyndall. Others songs join
Beyoncé's feminist repertoire. like Sugamama, also
the name of a song, inspired by the funk,
rock and soul of the 60s. The following year, Beyoncé continues to
write her legend by becoming the 1st woman to win the International
Artist Award of Excellence, at the American Music Awards, one of the 3 most important
musical ceremonies in the USA, with the Grammys and
the Billboard Music Awards. I'm so blessed to wake up every morning. I love you too. I agree that we in France are
not very familiar with these awards. And to show the level of
recognition that it represents, among the five only artists
who won this award before her, are Michael Jackson,
or Led Zeppelin. It's a pretty good sign. On top of this, B'Day, as its predecessor, wins the Grammys
for best R&B album. The life and death of Sasha Fierce. On April 4, 2008,
Beyoncé marries Jay-Z. They never really talked
publicly about their couple life. Obviously, they have
a discreet wedding in one of Jay-Z's apartments. Obviously, Kelly Rowland
and Michelle Williams are invited and obviously, Beyoncé wears yet
another dress made by her mother. So, something down to earth. And finally, because these are very, very, very,
very simple, down-to-earth people, they still bring 70,000
Thailand orchids for the ceremony because it's
Beyoncé's favorite flower. I think it's funny. Simplicity, but in a very big amount. The star also releases her third opus,
which is once again number one in the USA. And for good reason: I Am Sasha Fierce,
as it's called, includes two of the biggest
hits of her entire career. The album is
divided into two parts. I Am, which is a collection of ballads
with folk and pop rock elements, and Sasha Fierce, the most rhythmic part,
in a style between electro and urban music. But apart from a few singles, the press gives the
album the cold shoulder. One interesting thing though: I Am is supposed to represent
the personality of Beyoncé, the real Beyoncé, that
of everyday life, etc. The one her audience does
not know too much about. And then there's Sasha Fierce, a character she
created, her alter ego. To go into more detail, Sasha Fierce is a kind of
a sexy, confident alter ego. Beyoncé says she created this
alter ego at the time of Crazy in Love to overcome stage fright. Because she remains a shy
person, who hates talking in public, and once on stage, it's like
the alter ego that she created takes control. Well... I guess if we keep on
practicing and practicing and we keep on performing,
every time we get better and the stage fright
just fades away. In an interview for the
magazine Seventeen, she says: "I've been grunge,
preppy, haute-couture, I got kinds of haircuts, I always try new things, but lately, I've decided
to be who I am I really am. I wear my hair straight
without any extensions less makeup, not false eyelashes, just pure and honest me. I guess the more confident and
comfortable you are with yourself, the more you have the
courage to reveal yourself. The first album, I Am, is therefore a first
step in her personal and artistic evolution, and the character of Sacha
Fierce still serves as a justification to her identity as a pop star counterbalancing the more
vulnerable side of I Am. But then, she's trying to move
away from her public image to start being herself. And this is going to be a
decisive change in her career. Her 2009 year is mainly
marked by a huge tour: 110 dates across all continents, the I am World Tour, which
would bring in nearly $ 140 million. And once again, Beyoncé is a
perfectionist, almost to a fault. She double-checks
every part of the show. Costumes, lighting... Some said that every evening,
she would watch her performance for 6 months, to
improve it constantly. It gives you an idea of who she is: because she's such a perfectionist, the more her shows are unforgettable, writing her legend and lore too. Then, she becomes more
and more of a pop culture staple she does commercials for... water!? And sings for the Inaugural
Ball of Barack Obama. Yup, that's right. So, a very wide spectrum. OK, funny anecdote time! She sings At Last by Etta James, a singer she would later
play in movie Cadillac Records, in 2008. I thought it was
pretty cool reference. The same year, The Guardian
describes her as the "artist of the decade". Yup! It could have ended here, and we'd be all like
"ah ok, pretty neat, cool!" But it doesn't end here. February 2010. Beyoncé announces
in an interview that she's gonna kill her
character, Sasha Fierce. Sasha Fierce is done. She's over? I don't know, I killed her. - Really?
- Yes. But... why? It's a
shame, you just... People just got the whole
character thing... and you kill it? When she says she's
killing it, it's a symbol, because she never really did. If you read between the lines, She's now grown up
enough and gained confidence to just be Beyoncé. Even if the fans will say that a small
part of Sasha Fierce always remains, etc. And then, after her
tour, she is exhausted. She gave it her all, worked like crazy... She needs to rest now! And she's right. She should! My life was award shows and... tour buses and hotels... After I finished the last tour, I was... a bit overwhelmed and overworked. And my mother was the person that preached to me and almost harassed me! During her year off, she
still does a thing or two. She shoots a clip in
Rio with Alicia Keys, which will never come out. And then, she's
also featured on... a minor, small-time song...
what was the name already? We may not all have the
same definition of an "off-year." Hers is kind of off-year
that's... kind of profitable. She keeps riding the wave with a new consecration for her. This same year, she destroy the female record
of Grammys, obtained in only one ceremony, which she held since 2004,
in equal terms with Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, or even
Amy Winehouse, by winning no less than 6
trophies with 10 nominations. Only Adele would
later equal her in 2012. That's it for her
sabbatical year, finally. I wouldn't have
done the same year. And Queen B becomes Queen B On March 28, 2011, Beyoncé parts way with her
manager, her father Mathew Knowles, managing her career
since the beginning. I do plan on producing and in the future, I plan on hopefully, getting my own record
company and my own production company. Managing like my dad. He manages us, and he does a great job. I love you, dad. She doesn't clearly state the
reasons behind the decision, they're easy to guess. 1st of all, he is having a
divorce after cheating on his wife. Fun times in the Knowles family! 2nd of all, Beyoncé is now at the head of
an empire with hundred millions of dollars. 3rd of all, Beyoncé is now 30. Time for her to
emancipate from daddy. It's an important change, a turning point for her
and her new ambitions. It's what she said in
an interview in 2009 with The Guardian: "At first, I was doing everything for the
band to reach half a million sales. Now, I want to create something that
I will be proud of in 20, 30, 40 years." Something that will last beyond me. The things that used to
excite me just don't any more. I'm always trying
to challenge myself." This constant need to
push her creative limits is gonna be her new
leitmotiv, maybe even the definition, the motivation of
the rest of Beyoncé's career. On June 24, 2011, Beyoncé releases her
fourth album, simply called "4". It's both the number of the
album and her favorite number. A dumb favorite number: born on the 4th,
married on the 4th... Superstition, basically! "4" is quite important and can be
considered as a transition album. It contains the premises of what
will really make Beyoncé evolve, from a mere pop star to an artist, still popular, but also very
successful critically. The opus marks the transition
into a new musical style. It's the beginning of the 2010s and old-school RnB, with this very specific vibe
from the 90s and early 2000s, is starting to be a
little out of fashion. Beyoncé could have
just followed the trend, but she will try, as she says, to incorporate a lot more live
instruments in her new songs in order to create
her own kind of music. The singer is inspired
by all kinds of music. According to her, it's neither
R&B nor classic pop, nor rock, but a mix of all the musical
genres that she loves. Among her
inspirations, she quotes Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Fela Kuti, and, as always, Michael Jackson. In this approach, the press
obviously acclaims her album still seen today as the best ever by Beyoncé, at
least according to the press, etc. while it is the one
with the worst sales. Once again, statistics
are cool and all. They set a context,
help you explain success, quantify the unquantifiable... But critical successes hold more
importance than commercial successes. And so, there she
goes into another loop, another sphere, and perfects her art. The singles either do not rank
as well as the previous ones, despite this really emblematic
song, a true testimony of her commitment for the
cause of women, Run the World. For Kevin Allred,
author of this book, Sasha Fierce may
be officially "dead", but her aura and energy remain
in Beyoncé's political messages. Once again, the lyrics convey
the idea of empowerment and incite all women
to be independent. Beyoncé celebrates both women and, as we have already said,
her Texan and African roots. The representation of black cultures also
becomes an important element for her. In Run the World, it is shown through a very famous
choreography created by Tofo Tofo. Tofo Tofo is a trio of
Mozambican dancers that Beyoncé found on... YouTube. She was struck by their footwork, this unique way they
had of moving their feet. Beyoncé invited them especially
for the shooting of the clip. I had every dancer,
every choreographer, every really talented,
talented dancer, trying to do the dance, but they just couldn't
do it like Tofo Tofo. So with 4 and Run the World Beyoncé's work
reaches a new milestone for the rest of her career. It's not only the lyrics, but
also the music and visuals now all serve the
singer's agenda. Her clips now look
more like short films with storytelling, concepts,
cultural and historical references, and several symbols. 2011 is also the year where she receives, perhaps,
the most prestigious prize of her entire career. She receives from
her mother's hands at the Billboard Music Awards, the "Artist of the
Millennium" award. I respect it, it's deserved... But, "millennium"? For real? Isn't that a bit much? THE artist, over
a thousand years. What is that?! Someone vouched for
that name, that's crazy! One possible explanation: it's the first
time that Billboard delivers this award. Only Whitney Houston and Britney
Spears would later be awarded it. Beyoncé then does a revolutionary
performance of Run the World completely redefining
her approach to live music. For her first collaboration with New
York graphic agency Think Breath Live, the artist dances in
perfect synchronization with digital copies of herself
projected on a giant screen. In the room, it's a standing ovation. No one has ever seen
something like that. The message is clear: Beyoncé
has become the new Queen of Pop, and she still has a
long reign ahead of her. Beyoncé at the top of her game 2012 starts off with a happy
event for Queen B and Jay-Z. On January 7th, Blue Ivy -
their first child - was born. Beyoncé had unveiled
her pregnancy last year at the MTV Music Awards at the end of a now
famous performance where she rubbed her
belly to announce the news. Blue Ivy's birth goes very well. Nothing out of the
ordinary about her birth... ...in a New York maternity ward
that was privatized for $1.3 million. Can we think about
the info for 5 seconds? "I want the whole
maternity ward for me!" "Actually, I don't want to
see other people, madam." "But we can't do that, other
women might give birth..." "Then they should
give birth tomorrow." The release of her fifth album will take the music
industry by storm. The album's title is very simple: Beyoncé in pink letters
on a black background. will shock both the industry and the fans, in a good way. First, the album launches totally by
surprise on December 13th on iTunes Store. The goal was initially to keep
it a secret until the last moment, because of the leaks
of her previous album, one month before
its official release. Beyoncé explains that for
her, listening to an album should go back to
being a true experience, like it was for Michael
Jackson's Thriller. Now, people only listen a few
seconds of a song on their AirPods and they're no longer
invested in an entire album. People don't make
albums anymore. They don't make albums. They just try to sell a bunch of
little quick singles and they burn out and they put out a new
one and they burn out, and put out a new one. People don't even listen
to a body of work anymore. At the time, it
became both an artistic and a marketing move,
a very novel one at that. It may seem mundane today, but it's a good reminder that
some people always initiate things. Then, the singer releases 17
videos at once to go with the songs. The goal is to tell a story. And finally, she releases
the album on a Friday. According to journalist
Taylor Crampton, she wants people to listen on the
weekend, to enjoy the full experience. It's as simple as that but
you had to think about it. Once again, it has a huge
impact on the whole industry. She changed the disc
industry by accident, forcing them to postpone
albums' release dates, usually set on Tuesdays. Just like that. Her strategy was
such a game changer, she's a total boss. That's what I like about her! The release of this album generates
more than 1 million tweets in half a day. More than 1 million
sales in the first week. Remember: that's 2012 Twitter! I'm old enough to tell
you that these numbers, in 2012, are enormous. She also enjoyed critical success. Beyoncé definitely
enters the legend, and her album is cited
among the best of the 2010s by tons of music magazines like Pitchfork, Stereogum,
Billboard or Rolling Stone, The latter ranks it at the 81st
place for best album of all times. On the musical side, there
are new influences, like trap which was all the rage
in rap music at the moment. But there are also
electronic influences, as well as alternative RnB, with more complex structures
than the usual verse/chorus model. She experiments way more, laying the foundations
of her future albums. As far as lyrics go,
feminist tropes are still there, she reflects on beauty
standards, or couple issues. The song Flawless uses a
sample from a 2001 TED conference, entitled We Should
All Be Feminist. We say to girls: You can have ambition,
but not too much. We say to girls: You can have
ambition, but not too much. It echoes perfectly
with Beyoncé's journey, who did the opposite and
fought in order to get there. This very autobiographic song also contains an excerpt from Girl's Tyme! at Star Search. And maybe we don't care, but I kinda like this anecdote. In short, this self-title
is a total work of art, it is the final proof of the artistic
independence Beyoncé now enjoys. Even the biggest pop stars usually have to respect
their labels' plannings. But she can decide
to drop her album without marketing, releasing 17 clips all at once. In 2013, Beyoncé
participates again in two national events: Obama's inaugural
for his second term, where she sings the
American anthem, but also Superbowl half-time where she sings Independent Women and
Single Ladies with her Destiny's Child buddies. In this performance, she dances on a giant LED screen along her digital clones, with graphics again handled
by Think, Breathe, Live. Ultimate proof of her status: Forbes Magazine ranks her 17th among
the most powerful women in the world Lemonade In June 2014, as she just finished one of the
most lucrative world tours of all time with no less than 130 concerts, Beyoncé continues with a
new series of 21 concerts for the On The Run Tour. This time around,
she duos with Jay-Z, their last concert was
in Stade de France with Nicki Minaj as a guest star. In total, both tours earned
her almost 340 million dollars. But this isn't even her most
memorable show this year! Rather, it was the
MTV Music Awards, where her feminist
speech had a major impact. You should aim to be
successful, but not too successful. Otherwise you would
threaten the Man. Feminist. If we put it in its context, a speech like this at that time, was like freeing words
that were untold until then. And the way she does it shows her unmatched fervor. The word is written in
giant, luminous letters, with the speech of
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the TED talk chick from the sample in Flawless. It will allow to put forward the
feminine cause as never before, and have a huge impact on the evolution
of the movement in the following years. After the use
of digital visuals, it is another major turning point
in the way she thinks her shows. From now on, they will be
as political as her albums. After another full year, Beyoncé
wins 3 new Grammys in 2015, but does not win best album! Given the praise of both
the press and the public, many people are
in utter disbelief, and especially... Kanye West. February 6, 2016. Beyoncé reveals the most
striking clip of her entire career Formation. It is filled with many symbols
and cultural references, but overall, the video
and lyrics of the song address the struggle of black women for
emancipation, recognition of their talent, and their quest
for social justice. Beyoncé urges women to gather,
and to coordinate as a resistance group. The clip translates and
aestheticizes this military metaphor with an extremely
precise choreography, set in a flooded New Orleans where a left-out community and
prone to police violence, tries to survive after the
passing of Hurricane Katrina. Formation references all of
Beyoncé's fights in a single storytelling, from the celebration
of her mixed roots, the duty of remembrance
to her enslaved ancestors, also including feminist
and queer struggles, and obviously the Black
Lives Matter movement. But Beyoncé went even further,
reinterpreting the single one day after its release, at the Super Bowl, alongside
Bruno Mars and Coldplay. She comes with a
huge troupe of dancers, dressed as Black Panthers, this
revolutionary movement from the 60s, who fought for the rights
of African Americans. A bold take, as we know that Super Bowl is well-loved
by nationalists and conservatives alike, and that most performances
are rather bland, because... ...there were too many scandals. I made a video about the Super
Bowl, if you want to learn more. As you can imagine, Formation
triggered a lot of reactions saying that, yes, it encouraged
hatred against the police, because of the show, in the middle of the Black
Lives Matter movement, etc. Beyoncé received her share of
criticism for it, but you know her. Among civil rights advocates, some also thought that Beyoncé
exploited and aestheticized the suffering of African
American populations, and victims of Hurricane
Katrina, for financial purposes. Today, this performance is the
most viewed Super Bowl show ever. On April 23rd, only a week after the
announcement of a mysterious project on HBO, she releases her new
visual album, Lemonade. where Formation comes from. Lemonade uses the same
themes than the single: activism and the celebration
of African American cultures, especially from
the south of the US. And she will continue
to experiment. Lemonade is a surprise,
with new musical influences, like blues, country, rock, americana, or gospel. And this southern atmosphere
is felt in particular in clips like Daddy Lessons, where
Beyoncé is on horseback again, the duos with Kendrick Lamar,
The Weeknd, and of course, rocker Jack White. And the choice of
blues has a meaning. It is the historical
musical genre in the US to tell the traumas of the
African American community. Beyoncé is inspired by musicians
like Shug Avery, Bessie Smith, or even Sister Rosetta Tharpe. All to tell the experience
of black women. But above all, Lemonade
speaks of infidelity. This sentence in particular triggers media and public reactions: Even if a co author
of the song denies it, there are almost no more
doubts about Jay-Z's affairs. Especially as old rumors
emerged in May 2014 with a leak which
made a huge buzz, images of Solange
on a security camera (Beyoncé's sister) getting angry at Jay-Z
in a hotel elevator during the Met Gala, after they walked
the steps together. Jay-Z even talked
about it in his song: Kill Jay-Z. All this storytelling
in Lemonade makes it the most
personal album by Beyoncé. The album is so praised that Formation becomes
the most awarded album ever even more than Michael
Jackson's Thriller. Rolling Stone Magazine says it's the best clip of all time. I could not have done
this without you guys. I dedicate this award to
the people of New Orleans. Sometimes, it's better
not to say anything. Just a short silence,
and you're like... fuck! Family Business End of the suspense,
Jay-Z confesses. Their marriage almost blew up, but it didn't and they
decided to start over. Beyoncé also had health problems
during her second pregnancy, but after that tough period, the Carter family gets
bigger on June 13, 2017, with the birth of their
twins, Sir and Rumi. They get on well better: the two lovers start
a new tour together, in 2018, On The Run Tour 2. A few days after the
1st concert, they release Everything is Love, their first joint album,
under the name The Carters. A project that has
matured over several years, and a real therapy
for the couple. They also release the clip of
Ape Shit, shot in the Louvre, once again filled with activist
symbols and artistic references, It's such an unique
artistic approach! There's nothing else like that. But that's not Beyoncé's
biggest news this year. It's rather her
presence at Coachella, Coachella thanks for allowing
me to be the 1st black woman to headline Coachella. She delivers two performances
for the black cause, in front of more
than 125,000 people, and notably, she sings that: which is considered an anthem of
the freedom for African Americans. This 2019 concert-show has its own Netflix documentary, and its own live album. Homecoming, as it is called, is said to be one of the best lives
and musical documentary of all time. Yup, yup. I don't want to sound rude but I think we get it. Everything she does can't
and won't be surpassed. We need someone like that... ... that's Beyoncé. Renaissance Time goes by, she's less present (with
her children, her life, etc.) compared to her early
career, the rhythm goes down. We're in June 2022. Beyoncé announces a new album. Its first single Break My Soul becomes number one in the USA, and Beyoncé becomes one
of the only 3 artists in history with Paul McCartney and
Michael Jackson, to get at least
20 top 10 in solo and 10 with her
band, Destiny's Child. The song changes things
up with its musical influences: pop dance and 80s, 90s house music, used by Afro and
LGBT communities. The lyrics evoke the idea
of empowerment again, particularly against
exploitation in the workplace. a libertarian vibe
that is deliberate, because the single comes
out during COVID 19, and more particularly during a massive resignation
from work in the USA, called The Great Resignation. Break My Soul uses
a sample from that: Big Freedia is a
non-binary artist who already
appeared in Formation. People get confused by if I I'm "he" or "she". This artist is from the
bounce music scene, a queer and underground
sub-genre of hip-hop, and guess where it was
born and popularized? New Orleans, Louisiana. Yup. With all those details, you realize how
rich the work is. The album seeks to show
black cultures and music, and to give their creations
the praise they deserve. There won't be any clip for
the project. No visuals either. Maybe she didn't
like her clips anymore, because we know
that she shot some. It's all about details and Beyoncé is a perfectionist, so if something isn't perfect,
then she doesn't release it. That's how I see it. The singer will
dedicate her album to all of the pioneers
who originate culture, the fallen angels whose
contributions were unrecognized for far too long. She also dedicated
it to her cousin, her sister's gay son, who died of HIV and who
she nicknamed "Uncle Johnny". Renaissance has a lot
of cultural references. In the song Alien Superstar, there is a sample of a speech by
writer and actress Barbara Hantier, founder of the National
Black Theatre in Harlem. We dress a certain way, we walk a certain way,
we talk a certain way, we paint a certain way, we make love a certain way. We can also note that the figure of the horse
is still used on the sleeve, disco-style this time, another tribute to
her native Texas. But it is also and above
all a direct reference to model Bianca Jagger, photographed riding
a live, white horse at Studio 54, a legendary club at the
end the 70s in Broadway, where minorities thrived and where many celebrities went. Despite the tribute
and the visibility that Renaissance
brings to queer culture, there'll be a controversy
about Beyoncé, of course... And for a reason. Before the release of the album, the singer agreed to sing
in a luxury hotel in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. A place that's not
LGBT-friendly at all: if you're gay in the UAE, you may face 14 years in
prison, or even death penalty. The controversy will not take away
her new success at the 2023 Grammy, because she still wins 4
trophies out of 9 nominations the ceremony's highest score. She now has 32 trophies and 88 nominations
throughout her career. Both are records in the
whole history of music. Of all time. It's good that we stopped
the trophy-o-meter. Because enough is enough. 32 Grammys! Quick maths: one Grammy, weighs 2.2kg. She has 70kg worth of Grammys! All of her Grammys
are heavier than me! Despite all these Grammys, there's one that's more
prestigious than the others. She loses again
in this category: Album of the Year,
against Harry Styles. Jay-Z didn't like it one bit. I don't wanna embarrass
this young lady, but she has more
Grammys than everyone and never won Album of the Year! So even by your own
metrics that doesn't work. Think about that, the most Grammys, never won Album of the
Year. That doesn't work. Some of you are going to go home tonight
and feel like you've been robbed. Some of you made it rob. Some of you don't belong in the category. No, when I get nervous I tell the truth. Cowboy Carter She had announced it: Renaissance was
the first act of a trilogy she imagined during
the confinement. This time, Cowboy Carter, and first single Texas Hold 'Em highlight a music
style typical of Texas: country music. This is not a surprise: Beyoncé
was already wearing cowboy hats for the promotional
pictures of Renaissance, and she has already used
this cowboy look before, as we mentioned
earlier, in Run the Wild. But what is interesting
and very new, is that she fights
established order, that claims that it's a
100% white musical genre, created and listened
only by rednecks the conservative rural
population of the south. Beyoncé, honey... You need to stop! How is that supposed
to be country? That Beyoncé bullshit
country song? B*tch please! In fact, many white country artists
in the beginning of the 20th century were influenced
by black artists, and History was rewritten, a lot. Once again, it's about giving
a community its culture back. For example, there's a band that influenced Beyoncé's album title and bears the same
name as Jay-Z and his wife: The Carter Family. A family of white musicians who inspired themselves from
African American guitarist Lesley Riddle and from songs by
black communities. Another link between
country and black music: banjo is itself a derivative of
West African instruments such as ekonting,
ngoni and xalam, imported to the
USA by slaves. According to Nicholas
Dawidoff and his book In the Country of Country, quoted by Olivier Lamm in his article
about Cowboy Carter on Libération, country served many purposes. Such as allowing poor
white people from the south to listen to the music
of black workers, while keeping their
distance with the class of poor black workers. This distance, would
lead, in the 1920s, to separate country
songs by white people and those by black people. Black music couldn't
be "country" anymore. Instead, people
talked of "race records." This is what is
called whitewashing, making African Americans
pioneers invisible, erasing their contribution
to country music from history. Beyoncé intends to correct
that with Cowboy Carter, like she already did with
Daddy Lessons on Lemonade. If you take Hank
Williams Sr. for example, he fused the blues
with country music. So it has a very inherently black inspiration in our genre, that
happened with the godfather of country music. So this started a
long, long time ago. It seems to be that we've gotten away
from that somewhere along the way. She gives the floor to new and old
country black artists, like Willie Jones, Linda Martell,
Tanner Adell or Brittney Spencer. But she also invites a legend of country
music, Dolly Parton, who sold more than
100 million albums, or Miley Cyrus. Beyoncé also does a cover of a
very engaged song for the black cause: Blackbird, by The Beatles, a beautiful rendition applauded
by... McCartney himself. Visually, the album sleeve not only echoes that of Renaissance, but has also been compared
to a lot of equestrian paintings. The horse itself might be
the most interesting symbol. It is a Lipizzan, a race whose coat goes from
black to white with the years. It is an obvious reference to pioneers of African-American
country being whitewashed. This kind of work, with different
ways to look at it, is an example of what
musical art can be. And yet, despite all
the efforts of Beyoncé to restore the truth, Cowboy Carter is controversial
among conservative radios and the music
industry of Nashville, the Mecca of country music, who think it's
cultural appropriation. But she doesn't give a shit, because her single,
Texas Hold 'Em, is n°1 in the country
charts in the US, so she doesn't care
about Nashville's opinion! What's next? Beyoncé's story
is that of an artist, who from the
beginning as a pop star, tried to make herself
heard and fight. At an age when most singers can
be manipulated by the star system, and obey the Majors at all cost, she wrote very mature songs about being an
African-American woman, and her determination
to fight at all costs. If you compare Beyoncé
to a random pop girl, you can think of a lot of names, who play along a lot more
with the industry's rules. Tell me who you're
thinking of in the comments! I want you to
debate, to disagree! Who are the really
terrible pop girls?! Of course I'm kidding a bit,
but I'm still gonna read you! I have 2 or 3 names. If you say it, I'll say it too. Beyoncé's lyrics resonate in all of her art. Her storytelling,
her concept albums her visuals, her costumes, he scenography of her shows, meant to be in stadiums, nothing is left to chance. All that thanks
to her creativity, her very hard work and her insane perfectionism. The results speak
for themselves: Beyoncé sold more
than 200 million records, albums, singles,
streaming combined, during her entire career, according
to the numbers reported by Billboard in 2022. Fun fact: Beyoncé is going to be
in a French dictionary! Beyoncé, definition: Ah, alright, wow! What's next, a street
with your name? Maybe a monument? Then the next step is being part of
history books at school! Being part of the timeline! But a dictionary,
that's not too bad! So what's next? Because... Beyoncé is still around! There's no use
guessing with Beyoncé. I'll live that to the fans, it's stimulating, she'll always surprise us because of her extreme
attention to details. We don't know a lot. We know there'll be a 3rd album
after Renaissance and Cowboy Carter because it's a trilogy. So here's the theory: Act 1 was house music, Act 2 country music, so Act 3 should be... rock music! Because it's also a musical style
from the afro-american culture. Doing this video, I learned
a lot about who Beyoncé is and why she is so respected: because she's respectable. In her career, she never
put herself on a pedestal, always made good choices, always did a lot for her own community, breaks records without
seeking attention. whether you like
her music or not, her career should
inspire all artists and all people who enjoy art. As a conclusion:
we're very lucky to live in an era where there
are still artists of such a caliber Let's enjoy it. I'm curious to see
the rock album now! Try to guess! Leave a comment, subscribe, like... I would like to thank
Saily for supporting us, well, me and my channel. My last words to
you: long live art, Long live music, take care and see you soon! The next story will be nice too! Hope you'll be there,
because it's gonna be just great!