Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’: An Album With Sass

Beyoncé Knowles

“Lemonade”

Parkwood Entertainment LLC, under exclusive license to Columbia Records, a Division of Sony Music Entertainment

April 23, 2016

Genre: pop

Buy on iTunes for $17.99

The current queen of pop, Beyoncé Knowles, dropped her most recent album earlier this year without previously advertising a date we should expect that to happen. She released it on April, 23,2016 and it was titled, “Lemonade.” This pop album of songs also included a visual film just over and hour long.

Many theories about this album continue to be questioned, as there is no song on the album titled “Lemonade” but only references within the songs to that name. There are also many, many references that lead us to believe that this album was wrote in retaliation to an affair. Though nobody knows if this is in fact true, the album is still an amazing piece of work that was executed vocally very, very well. However, nothing less is ever expected from Beyoncé, AKA the “Queen Bee.”

As a 4-year member of the girls group, Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé released one album in 2001, also being the year that she branched off to be her own star without the other girls, Michelle Williamsand Kelly Rowland. Her solo career began and she now has a total of four live albums and six studio albums, and 65 singles. Not to mention all of her hits from leading roles such as in the movie, “Dream Girls,” of which she is part of a soundtrack album. All of her work is themed toward love, and girl power and strength. I literally cannot think of one song that does not fall into that category.

This album took a slight turn. While still falling into the same category of girl power and love, the entire album—like literally every single song—had references to cheating, lying, adultery, and wanting to end a relationship. As we know her husband since 2008, Jay Z, entrepreneur, producer and rapper, was suspected to have been talking to and/or seeing other women prior to this album being released. But nothing ever even came close to confirming this, so it is all still a mystery.

Beyoncé is a phenomenal vocalist; we all know that. This album was just another justification of that. She beautifully sang the entire album. Some were ballads with emotion and passion in her voice that not only vocally improved it, but made the audience feel it as well. The other more pop-like songs were executed well with fun stylistic aspects within them.

The Lemonade film was the highlight and most controversial part of this album. It was a shocking statement to everyone; fans and critics. It seemed as though she told us her story. I believe she told us her story. In one song, arguably the most emotional song of the album, “Sandcastles,” she talks about how she felt (supposedly) after her relationship was destroyed by this affair. With lyrics such as “And your heart is broken, ‘cause I walked away. Show me your scars, and a I won’t walk away. And I know I know I promised that I couldn’t stay, but every promise don’t work out that way.” It gets crazier, when Jay Z himself appears in this part of the film while she’s singing the song. If these speculations are true, he faced some serious humility by doing that.

There are other songs that have more emphasis on the cheating speculations such as the song, “Hold up,” which she opens her Lemonade film with. Some of the lyrics include, “Something don’t feel right, because it ain’t right, especially comin’ up after midnight. I smell your secret, and I’m not too perfect, to ever feel this worthless. How did it come down to this? Going through your call list…” and so on and so forth.

I loved this album. It had sass; she was telling this significant other that she is better than this and that she is a strong woman. She executed it in a vocal manner well and moved the audience in different ways making us feel both confidence and vulnerability throughout. Not only do I recommend this album to anyone, but for those who seek music as therapy for something like a breakup, this is your go to.