“I had my ups and downs, but I always found the
inner strength to pull myself up. I was served lemons, but I made lemonade.”
These were the words of Hattie White, Jay Z’s grandmother, spoken to a crowd at
her 90th birthday party. Beyoncé seems to have assimilated this
philosophy into her sixth studio, and second visual effort, 'Lemonade', a
self-proclaimed journey of “self-knowledge and healing.”
Despite being one of the most influential artists of all time, very little is known about Beyoncé. She is renowned for her efforts of maintaining personal privacy: since joining Twitter in 2009, she has tweeted a grand total of nine times, her last face-to-face interview was several years ago, and her previous musical efforts have offered very little insight into her identity or ideologies. Her discography is one of sonically ambitious pop, but one that rarely demonstrates genuine vulnerability or emotion. 'Lemonade', however, is an anomaly. It is a benevolent, cathartic and authentic manifesto that invites listeners into the personal reality of a woman scorned.
Despite being one of the most influential artists of all time, very little is known about Beyoncé. She is renowned for her efforts of maintaining personal privacy: since joining Twitter in 2009, she has tweeted a grand total of nine times, her last face-to-face interview was several years ago, and her previous musical efforts have offered very little insight into her identity or ideologies. Her discography is one of sonically ambitious pop, but one that rarely demonstrates genuine vulnerability or emotion. 'Lemonade', however, is an anomaly. It is a benevolent, cathartic and authentic manifesto that invites listeners into the personal reality of a woman scorned.
“You can taste the dishonesty, it’s all over
your breath” she serenades on opening track, ‘Pray You Catch Me’, as she hopelessly
questions the fidelity of her partner. A notably minimalist affair, it
establishes the emotional intimacy that will act as the driving force for the
rest of the album. ‘Hold Up’ is a salacious dancehall jam, in which Beyoncé
pleads with her partner to acknowledge the love they share. Such pleads turn to
rage on ‘Don’t Hurt Yourself’, a trashing, unapologetic anthem featuring Jack
White (The White Stripes). “You ain’t married to no average bitch, boy” she
asserts before infamously providing her lover with his 'final warning', “if you
try this shit again, you gon’ lose your wife.” ‘Sorry’ trails, a defiant dismissal
of her lover’s attempts to reconcile their relationship.
Following these emotional indulgences comes a deep
introspection that defines the second half of the album. Beyoncé juxtaposes
the sultry R&B of ‘6 Inch’ with the Texas twang of ‘Daddy Lessons', as she
examines how her workaholic mentality and the childhood lessons from her father may have impacted her relationships. ‘Love
Drought’ is an airy plea to reinvigorate a relationship strained with
insecurity, whilst ‘Sandcastles’, an arresting ballad offering one of Beyoncé’s
most raw and accomplished vocal performances to date, explores the complexities
of marriage and its breakdown. ‘Forward’ sees her advancing onwards with her
partner, and ‘All Night’, a mid-tempo, reggae-tinged affair, closes the album’s
emotional journey with reconciliation, "how I missed you, my love". The remaining
tracks, ‘Freedom’ and ‘Formation’ are soulful power anthems which find Beyoncé
acknowledging and celebrating black culture.
Throughout 'Lemonade', Beyoncé glides
effortlessly through an array of musical and emotional stratospheres, encompassing
the various mentalities experienced during betrayal. The voyage we are
taken on, both lyrically and sonically, is never less than captivating. An empowering
exploration of love, womanhood, and race, Beyoncé has turned the most personal aspects
of her life into something universally accessible and relatable, whilst simultaneously
delivering her most cohesive, authentic and introspective effort to date.
10/10
LISTEN HERE
10/10
LISTEN HERE
