By Skylar Paxton
Image taken from That Grape Juice
Once again, the queen herself has created a masterpiece that everyone not only wanted but desperately needed – and she did so in the most Black and queer way possible.
When Renaissance was released on July 29, 2022, the world was given an album that exploded with booming and energetic sounds that made anyone listening to move freely and expressively. The songs are masterful in their uniqueness yet carry a warm nostalgia to the time of disco and classic house music. At the core of this album, however, is music that Black and queer people have and continue to create, sing, dance, and celebrate to.
In an emotional letter to her fans, Beyoncé writes how Renaissance is dedicated to all of the “fallen angels” of club culture, her family and her beloved Uncle Johnny who passed away from HIV. Back in 2019, she dedicated her GLAAD award to him and recalled how much of a “fabulous gay man” he was. Both her unconditional love for LGBTQ+ people and their music truly shows how Renaissance is not just an album but a love letter to the community.
Within this love letter is a purposefully crafted work of art that bubbles with high beats, glittering voices and booming confidence – all elements needed in queer house and disco music. Songs like “HEATED”, “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” and “PURE/HONEY” portals the listener to the dark corners of the club where ballrooms have created a vibrant space of expressive dance and vogue. This style of dance originates from the Harlem ballroom spaces where LGBTQ+ people created a safe haven of culture, activism, and art. One cannot imagine house and queer music without imagining this incredible form of stylistic dance.
“VIRGO’S GROOVE” and “CUFF IT” reminds listeners that disco is in fact alive and well and even groovier than before. It’s almost impossible to not move your hips and arms to the enticing sounds of these hits as they emit the energies of music from artists like Donna Summers, Diana Ross and Grace Jones.
In fact, alongside young Nigerian artist Tems, Jones herself is featured in the song “MOVE” after consistently rejecting collaborations from other pop artists in the past. Summers is also sampled in the album’s closing song “SUMMER RENAISSANCE”. The past of queer and disco icons lives and breathes through this album and calls back this incredible genre in a fantastical way.
Renaissance, however, was also created alongside these cultural queens with newer artists like Leven Kali and Sabrina Claudio. A fresh and new sound combined with grand music from the past makes this album a full circle of artistry and perfection.
As fans excitedly anticipate Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour and upcoming music videos for the songs, including myself, Renaissance continues to make hits everywhere while simultaneously transcending them. The album does so much more than just make everyone get up and dance their hearts out but it uplifts and celebrates Black and queer voices whose artistry and community have been shamed away for far too long. This album is a beacon of light that spotlights these extraordinary individuals for their history and current present of being fabulous, creative, and fearless lovers. One cannot forget that when listening to Beyoncé’s Renaissance.
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