Six years after her last album, singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter released her seventh studio album “Renaissance” this summer.
The album is the first installment of a three-act project that Beyoncé recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to TIME magazine.
The genres on the “Renaissance” album are dance, house, disco, pop and R&B and consists of a 16-song tracklist.
Most of the song tracklist is danceable music, while other songs reference Beyoncé’s family members.
In Beyoncé’s Instagram post, she said creating this album allowed her a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed her to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving, she said.
Beyoncé also said in her post that her intention was to create a safe place without judgment that is free of perfectionism and overthinking. The album is meant to scream, release and feel freedom.
One song that is great to listen to from the album is the second track “Cozy.” The song is upbeat and the lyrics are uplifting and positive. In the lyrics, Beyoncé says, “Comfortable in my skin, cozy with who I am, I love myself goddamn, cozy, cozy.” This song is about being proud of yourself, promoting self-confidence and self-love.
There is another part in the lyrics where she says, “Blue like the soul I crowned,” in which she references her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter.
Another song that references one of Beyoncé’s family members is the 11th track “Heated.” In the lyrics, Beyoncé says, “Uncle Johnny made my dress,” which referenced her Uncle Johnny, who was her godmother and dedicated this album to him.
Additionally, the sixth track, which is also Beyoncé’s lead single “Break my Soul,” is great to listen to because of the beat and emphasis on Beyoncé’s lively vocals. This song was sampled from rapper Big Freedia’s song “Explode,” in which the lyrics are similar.
In the lyrics for “Break my Soul,” Big Freedia says in the background, “Release your anger, release your mind, release your job, release the time, release your trade, release the stress, release the love, forget the rest.” This song is about letting go of stress in life, which ties into the overall theme of the album.
Overall, this album is amazing to listen to because the lyrics are uplifting, it makes you want to dance and it makes you feel wonderful about yourself.
If you like dancing to upbeat music and like to be surrounded with good vibes, then this album is worth a listen.