The Beyoncé Effect

“Check this out! After Beyoncé performs, after she does the dance, Coachella gotta rename Coachella, BEYCHELLA!”- DJ Khaled, 2018.

I have watched countless videos of Beyoncé performing live and many times, she stands in front of a crowd and fans scream for what feels like hours. I’ve always been in awe of this. How can someone get a crowd to scream, cry, and sometimes faint, by merely standing. Such a mundane, everyday action that has now become part of Beyonce’s routine intrigues me to this day. I personally have never had the opportunity to watch Beyoncé perform live, but my sister has. She couldn’t quite describe that moment. One minute the stage was empty and the next, Beyoncé was standing in silence before a stadium of fans. My sister remembers being speechless and in awe as the deafening screams of fans intensified. That’s the Beyoncé effect. She can stand before you and command attention. She can perform for hours and still be on point. So, when DJ Khaled said that Coachella, one of the biggest music festivals in the world, should be renamed Beychella, I agreed. I sat glued in front of my television screen, barely blinking, watching in awe as this phenomenal Black woman gave the performance of a lifetime. Beyoncé standing in front of a screaming crowd for minutes shows just how much she has worked for decades to reach her level. Her success did not come overnight and when she finally reached the level she is at now, she has not disappointed one bit.

Born Beyoncé Giselle Knowles in the ‘80’s, many claim that they knew, that this Texan girl with a big voice would one day be a star. In the early 90’s, she became a founding member of the girl group, Destiny’s Child. This group was behind many of the anthems of the 90’s and early 2000s. From ‘Survivor’, to ‘Say my name’, to ‘Independent woman’, to ‘Bootylicious’, there was a song for everybody.

When I got my CD player, my first CD was a compilation of Destiny’s Child greatest hits. I grew up to the soulful sounds and melodies of this group. Their songs were on repeat in my household and each talent show, my friends and I made sure to dance to a DC hit. Sadly, many good things do come to end. In 2006, the announcement was made: Beyoncé was going solo, for real this time.

Many of us were deeply disappointed that the girl group that embodied sexiness, fun, and female empowerment was breaking up. However, Beyoncé had already given us a glimpse of her individual stardom. I was ten years old singing ‘Crazy in love’ word for word, thinking I knew what being crazy in love meant and doing all dance moves that I had no business doing. My mom loved this song too. No matter the generation, I can guarantee there is a Beyoncé song that everyone loves. The Beyhive (Beyoncé’s fanbase) is made up of young girls, teenagers, middle-aged folk, and the elderly. The Beyoncé effect.

Beyoncé has spent the majority of her life entertaining us. She has perfected the art of performing. Her shows are more than just an opportunity to sing along to her music. Fans get the full Beyoncé experience. From the glamourous outfits, to the stage set up, to the background dancers, I am in awe of this woman. To still be this influential and relevant in a fickle world should not be taken for granted. Many entertainers, regardless of their genre or background, have cited Beyoncé as their muse and inspiration. She has changed the game of music as we know it. I know this is a big statement to make so let me take you back to December 2013.

“Changed the game with that digital drop

Know where you was when that digital popped

I stopped the world

Male or female, it make no difference, I stop the world”

In December of 2013, middle of the night, Beyoncé dropped her self-titled album. There was no promo, no hints, nothing. Not only was this a 14-track album, Beyoncé had also filmed videos to accompany each song. This moment broke the internet. As she raps/sings, “she stopped the world”! She thought outside the boxed and did what few music executives thought could be done. For so long, the process was: record your album, share hints on radio stations, start promoting your album early to gain momentum, drop your album, go on radio tours to further promote your album, and perhaps end with a world tour. Beyoncé skipped the steps that involved promoting her album prior to its release. She herself spoke about how nervous she was. She went so against the grain, that she no longer knew whether she had made the right decision. Turns out, she had nothing to worry about. Beyoncé trended worldwide instantly, fans knew her songs word for word in days, and she had pulled off a whole project in secret. How many artists can do that? Especially at her level? The Beyoncé effect.

With this album, fans were treated to a new side of Beyoncé that we had not seen before. She seemed more sure of herself. It was almost as though she had come to realize the impact she had. When she told us to ‘bow down’, fans and haters alike did not like this. How could the woman who featured feminist and writer Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie on her song, be the same women telling us to bow down. I think personally this was Beyoncé coming out of who we think women should be. Why can’t we talk our talk? Why can’t we brag every once in a while? Why can’t we boast of our accomplishments? Afterall, men do it all the time. Beyoncé’s own husband Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter is known for his boastful lyrics. But when his wife does it, it's wrong. I loved this side of Beyoncé because it is so important for us as Black women to own who we are. We should be allowed to speak on our greatness and accomplishments without being told to humble ourselves. What Beyoncé has taught me since 2013 is to not shrink myself. We all ought to tell someone to respect us and our accomplishments. Bow down.

Not only has Beyoncé empowered me to an extent, she has also preached the importance of loving the skin we’re in. I moved to the US shortly before Beyoncé dropped her self-titled album. It was a scary time. All of a sudden, I was pushed into a world where my skin color determined so much. Teachers and peers formulated an opinion about me as soon as I walked into a room. I slowly began to withdraw. No longer confident and always questioning myself. My Blackness was constantly on trial. I couldn’t be too angry, too loud, nor too confident. I had to shrink myself so others could be comfortable. I felt as though I couldn’t be proud of my identity.

Three years into my move to America, Beyoncé released ‘Formation’. Here was Beyoncé, one of the top musicians of the world, unapologetically celebrating her roots, her identity, her Blackness. She was celebrating her child’s hair, her husband’s nose, and her ‘country’ ways. She was showing what being unapologetically Black meant to her. In a world where so many Black folk are made to shrink themselves, Beyoncé was telling us to be larger than life. She was encouraging us to stay true to our heritage and identities. As an African in the diaspora, I appreciated this. Here was a woman who wasn’t afraid of the risks that came with owning who one is. She told us to get in formation, and we happily obliged. The Beyoncé effect.

Beyoncé is a force to be reckoned with. Her legacy transcends singing. She is art personified. She is unafraid. She pays homage to her ancestors. She guides those around her. Beyoncé has branched out and done movies, animations, and fashion. While this in itself is not necessarily unique, it's how she goes about her ventures that is inspirational. Her unique approach leaves you full yet wanting more. She thinks outside the box and is unpredictable. I am a proud member of the Beyhive!

What would the world be without Beyoncé’s voice? Mostly silent and predictable.