Renaissance (Beyoncé album)
Renaissance (also referred to as Act I: Renaissance) is the seventh studio album by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on July 29, 2022, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. Her first solo studio release since Lemonade (2016) and the first installment of her trilogy project, Beyoncé wrote and produced the album with Nova Wav, The-Dream, Symbolyc One, A. G. Cook, Honey Dijon, Beam, Tricky Stewart, BloodPop, Skrillex, Hit-Boy, No I.D., P2J and various other collaborators. Beam, Grace Jones and Tems appear as guest vocalists.
Renaissance
July 29, 2022
2020–2021
- Atlanta (Sing, Tree Sound)
- Los Angeles (Avenue A Studio West, Hardcover, Henson Recording Studios, The Juicy Juicy, Kings Landing West, Nightbird Recording, Parkwood West, Record Plant)
- New York (Trailer East Hampton)
- North Hollywood (Blakeslee)
- Ochi Rios, Jamaica (Zak Starkey)
- Westport, Connecticut (Le Crib)
62:14
English
- BAH
- Beam
- Beyoncé
- Boi-1da
- Al Cres
- Honey Dijon
- Kelman Duran
- Hit-Boy
- Leven Kali
- Mike Dean
- Neenyo
- No I.D.
- Nova Wav
- P2J
- Chris Penny
- Luke Solomon
- Syd
- Skrillex
- Tricky Stewart
- Jahaan Sweet
- Sevn Thomas
- The-Dream
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Beyoncé conceived and recorded Renaissance during the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking to inspire joy and escapism in listeners who had experienced isolation and to celebrate a club era in which marginalized people sought liberation through dance music. With its songs seamlessly arranged like a DJ mix, the album blends post-1970s Black dance music styles such as disco and house and pays homage to the Black and queer pioneers of those genres. The album's lyrical content explores themes of escapism, hedonism, self-assurance and self-expression.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, Beyoncé's seventh consecutive album to do so, and is certified platinum. It also reached number one in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The platinum-certified lead single "Break My Soul" was released on June 20, 2022, and reached number one on several charts worldwide, including the US Billboard Hot 100. The album's second single "Cuff It" peaked in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and internationally.
The album received universal acclaim from music critics for its eclectic yet cohesive sound, joyous mood, and Beyoncé's vocal performance. It became the best-rated album of 2022, named the best album of the year by publications such as the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, NPR, Pitchfork, and Rolling Stone, which would later place the record at number 71 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.[3] Renaissance and its songs garnered nine nominations at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards (including Album of the Year) and won four awards, including Best Dance/Electronic Album, making Beyoncé the most awarded artist in the Grammy Awards history. In promotion of the album, Beyoncé embarked on the Renaissance World Tour, and released an accompanying documentary concert film. The second installment of the trilogy, Cowboy Carter, was released on March 29, 2024.
Impact[edit]
Upon release, Renaissance sparked conversations and essays on the history of dance music and its roots in Black culture.[174][175]
Several industry fellows reacted positively toward the release. American singer Crystal Waters, who helped make house music mainstream in the 1990s, said she was "ecstatic" when she heard Beyoncé's new music and expressed gratitude for how she is shining a light on underappreciated house singers.[176] Chicago house DJ Ron Carroll described Renaissance as a "trailblazing" album that has reintroduced house music to the radio and encouraged other musicians to follow Beyoncé's lead.[177] Aluna Francis of English electronic music duo AlunaGeorge lauded Renaissance for its impact on dance music and its Black creators. Francis explained that throughout her career, she had hoped and fought for the widespread recognition of Black musicians' place in dance music. Francis wrote that this revolution has now occurred following the release of Renaissance, with Beyoncé breaking stigmas and declaring that dance music is Black music, in turn encouraging listeners to reflect on the visibility and exploitation of Blackness within dance genres. Francis added that Renaissance could greatly benefit the investment and growth of communities around the world which allow Black dance music to thrive.[178]
Other musicians also praised the album for its impact and musicology. British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding said that her then-upcoming album Higher Than Heaven is a dance and house album in the same vein as Renaissance, with Beyoncé taking those genres to a global level.[179] She later said that Renaissance restored her faith in pop music after the genre was heading in a bad direction.[180] American singer SZA said that the album was the biggest risk a mainstream artist has taken in recent years.[181] American musician Sufjan Stevens praised the production on the album, telling Stereogum: "The wizardry on that album is so awesome and frustrating for me as a musician because even if you took out her vocals, I'm still obsessed; I'm still intrigued by the engineering and production that's going on and the harmonic relationship between chords."[182]
Beyoncé's mention of Telfar and Birkin bags in the closing track "Summer Renaissance" caused searches for both items to increase on Google Trends and multiple re-sale websites.[183]
Considered by many music critics and journalists to be the favorite for Album of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, Renaissance's loss to Harry Styles's Harry's House was widely considered a "snub" or upset, with some critics ascribing Beyoncé's repeated losses in this category to the Recording Academy's overlooking or misunderstanding of Black female musicians and African American musical styles.[184][185][186]
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