HIDDEN GEMS: BEYONCÉ
Dangerously Brilliant Bey
So far, for Hidden Gems, we have written about famed musicians of the past and present—artists who captivate a crowd with surgical precision.
Every beat felt.
Every fan in awe.
We began with arguably the best to ever do it, Michael Jackson. A man so iconic, he didn’t even need to make a move to send the crowd into a frenzy. And while he inspired many male artists around the world, women have inspiration by way of a Queen.
Today, we offer gems from “Queen Bey” herself, Beyoncé.
Dangerously in Love/Signs
Destiny’s Child’s breakout artist was destined for greatness. It began with Beyonce’s debut solo album, Dangerously In Love. One of the most accomplished albums to date, the popular album, contained multiple classics. Me, Myself, and I and Baby Boy were instant hits.
And who could forget the electricity generated from both Bey and her eventual-hubby, Jay Z in Crazy in Love?
Even if you heard it ten times a day, you’d still be bopping to it until the 11th. Many of the songs fly under the radar on this album, but both Hip Hop Star and Speechless stood out as viable candidates.
But an even-more slept on song beyond them all was Signs. A Missy Elliot feature, as well as a tune intertwining astrology and romance, it is something that not only twenty-somethings can get with, but they can vibe to as well.
B’Day/Back-Up
If Dangerously in Love was a complete album, B’Day was “hit central.” It was flooded with singles that climbed the charts. Looking back for a hidden gem in the regular album is no easy task. Still, as it pertains to the deluxe edition, Back-Up is a listen that ideally puts out a dope vibe of her then and what would come.
I am Sasha Fierce/Scared of Lonely
Sasha Fierce stood out as an overall masterpiece. Not quite hit-heavy, but it was a great collection of songs for the Beyhive. Single Ladies, Video Phone, and Diva were crowd-pleasers, while songs like If I Were a Boy and Halo played to the soul. And while Beyoncé’s bread and butter are feminine and upbeat, she could blend soulful sounds in the album’s closer, Scared of Lonely.
4/1+1
Have you ever walked into a room and found what you needed, and that was that? That’s the feeling you get with the album opener, 1+1.
Beyonce’s soul meshes with a sound encapsulating the song’s very
fabric–baby-making music at its finest.
Beyoncé/Heaven
The piano, drum beat, and holistic melody underscores a powerful yet sad song from the Queen–Lemonade/6 Inch–by the Weeknd and Beyoncé. I think that’s all we need from this duo. The song tells the story of a cold-blooded, strong woman. It’s a telling tale from the Queen who, by now, has cemented her place on the throne.
Lemonade/6 Inch
The Weekend and Beyoncé? I think that’s all we need to hear about this duo. A song telling a story of a cold-blooded strong woman, who beat by her drum. A telling tale from the Queen who at this point cemented her place at the throne.
