“Bey is back and I sleep really well at night.” With these lyrics, we are officially into Beyoncé season. With a catchy beat that calls people back to the dance floor to kick off summer 2022, Beyoncé’s debut single, “Break My Soul,” from her upcoming album, Renaissance, debuted on June 21. Within hours, the single shot to No. 1 on iTunes in at least 30 countries, the biggest debut by a female artist so far this year. And this week, Beyoncé became the first woman, and the third performer ever, to enjoy 20 Top Ten tracks as a solo artist and at least 10 Top Ten tracks as a member of a band on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
While the album cover is unfortunately not safe for work, Beyoncé’s debut single from Renaissance It needs to listen, so take out your headphones or ask Alexa to play it, stat.
With “Break My Soul”, Beyoncé once again showcases her roots as a black Southern woman, this time paying special homage to house music and bounce music, a style of hip hop music from New Orleans born in the late 80s. The four-four beat samples Robin S.’s 1993 hit “Show Me Love” and the vocals of rebounding icon Big Freedia (which is also included in his song “Formation” on Lemonade). While drawing on these influences, “Break My Soul” is both undeniably new and current.
“Back Outside”
After the summers of 2020 and 2021 were dampened by social distancing and less community involvement, “Break My Soul” celebrates a return to the public square. As Beyoncé sings during a bridge in the song:
“And we come back outside / You said you were outside, but you’re not outside / World hoodie with the mask outside / In case you forgot how we act outside.”
Let Beyoncé officially declare the start of summer with a call for everyone to get out and back into their community.
“A New Foundation”
At its core, “Break My Soul” is a powerful anthem with lyrics that almost seem to come to life when sung by an audience. It’s more than great to sing,”You won’t break my soulnot alone but together with all of humanity, declaring that no matter how difficult the past few years have been, we are capable of overcoming. Or try the pre-chorus, “I’m looking for motivation / I’m looking for a new foundation, yeah / And I’m on that new vibe / I’m building my own foundation.”
Not only does this song have a catchy beat, but it has relatable lyrics that ring true to those who have suffered pandemic lockdowns, burnout, ore who simply put the “pedal to the metal” in their daily lives despite damning news and societal changes, which desperately needed to be mentally processed.
“I just quit my job”
Beyoncé touches on this feeling of being “over it” in the first verse: “And I just quit my job / I’m gonna find a new record / They make me work so hard / Working afresh / Then five o’clock passed / And they work my nerves / That’s why I can’t sleep at night.”
These are fitting words for how many of us feel – practically exceeding expectations, as just hours after ‘Break My Soul’ was released, people started engaging on social media expressing the inspiration. for a fresh start: “First Beyoncé made us dump our buddies. Now she’s making us quit jobs?! Independence queen!! And, “me quitting my job today because Beyoncé said it.”
Although highly humorous, the song apparently seriously influenced some people to quit jobs they had been considering quitting for years (continuing the big quit already there). All in all, this song at least made fans reconsider the corporate culture “grind” and seek new motivation and maybe even “a new foundation”, as Beyoncé sings, instead of just of a job that exhausts you with little or no reward. or benefit.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance
Perhaps this work will be a celebration and return to the positive energy of Beyoncé’s previous studio albums before her. Lemonade time. Whereas Lemonade is widely regarded as one of the most brilliantly formed bodies of musical works of the 21st century, its themes carry the weight of her husband’s infidelity, questioning of her marriage, and healing of a trust broken. This album could mean a rebirth.
With Renaissance Set for release on July 29, audiences can expect the R&B and pop diva to make a comeback centered around joy and good vibes. The hard-hitting beat combined with relatable, crowd-pleasing lyrics make this debut single a memorable track that promises a fantastic B7 era. If “Break My Soul” is any indication, “Bey is back,” and she takes us for the ride.
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