Five Years of Lemonade
Those who know me know I couldn’t let this anniversary pass without paying homage in some way, to one of the most important albums to me, from my favorite artist of all time! Lemonade, the Visual Album dropped April 23, 2016 and with it, Beyoncé shook the music industry and pop culture yet again. I think back to the very first time I saw this album; I was at a family party eagerly awaiting the drop, constantly checking my phone for the time and refreshing my screen on Tidal. A few minutes before the drop I walked to our car in the driveway, sat inside and watched the entire project on my phone, uninterrupted, from start to finish. Using up nearly all of my family’s data for the month to stream it (yes my sisters were mad, yes it was worth it), I was in awe of the beauty and detail that went into this project. The upcoming week I sat in the college cafeteria with my best friend listening to the album on repeat and attempting to download the whole album as soon as we could. The following year and those to come ethnic studies, gender studies, and sociology courses across the country filled their syllabi with assignments and lectures analyzing the significance of the film, mine included. The cultural impact of Lemonade is undeniable, cementing itself as a timeless and groundbreaking work of art. This album meant so much to me not only as a Beyoncé fan, but as a young Black woman, growing into my own identity as well. Through her visual album Lemonade, Beyoncé creates a sanctuary for Black women to feel, express, live, and grow in their own worlds.
The project opens with Beyoncé alone in an open field of tall grass, with no indication of where she might be. Being front and center in the unique, somewhat unidentifiable backgrounds throughout the film creates for an environment that is created and controlled completely by Beyoncé herself. The quote from Warsan Shire’s poetry, “Where do you go when you go quiet?” sparks introspection, fitting perfectly with the opening scenes as it questions where the mind wanders when we are alone. We are then transported directly into Beyoncé’s mind and vision as the video begins, further reinforcing the very personal and independent journey she embarks on in the world she creates.
As the visual album progresses she is constantly shown either by herself and separated from the environment, or submerged within a vibrant background while simultaneously remaining in her own little bubble. While Beyoncé may seem to experience the majority of this journey alone, she is constantly surrounded by other Black women who appear to be present as a source of support either as models, dancers, or extras, establishing a sense of comfortability. In “Hold Up” when she is walking down the street smashing through windows with the baseball bat, the women in the background are not alarmed nor condemning her, but are actually smiling. They seem to be encouraging her in how she chooses to express her feelings and cope with her experiences. By simply existing in these spaces these Black women are providing an environment in this world that is welcoming, accepting, and completely their own, exempt from societal expectations on how Black women are supposed to conduct themselves. All of her portrayals of women are beautiful, soft, strong, honest, vulnerable, powerful, and multifarious; quite the counter narrative to the often negative and reductive way Black women and girls are typically presented in the media.
Interestingly, it seems as if “6 Inch” was the first song in the visual album that blatantly centered men in the frames of any given scene. Up until this point Beyoncé is going through the motions of denial, anger, grief, and healing. During this process she experiences these emotions surrounded primarily by women. Only after a longer period of healing and self reflection does she allow the men to be more visible in the scenes and interact with her. We see this as she introduces her husband, Jay Z, in the film for the first time as a sign of forgiveness and rebirth. Whether or not fans appreciated this inclusion or reconciliation, it portrayed her full and honest emotional process as she worked through the layers of her relationships, both with her husband and herself.
Considering the impact and influence Black life and culture have on the world, it’s very fitting to see the diverse display of Blackness incorporated into this film. Through her wardrobe she mirrors many images of African figures including queens and deities such as Oshun and Nefertiti. She draws influence from Black American, African, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-Latinx culture, while including multiple musical genres as well. She intertwines religion with her art both visually and sonically as she recites poetry with religious elements, “I levitated…into the basement, I confessed my sins and was baptized in a river…”(Denial, Warsan Shire), and features religious props in her album. The method of including religion in art or entertainment is a concept very much known in the global Black community, as we are a very spiritual people. Along with artistic, religious, and cultural influences from the larger diaspora, she also utilizes physical representation through the beautiful southern venues used throughout the fim. All of these elements work to display the rich history and culture Black people have created for ourselves, complimenting the greater intersecting theme of Black womanhood that she shares with her audience.
Lemonade as a whole became such an integral work of art for myself and many others alike. I listen to “Freedom” and “Formation” remembering the days I would blast them in the parking lot at 6am, trying to pump myself up to take on my ridiculous schedule as I juggled classes at two different colleges in a (successful) attempt at gaining early acceptance into my dream school. I listen to “PYCM” and “Sandcastles” remembering the ups and downs of my first dating experiences and smile as I hear “Hold Up”, “Sorry”, and “Don’t Hurt Yourself”, feeling the joy of stepping away from something that doesn’t serve me anymore. Lemonade in all of its beauty and complexities will always remind me of some of the most important learning moments in my life, and for that I am eternally grateful.
