Beyoncé is preparing to drop her highly anticipated Renaissance act ii album, Cowboy Carter and she has already had commotion going. Watching her prepare for this project is a great opportunity to reflect on my Renaissance experience and some of the lessons that we can all take away from her journey.
She truly embodies what it means to be “one of one”.
Fully accepting and appreciating ones self is a revolutionary act. This is especially true in a world that constantly tells us that we aren’t enough. Someone will always have an opinion of what we could change even if it’s not in alignment with who we are or where we’re going.
I personally believe that we are all uniquely called to accomplish something in this world. It’s up to us to answer that call. Beyoncé has done more than answer that call for herself. She’s changed the way we think about limitations. She gives herself permission to reach beyond the limits other people try to put on her. She isn’t afraid of her own power or potential. Seeing her confidently walk into this new era of her life gives us the permission to do the same thing.
Can I even say I’m a part of the Bey Hive?
Unfortunately, I can’t say that I’ve been a mega fan of Queen Bey since I came out the womb. It’s hard to really remember the first time I ever heard about Beyoncé because it seemed like she had always been this huge fixture in the industry. l was counting down the minutes until she released the music video for “Run the World (Girls)” on a school night. I was up with everyone else trying to learn all of the choreography for “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” when the video first dropped.
I was a fan, but I never had the pleasure of seeing Beyoncé live and in person. The moment that really sold me on Beyoncé being the premier performer of our time was seeing her 2019 headlining performance at Coachella. This was yet another school night, except this time I was a stressed college student who didn’t want to suffer from FOMO.
From top to bottom, I was amazed by Beyoncé and her stage presence. I was in awe of the fact that she could maintain her stamina for hours. She didn’t miss a beat. She was always on it and delivering every second and every minute. That honestly planted the seed to what would grow into an overwhelming desire – a need to see her perform live. I never really thought the opportunity would come to me. It had been a while since she released a new project, but I did have Homecoming: The Live Album on repeat for years to come. Enter Renaissance…
Welcome to the Renaissance
Renaissance was an album unlike any other that I had listened to before. I was hooked and the announcement that she was going on tour was welcomed with open arms. I got to see her in Inglewood, California at Sofi Stadium and in Dallas, Texas. This was an experience and in this period of my life, I felt free. It felt like I could do no wrong.
Post by @karstenashleybushView on Threads
It’s one thing to appreciate the artist, but it’s another to fully commit to the moment and fulfill the brief! Seeing fans from different walks of life come together in silver, glitter, and sequins was so inspirational. It was also indicative of the fact that most of us just want the freedom to be our authentic selves. I left both shows feeling empowered to take on the world with a new level of confidence. For a moment in time, everyone could be accepted. For a moment in time, everyone could feel a little more seen. I mean, I’m sure I’m not the only one who felt like the opening moments of the tour were life changing. Hearing “Dangerously in Love” in person took my breath away.
The only thing that could make this experience better was the Renaissance film. Just like the tour, I watched this film twice. Reliving the moments from the tour brought back feelings of freedom and excitement. At this point I was missing Beyoncé and, short of the live album, this was an excuse to do it all over again.
My Takeaways from Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
On December 2, 2023 I took to Threads to share my experiences from watching the film the first time:
“Beyoncé is at a point in her career where she’s achieved all of the highs. Seeing her not only accept, but embrace her own humanity was inspiring. We all know she’s human, but we rarely get to see her acknowledge that [In the film we see her recover from a knee surgery and work to get prepared for her world tour]. The fact that she can fully embrace her own aging, her own body, and her own insecurities gives us permission to do the same… It’s a rediscovering of self. Beyoncé has been reborn in a sense and has allowed herself to morph beautifully. She has fully earned this freedom [and] this rest and is allowing the rest of us to see what that looks like…”
The minute this film and the live album are available to stream (and yes I am manifesting this at this point), I will be MIA and reliving the memories all over again. Her latest project is dropping in a matter of weeks. We’ll see what the reception is like. Either way, this is sure to be another moment in her journey and her story that will leave a lasting impact for years to come.
If you want to listen to more of my takeaways from my Renaissance experience, check out Episode 17 of the Words with Me Podcast.