See the best fashion moments from the previews of Renaissance ahead of Beyoncé’s record-breaking Grammy nominations.
The nominees for the 65th annual Grammy Awards were just announced, and “Pop God” Beyoncé nabbed nine thanks to the recent release of her album Renaissance.
Her latest release sparked “critical rapture” which is now “standard” for the singer, with some critics describing it as a maximalist tour de force that deserves its own Grammy category.”
Beyoncé, who already has a whopping total of 28 Grammy wins, has now tied her husband Jay-Z for the most Grammy nominations in history by any musician. The singer is just four awards away from becoming the artist with the most Grammy wins in history—fitting for who many believe to be “the world’s greatest living entertainer.“
Unsung Pioneers
Beyoncé is known for being outspoken about politics and social issues through her music, as well as giving us a peek into her personal life. This time around, Renaissance is infused with a personal touch. The album contains a dedication to her children, husband, and family—specifically her Uncle Johnny.
She describes him as an unsung pioneer of culture who introduced her to a lot of music and even helped sew her early costumes by hand alongside her mother. He was the same uncle she thanked when she and Jay Z received the GLAAD Vanguard Award in 2019. In her speech, she expressed how despite his battle with HIV, he paved the way for LGBTQIA+ human rights.
Awaiting The Visual Feast
The visual accompaniment for Renaissance is under wraps, but red-hot teasers have been released. Beyoncé has cultivated a high standard over the past decade, with music videos that are more like art films to ponder over than anything else.
The cover art, which she released a month before the album dropped, nearly broke the internet. Her Instagram post revealed the now seminal image of her posing nearly nude save for metallic accessories with long blonde hair on a holographic-looking horse and garnered over 4.6 million likes. Viewers were quick to point out the similarities to John Collier’s painting of Lady Godiva.
Despite Renaissance coming out over four months ago, the singer-songwriter has yet to release a full music video to accompany her hit songs. However, what she has released is already jam-packed with avant-garde looks.
A “visualizer” was released to accompany the album’s anthem “Break My Soul,” along with a “cliquebait” version—the singer’s own rendition of “clickbait,” an internet term that refers to something designed to entice viewers to click a hyperlink. Before posting her tracklist, she also released a short clip to introduce the songs of Renaissance, which shows her in a cowboy hat, fringe leather jacket, and heels, leaving the fans in a tizzy for more.
1/5
Metal Bodysuit
The teaser to “I’m That Girl” sees Queen Bey wistfully going about her day in 50s housewife fashion with a messy Beehive (Beyhive?) hairdo. Except the singer doesn’t pair her mitts with a dress, but an otherworldly metal bodysuit. She proceeds to crack an egg on her chest while she holds a bottle of wine.
2/5
Room of Mirrors
After ditching breakfast, Beyoncé walks through a doorway and finds herself in what appears to be a fully mirrored room. She now has on a plunging black body-con dress with a pair of small black shades and the same sculptural metal as an accent to her bodice.
3/5
Everything, Everywhere, Beyoncé
The scene is cut by a montage of clips, each with Beyoncé in vastly different stylish looks that leave us reminiscent of the famous scene in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. Viewers are left guessing whether these frames are previews of what’s to come, references to old work, or are inspired by artists and celebrities.
4/5
Cow-girl Club
Accompanying the release of her album on YouTube is an ambiguous 17-second clip of Beyoncé in red-lit rooms that has one thinking of empty clubs or bars. She wears a cowboy hat with a fringed leather jacket, a black body suit, and shades.
5/5
Lady Godiva
Accompanying her chart-topping song “Break My Soul” is just one scene, seemingly taken from the set of the album cover, where the singer artfully poses on the space-age horse before everything cuts to black just seconds later.
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