Released: 2022
Calling your post pandemic album Renaissance would for many artists suggest there was some kind of re-profiling to be done, but the title of Beyoncé’s follow up to 2016’s Lemonade had nothing to do with a career falling off.
Instead at one level it was an acknowledgement of the profound bonds – social, cultural, sexual – which dance music and clubbing in particular offered to marginalized communities everywhere, whilst simultaneously it paid a musical tribute to the now frequently ignored black and gay icons who’d seeded house, funk and disco.
Cuff It was Renaissance‘s outward reaching peak, featuring co-production credits for Nile Rodgers, Raphael Saadiq, The-Drea and Nova Wav amongst the album’s hundred thousand. Such was the singer’s intent and sense of agency that it felt like the profane refrain was possible, that through exercising hard moves and soft power the night might want to fuck itself up, only once, and just for her. Renaissance? for a star without equal, business as unusual, more like.
The Voice Of Unreason 