Music story – Beyoncé “Lemonade”

Beyoncé "Lemonade" (2016)

When the calibrated hits of Destiny's Child swept through the late '90s, few would have bet on anything other than a short-lived girl band. While Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams will remain under the public radar, Beyoncé has become an icon. With her impeccable figure and her voice to match, it might be tempting to see this singer as a prefabricated star. The reality is quite different. Lulled by the music of Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Prince and Donna Summer, Beyoncé grew up at precisely the time when the notions of soul, funk, hip hop and rhythm & blues were merging to form a global, plural style. A glance at the cast of the remarkable Lemonade is enough to give you an idea of the scope of his work. We meet Jack White, James Blake and Kendrick Lamar, a way of affirming that the distinction between black music and white music is now outdated.