December 13, 2013
You might be thinking, what the hell happened that day? Why am I making such a big deal about the week before Christmas? Is it her birthday? Why am I being so specific with the date? Is it Friday the 13th?
It might have been Friday the 13th, but there was no curses involved.
No advertisements.
No previous singles dropped.
No hints.
Beyoncé released Beyoncé.
This queen released a SELF-PROCLAIMED VISUAL ALBUM. No artist had attempted to secretly drop a fourteen-song visual album before. I know I was shook, to say the least. No one expected her to release anything, and then we were blessed with a full album with perfectly curated videos.
Now, it takes a certain level of star to pull off this stunt. First of all, the fact that her album did not get leaked is a testament to her close-knit circle of friend, family, and coworkers (and, most notably, her legal team). Beyoncé was able to maintain the excitement of releasing a new album, but she did not need the flashy advertisements or catchy singles for people to purchase her new album. This was a musical stunt that had never been performed before — and she pulled it off with grace.
In a lot of ways, Beyoncé highlighted the elusive nature of Beyoncé as a celebrity. She remains mysterious to the press because she does not need the celebrity culture of the media to advertise her music. Her music stands on its own.
This was not just any album. Her album delved deeper into her support of feminism, and discussed taboo topics such as sex and sexuality, self-hate, and relationship issues. Beyoncé sways from generic pop and R&B, to music that speaks.
Now let’s talk about Flawless.