Beyoncé Opens Up About New Album Ahead Of Release: ‘My Intention Was To Create A Safe Place’
In less than 24 hours, Beyoncé will drop her highly-anticipated studio album Renaissance after six years. The Beyhive has been on pins and needles waiting for new music from Queen Bey and the closer July 29 comes, the more details come out about the album. With the release of its first single “BREAK MY SOUL,” fans have been trying to decipher what would ultimately be the soundtrack of the summer will sound like. Because the lead single is a dance song, many fans have been debating online about whether or not Renaissance will be a dance album in what is said to be a three-act series.
In typical Bey fashion, the singer has not said much about it but she did send out a special message for her fans.
Here is a special message from Beyoncé. #RENAISSANCE
— BEYLEGION is COZY (@BeyLegion) July 28, 2022
Dedicated to her children, her husband, her family, her Godmother Uncle Johnny, and to the LGBTQ+ community and all of the pioneers who originated the culture and the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognized. pic.twitter.com/hm6Om9fi52
“THIS THREE ACT PROJECT WAS RECORDED OVER THREE YEARS DURING THE PANDEMIC. A TIME TO BE STILL, BUT ALSO A TIME I FOUND TO BE THE MOST CREATIVE,” she wrote.
“THIS ALBUM ALLOWED ME A PLACE TO DREAM AND TO FIND ESCAPE DURING A SCARY TIME FOR THE WORLD. IT ALLOWED ME TO FEEL FREE AND ADVENTUROUS IN A TIME WHEN LITTLE ELSE WAS MOVING. MY INTENTION WAS TO CREATE A SAFE PLACE. A PLACE WITHOUT JUDGMENT. A PLACE TO BE FREE OF PERFECTIONISM AND OVERTHINKING. A PLACE TO SCREAM, RELEASE, FEEL FREEDOM. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION.”
Along with the message are photos attached of Beyoncé with her three children, Blue Ivy, Rumi, and Sir as well as a photo of her “Godmother” Uncle Jonny. She continued the note by acknowledging them.
“I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO RUMI, SIR, AND BLUE FOR ALLOWING ME THE SPACE, CREATIVITY, AND INSPIRATION. AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY BEAUTIFUL HUSBAND AND MUSE, WHO HELD ME DOWN DURING THOSE LATE NIGHTS IN THE STUDIO. A BIG THANK YOU TO MY UNCLE JONNY. HE WAS MY GODMOTHER AND THE FIRST PERSON TO EXPOSE ME TO A LOT OF THE MUSIC AND CULTURE THAT SERVE AS INSPIRATION FOR THIS ALBUM.”
Beyoncé on Instagram
“THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PIONEERS WHO ORIGINATE CULTURE, TO ALL OF THE FALLEN ANGELS WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE GONE UNRECOGNIZED FOR FAR TOO LONG. THIS IS A CELEBRATION FOR YOU. THANK YOU TO MY PARKWOOD CREW, MY SLAB, DREAM, AND ALL OF THE TALENTED PRODUCERS INVOLVED. MAMA, I LUHHHH YOU. TO MY FATHER, MY O.G., MY FIRST TEACHER: YOU INSPIRE ME IN EVERY MOVE THAT I MAKE. I LOVE YOU.
Last but not least, she thanked her beloved beyhive. “TO ALL MY FANS: I HOPE YOU FIND JOY IN THIS MUSIC. I HOPE IT INSPIRES YOU TO RELEASE THE WIGGLE. HA! AND TO FEEL AS UNIQUE, STRONG, AND SEXY AS YOU ARE.”
What she didn’t address is the album leak. Unfortunately, the album was leaked earlier this week. However, her fans wouldn’t stand for it and instead encouraged others to wait to listen to the album when it officially drops on Friday, July 29.
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Featured image by BET Awards 2020/Getty Images via Getty Images
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
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Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
Colman Domingo’s Career Advice Is A Reminder That Our Words Shape Our Reality
When it comes to life, we are always here for a good reminder to shift our mindsets, and Colman Domingo just gave us one we didn't know we needed.
In a resurfaced clip from an appearance at NewFest shared as a repost via Micheaux Film Festival, the Emmy award winner dropped a gem on how he has navigated his decades-spanning career in Hollywood. The gem in question? Well, Colman has never identified with "struggle" in his career. Let that sit.
Colman Domingo On Not Claiming Struggle
"I’ve never said that this career was tough. I’ve never said it was difficult. I’ve never said it was hard," Colman said. "Other people would say that—‘oh, you're in a very difficult industry. It's very hard to get work and book work.’ I’m like, I’ve never believed that."
Instead of allowing himself to be defined by other people's projections about their perceptions of what the industry is or was, Colman dared to believe differently even if his reality was playing catch up with his dreams:
"Like Maya Angelou said words are things. And if you believe that, then that's actually what it is. Actually I've just never believed it. Someone told me some years ago, they said, 'I remember you were, you're a struggling actor.' I'm like, 'I don't.'"
"I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living..."
He continued:
"Even when I was bartending and hustling and not having opportunities or anything, I never believed that I was struggling because I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living and creating and being curious."
Colman’s philosophy of attaching to living instead of struggle has blossomed into an enduring career. He first made his mark on stage in acclaimed Broadway productions before transitioning to the screen, where his star began to rise in the 2010s following his role as Victor Strand in Fear The Walking Dead. From there, his presence only grew, landing memorable supporting roles in If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the hit series Euphoria.
In more recent years, Colman has stepped fully into the spotlight with standout leading performances in Rustin and Sing Sing, both of which earned him widespread critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor.
With all that said, Colman's advice is no doubt powerful, especially for those who are chasing their dreams, building something from the ground up, or have question marks about what's next in their careers. Words shape our realities, and how we speak about our journeys even in passing matters.
Words Create Our Reality & Colman Is Living Proof
"I tell young people that. To remember the words that you say about yourself and your career are true. So, I choose to make it full of light and love and it's interesting and every day I'm going to learn something new even if it looks like I don't have what I want but it's important to be in the moment... you really build on the moments moment to moment.
"And you're looking back at your career as I've been in it for what 33 years and you're like, 'Wow, that's what I've been doing.' And I've stayed strong to that so I think that is truly my advice."
Let this be your sign to give your path a reframe. When the path you're on feels uncertain, the journey is still unfolding. Like Colman said: "I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living."
That's a Black king right there.
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Featured image by Soul Brother/Soul B Photos/Shutterstock