Beyonce Is Back, Get In ‘Formation’
Just over 10 years since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and Kanye West hit the television screens on a live telethon proclaiming “George Bush doesn’t care about black people”, Beyonce hit the biggest television mainstream slot with her own statement of intent during Super Bowl halftime making her come – “back by popular demand“.
Proud, defiant and fiercer than her outing on ’24/7′ and ‘Flawless’, Beyonce is going in harder than ever with her new single ‘Formation’ – “I did not come to play with you hoes, haha, I came to slay, bitch”. Unapologetic, irreverent with a straight up ‘fuck you’ to anyone who questions her affiliations and loyalties, Beyonce celebrates her success as well as her identity and simultaneously does that while expressing her political ideology. As explicit as Beyonce’s statement of black empowerment is, it’s also a statement of black female empowerment. Louder than her statement in ‘Run The World’, Beyonce’s shout “Ok ladies lets get in formation,” is as much about unity as well as an awareness of her own earned power – she’s working hard and taking what’s hers.
Co-written by Swae Lee from Rae Sremmurd, Beyonce enlists Melina Matsoukas once again to direct the video featuring footage of New Orleans taken from the 2013 documentary That B.E.A.T. While Beyonce’s supposed cultural appropriation of the Indian culture has come under scrutiny in her collaboration with Coldplay, Black history and Black culture are central to the core of ‘Formation’ and she’s clear who owns it.
Timing plays key to every moment that the single and video traces, from the past and present with no statement made in isolation.
The #BlackLivesMatter movement matters are also aired in the video with footage of white riot police and a graffiti slogan “Stop Shooting US’, which follows within days of the announcement that Tidal made a $1.5 million donation to the Black Lives Matter movement and other social justice groups with proceeds from the TidalX concert.
Marking the release of her single during Black History Month, the timing, message and tone of the video is unquestionably on mark.
“I just might be a black Bill Gates in the making“, and that’s a guaranteed possibility with news that Beyonce has stepped up her game and enlisted Steve Pamon, former head of sports and entertainment marketing from JPMorgan Chase as the COO of her management company Parkwood Entertainment.
Beyonce premiered the new single ‘Formation’ during her Super Bowl appearance at half-time with solo and joint performances with Coldplay and Bruno Mars.
For a 3 month free trial of Tidal and a free download the new single, Beyoncé is promoting the release of her single “Formation,” on the Tidal-Beyonce partnered site, all you need to do is type in your name and email.
Simultaneously Beyonce also marked the occasion with the swift announcement of a new 40-date stadium Wold Formation tour, Queen Bey will be taking to the U.K Stage on 5 dates in June and July.
Tuesday 28th June 2016 – Sunderland Stadium Of Light
Thursday 30th June 2016 – Cardiff Principality Stadium
Saturday 2nd July 2016 – London Wembley Stadium
Tuesday 2nd July 2016 – Manchester Emirates Old Trafford
Thursday 7th July 2016 – Scotland Hamden Park
Tickets go on sale from 9am on Tuesday 16th Feb, with pre-sale starting at 10am on Tuesday 9th Feb.
