So, the documentary was fantastic.
Some favourite parts:
- Runway snippet
- The pool scene with Juelz
- All the scenes where she had the braids. She sounded so in control and so intelligent about everything.
- Her toast to Jay-Z
- Jay-Z singing Yellow to her
- Scenes of Blue!
I thought it was all done and put together wonderfully. I loved the opening of her house and her narration. It was the perfect introduction. What I especially thought was great was the fact that she stressed how her music was being limited by the definitions of pop music. Of course her music will always be "pop" in some respects because she is Beyonce, but "pop music" itself is constantly changing, and I agree that it is incredibly unfair to expect a pop artist to keep on changing and moulding their image to fit the general public's desires (it's an impressive feat to be able to do that, but also rather vapid and lacking of depth). She is so smart to start thinking this way now, because after all her success, she is truly able to do what she wants. She has made herself into a legend. I thought the analogy to Nina Simone was spot on. No one ever comes for Nina Simone's sales, and that's how it should be. Sales are really great but so limited in what is a good indicator of quality. I mean, most of the buyers of pop music are young teens, who probably will look back at their music taste with nostalgia and still think the songs are good, but won't actually think it is quality music once they are adults.
So I hope that from now on, any jabs at Beyonce's sales are contextualized in our minds and we don't take it too seriously. Our fave is a legend at 31. Our fave is happy and free. Our fave can make the music she wants to make, and that music makes us happy and gives our ears the best possible sounds we could get. Our fave is a bonafide powerhouse from head to toe. Our fave is Beyonce and that's all I need to say.