I like a couple of her songs. “Bootylicious” is good, though I guess that was Destiny’s Child (good band name!).
These days, Beyonce seems like a fake megastar. As though people are pretending that she is one without really believing she is one. Without the enthusiasm. It’s as if there is a “pop megastar” slot that has to be filled by someone, and there’s no one better than she, so she gets it. Until we get a real megastar. Or something.
Anyway, reasons I feel the way I do:
Her music is just dull. Her stuff is like R&B on unsteroids. Is that a thing? It’s just bland. She doesn’t even seem particularly enthusiastic about it all. Bey has always struck me as more than a little dumb. Her lyrics are these anodyne, er, thingies about, uh, herself, positive thinking-y type braggy crap.
None of her songs seems that big. When “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift came out, I read about online and heard it out and about. “All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainer, same thing. One Direction, heard their stuff. I never really hear Bey’s music. Or maybe I do and I don’t notice it because it’s dull, per above.
RIP Opal.
I guess that’s it. Now you can come back at me and say she’s selling a lot, there is buzz about her albums. Yeah, but even critics who are positive don’t exactly seem to be getting boners about her stuff. People are buying… but not apparently celebrating.
Tear me a new asshole, tell me how I’m wrong. Or agree. I’m not just trying to be a smartass, I’m really trying to understand her current level of beige, boring stardom. Thanks!
Seriously, though, I find her a bit bland myself. Talented but not terribly original or innovative. Pretty but not especially memorable or dangerous. I can say that, having lived in Houston (her hometown) for five years during the height of her career (2005-2010), black people still seem to get excited over her and her doings.
I’m not actually down on today’s music in an old man fashion. I certainly prefer it on average to the utter crap of the late 80s we were force-fed in high school. And something like “Shake It Off” does feel like a genuinely big hit, whereas Beyonce’s stuff really doesn’t seem that way.
Well no, of course not. She is in fact a megastar, OP’s assertion notwithstanding. I was just surprised at how aware of and invested in her work most of the black people I knew in Houston were, regardless of their usual taste in movies and film.
I feel somewhat unsettled that I’m agreeing with the mob here, but…yeah, I agree. I’ve never quite gotten why she’s held up as the reigning queen of something.
She’s obviously extremely talented, but I do find most of her output that I’ve heard to be on the bland side.
Remember though - now is the time when your music is only a part of your stardom as a performing artist. Her style, her baby, her husband, her videos, her Instagram, her appearances, her paparazzi photos. It is all very relevant and the music can be secondary.
Taylor Swift has that going on too. For white girls (and boys, and I’m sure black people too). But she doesn’t have the longevity of Beyonce quite yet. Or the baby or the mega-star husband. Taylor is a little more popular right now IMHO but that waxes and wanes based on what Taylor or Bey’s PR people decide.
Remember how people around the world freaked out about Michael Jackson (in a fan-like way) for his entire life, no matter what sort of music he put out? Beyonce is there now. Every so often she’ll put out a new “Single Ladies” and it’ll lend credence to her legend and she’ll continue on at the top.
Megastardom is hype, not talent. It’s always been an element of it (Frank Sinatra owes his career to his press agent, who filled the Paramount Theater with bobbysoxers), though talent would sometimes come through.
Beyonce is a fine singer in the currently popular genre. But she’s a superstar because of the hype.
I enjoy her music. But that is overshadowed by what a huge ass Kanye West is about her. It really sucks all the joy out of seeing her at an awards show (and possibly performing) to know that West is going to ruin all the rest of everyone’s good time that evening. She really ought to tell him to stop using her as an excuse to promote himself in the worst way.
Yeah, except I got that about Jackson. His music was amaaaaazing early on, his performing style was genre-defining, and he was a fantastically fascinating and strange person offstage.
I can understand why some superstars get that status, but Beyonce really does evade me. I realize I’m way outside her target audience, but, as a largely punk and jazz fan, I’m outside the target audience of MOST pop acts, but I feel like I still “get” their popularity.
I don’t get/believe her stardom, either. But then again, I don’t think I’ve been on board with any other “megastar’”, ever. It seems to be one of those things that are tailored to other people, and I categorically don’t get it.
