Just now, ShouldersSideways said:

Yeah, I meant they could've just said "Visuals to come at a later date." But that is admittedly a nitpick. No one outside of the fanbase remembers that statement anyway.

For sure, and I think most of the people IN the fanbase don't remember it, the way everyone acts like she never said it.

People overthink “you are the visual baby” as if it meant anything. She probably just said and didn’t even think about what it could mean 

I mean, even something as simple as the adoration for the transitions would probably have been dampened had the music come with the film, because that's how many would experience the film first, where one naturally expects music to have a seamless flow. But, since the music came alone, no one was thinking "oh its seamless like the visual album", it was a trending topic of conversation and one of the most praised elements of the album because it felt like a really fresh, exciting idea on its own. It made it feel like one long DJ set, not the soundtrack to a film.

 

We can look at Homecoming as an example of this, where a live concert generally has seamless transitions. There was a lot of love for the way the live album replicated this seamlessness, but it didn't feel so surprising or inherently special (even if it was rather unique), given we knew how and why this was achieved and where it came from.


Sorry if I am being too optimistic and praising of Beyoncé, but just as we might praise anything else about her, I do find her strategies and the subtitles of what her choices achieve to be fascinating and praise-worthy.

 

 

Edited August 23, 20233 yr by swissman

At this point I really am just enjoying the album. I got to see the tour and that was amazing. Anything else would just be an extra bonus but I'm not yearning for it nor getting mad/annoyed at her for not having it. 

46 minutes ago, swissman said:

yess! I would love to hear her do the runs she was doing at the Grammys again.

It honestly would have gone viral!! I would love if she did a more strip down version of the song with the opening intro of the song. That instrumental has gone viral and is probably her best instrumental of her career.

 

4 minutes ago, swissman said:

I think it's clear based on the fact that Beyoncé was filming BREAK MY SOUL after the song was released that she intended it to be consumed as music-only first, and that part of the reason for this would be to have people experience/relate to the music not the visuals which she has really not done for a lead single since 2011 (Drunk in Love, Formation, APESHIT, Spirit/BIGGER, all debuting alongside videos).

 

Thus, it would seem that she was holding the same strategy for the rest of the music, as well as a reason why even when she could have released BREAK MY SOUL or CUFF IT she chose not to, in order to further this "music-first" experience that actually harkens back to the way people consumed and related to music in the 1970s/early 1980s, which this album majorly draws upon. This "renaissance" of experience seems partially integral to the project, and part of the amazing factor to its success: people really enjoy the MUSIC without the trappings of pop marketing, without being "sold" it through expensive videos, or being given choreography to replicate, etc.

 

And don't you think it's going to be SO exciting when you finally do see, after year(s) [lol], CUFF IT's music video? It'll have the effect of some long-lost piece of an iconic artwork that is now discovered and available to the masses. I find it iconic, exciting, and kind of brilliant.

 

 

I'm with you...for the most part. 

 

It is indeed clear/er now that it was the intent for the album to arrive before the visuals. Bey is immensely talented, able, etc, but she's not above needing a marketing angle. And, after establishing herself as "the" visual artist of her time, it is indeed kind of intriguing for her to pivot in the opposite direction. 

 

That said, I don't believe for a single second that it was meant to go on this long.

 

In our excitement and despair, it tends to be forgotten that we have pretty concrete intel that there have been reshoots, a supposed on-set injury, and she looks quite different now to when they shot (which shouldn't be discounted as a possible issue she would have). All of which feel quite tied into the concept of unforeseen delays. Then there's the possibility of post-production taking an age and possibly her streaming deal going awry (as what seemed like surefire Netflix drop now has HBO Max and Prime Video in the convo).

 

Now there's the SAG strike (which WILL affect ish because she is a member). 

 

Not to mention the possibility that the actual concept of the visual could have been gutted and remoulded amidst all of the above. 

 

It'll all inevitably be spun as "genius" and "intentional", but I think it's very clear there are things it's all being plagued by that glide between out of her control and in other regards because of her control.

1 minute ago, Cbreezy said:

I'm with you...for the most part. 

 

It is indeed clear/er now that it was the intent for the album to arrive before the visuals. Bey is immensely talented, able, etc, but she's not above needing a marketing angle. And, after establishing herself as "the" visual artist of her time, it is indeed kind of intriguing for her to pivot in the opposite direction. 

 

That said, I don't believe for a single second that it was meant to go on this long.

 

In our excitement and despair, it tends to be forgotten that we have pretty concrete intel that there have been reshoots, a supposed on-set injury, and she looks quite different now to when they shot (which shouldn't be discounted as a possible issue she would have). All of which feel quite tied into the concept of unforeseen delays. Then there's the possibility of post-production taking an age and possibly her streaming deal going awry (as what seemed like surefire Netflix drop now has HBO Max and Prime Video in the convo).

 

Now there's the SAG strike (which WILL affect ish because she is a member). 

 

Not to mention the possibility that the actual concept of the visual could have been gutted and remoulded amidst all of the above. 

 

It'll all inevitably be spun as "genius" and "intentional", but I think it's very clear there are things it's all being plagued by that glide between out of her control and in other regards because of her control.

For sure all the things you mentioned are possible. But I think the point remains that if she had intended no visuals to be released for some time, that the same purpose of the strategy would go on applying to the era for an extended time, too. The "genius" element here is that the strategy allows enough flexibility for her to take the time she needs to complete it whether thats in or out of her control. If the point was "music first", no delay from one week to one month to three years changes that.

5 minutes ago, simon said:

It honestly would have gone viral!! I would love if she did a more strip down version of the song with the opening intro of the song. That instrumental has gone viral and is probably her best instrumental of her career.

 

it really is a stunning instrumental, and paints the meaning and feeling of the song so well, it feels like water is running over you.

 

Top 5:

Smash Into You

1+1

Rocket

Speechless

Emotions (DC but Idc)

 

 

It's amazing that this era Beyoncé has effectively disproven two of her biggest [hater] critiques:

 

1. That her albums are only considered good because of their associated videos
2. That she is emotionless/not relatable on stage

 

She said, "uh...you thought..."

1 minute ago, swissman said:

For sure all the things you mentioned are possible. But I think the point remains that if she had intended no visuals to be released for some time, that the same purpose of the strategy would go on applying to the era for an extended time, too. The "genius" element here is that the strategy allows enough flexibility for her to take the time she needs to complete it whether thats in or out of her control. If the point was "music first", no delay from one week to one month to three years changes that.

We are very alike in our positive/optimistic thinking about things, but I don't really align with the idea that *any* amount of time is the same. 

 

Anything between the initial drop and the 1-year mark made sense (even when we felt we were in the trenches). IMO, it aligns with the "let the album breathe" thing. 

 

But pushing it past the year mark runs the risk of it being another BIK situation. Her best work that ends up getting the "beautiful gowns' treatment because the GP (whose attention spans are evaporating) effectively moved on from being invested in even the hit songs like Cuff It and BMS speak less than the album overall. Unless the visuals really are so left of what we expected (which they might be), they run the risk of being more of an "etc" than this blockbuster main event.

 

The only redeeming angle I can see is having the Act 1 and Act 2 visuals combined into one full-length feature film. 

4 minutes ago, swissman said:

It's amazing that this era Beyoncé has effectively disproven two of her biggest [hater] critiques:

 

1. That her albums are only considered good because of their associated videos
2. That she is emotionless/not relatable on stage

 

She said, "uh...you thought..."

3. Beyoncé is streaming/chart poison. 
 

she can make hits, wbk she chooses not to be that girl anymore. 

I just always feel like Beyoncé plays the long game which will inevitably work out in her favor. (That’s my optimism).

 

I still see her cranking out QUALITY albums in 20 years.

 

she will be the modern day Beethoven. 

42 minutes ago, Rotunda said:

Me listening to Rather Die Young (studio version) vs. Me listening to Rather Die Young at the Renaissance World Tour

 

 

Me but with Church Girl. 

54 minutes ago, Bicassie said:

Where is Best thing I never had?

 

that’s handsdown her WORST song everrr

like what in the vanessa carlton….

 

Imma downvote yall BTINH hating DEMONS straight to hell each and every time! 

 

pls dont report me

6 minutes ago, Shone Ai said:

Me but with Church Girl. 

me as well but also with flaws and all, you'd think it was my favorite ballad the way I be screaming it

Why are people so bad at telling ballads apart from midtempos, slow jams etc.?

 

1 hour ago, Devin said:

3. Beyoncé is streaming/chart poison. 
 

she can make hits, wbk she chooses not to be that girl anymore. 

oh yes! perhaps the most important one (because it's said so often).

1 hour ago, Cbreezy said:

We are very alike in our positive/optimistic thinking about things, but I don't really align with the idea that *any* amount of time is the same. 

 

Anything between the initial drop and the 1-year mark made sense (even when we felt we were in the trenches). IMO, it aligns with the "let the album breathe" thing. 

 

But pushing it past the year mark runs the risk of it being another BIK situation. Her best work that ends up getting the "beautiful gowns' treatment because the GP (whose attention spans are evaporating) effectively moved on from being invested in even the hit songs like Cuff It and BMS speak less than the album overall. Unless the visuals really are so left of what we expected (which they might be), they run the risk of being more of an "etc" than this blockbuster main event.

 

The only redeeming angle I can see is having the Act 1 and Act 2 visuals combined into one full-length feature film. 

Any amount of time is the same in regards to the music first strategy though. In fact, the longer it takes the more it is achieved. The bolded sentence wasn't me saying any amount of time will serve the visuals well, but that any amount of time still serves her initial "music first" strategy.

What if at the end of the visuals, the lead single of act ii starts after a moody transition ... thereby launching a new era, a new single...

...the new song is added to the end of the current RENAISSANCE on streaming, as well as greyed out songs that will be released the following month... as act ii premieres.

1 hour ago, Devin said:

3. Beyoncé is streaming/chart poison. 
 

she can make hits, wbk she chooses not to be that girl anymore. 

4. She needs to jump in other’s songs/remix/collabs to have hits 

5. She cant read 

 

5 minutes ago, Triton said:

4. She needs to jump in other’s songs/remix/collabs to have hits 

5. She cant read (the room) 

 

Idk jury still kinda out on this one. 

 

Keep Best D*ck I Ever Had’s name out of your nasty MOUTH, she’ll always be thee misunderstood legend

I see yall in here giving praises to the AUIYM of 4