Posts Tagged ‘Beyonce’

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Who run this motha?!

Finally, Beyonce has returned. Girls (Who Run the World), the first single from her highly-anticipated fourth album, is an empowering anthem full of electric hip hop & energized beats. Sampling Major Lazer’s Pon de Floor, the song is backed and totally charged.

It’s full of energy but not as instantly catchy as Single Ladies, the lead single from her previous Grammy-winning multi-platinum album, I Am…Sasha Fierce. But as always, Beyonce makes it her own and makes it work.

Please note that this is the leaked demo and not the final product.

Listen to the return of Queen B, below.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

How precious is this pop tart?!

Fresh out da oven.

Most songwriters cannot claim to have written a track as big as, oh you know, If I Were A Boy by Beyonce. But then again, most songwriters are not BC Jean. In a way to deal with heartbreak, Jean channeled all of her inner pain post-breakup to create a beautiful record and as most would be, was excited to get a phone call stating that Beyonce wanted to record the track.

But that’s besides the point…

BC Jean is emerging now as her own artist and has released a record just as heartfelt as If I Were A Boy, the emotionally soaked I’ll Survive You — another dose of post-breakup stress channeled through song.

Listen to I’ll Survive You + watch an interview with the singer/songwriter as she discusses If I Were A Boy and her upcoming debut album (release date TBD), following.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

“I’m not bigger than Beyonce. I love Beyonce!”
–Joshua Radin

*Backstage after last night’s concert, after I introduced myself & the site. He then laughed & did a little booty shake.

*FYI: We love Beyonce too. If you follow the site, then you already know this.

[Full review of the live show (which was held via the Best Buy Theater in Times Square), here!]

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

“I’m not looking to steal Beyoncé’s crown. I’m looking to get my own.”

-Rihanna

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

“Nothing ever got my pulse racing (in a good way) like hockey. Well, nothing except Beyonce, but that wasn’t until I was twelve or so. Then, all of a sudden, it was like I opened my eyes one day and noticed that the world is full of beautiful girls, and I’ve had a hard time thinking about anything else ever since.”

-JB / Taken from his autobiography, First Step 2 Forever: My Story

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Go on wobblin’ with yo bad self, BK!

Just days after the news broke that we might soon be hearing brand spankin’ new music from our girl, Beyonce, the always humble singer headed to West Orange, Jersey with hubby Jay Z. The trip was a simple one: to visit Jay’s Mama. While there, the locals had no clue they were in for a surprise appearance as Beyonce decided to show off her dance moves and join in the festivities by crashing the neighborhood block party. Needless to say, a cool time ensued.

The dance Beyonce boogies to in the vid is called The Wobble.

Check out the fun times below.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

“Sisterhood means everything to me. All the charities I’m involved with are special, but I find any organization that focuses on women and children really motivating. GEMS and the young ladies the nonprofit helps are very close to my heart. And what I took away from the clients at Phoenix House changed my life. These were real people who touched me so much that I had to go beyond making a donation. They’re gaining skills at the Cosmetology Center, which will help them earn a living and find their way out of substance abuse—it’s a testament to the possibility of second chances.”

-Beyonce / Self Mag

[Related Post: Beyonce Opens Cosmetology Center For Recovering Addicts]

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

[Sings: Australia girls, so hot, they'll punch you like a Kangaroo? Yeah, it was the first thing that came to my brain so I ran with it. Sue me!]

There’s no denying that Katy Perry reeks of fun and never takes herself too seriously. Case in point, Australia, where the California Gurls singer decided to crash a high school prom. Come on — Katy Perry, high school prom — it’s a teenage wet dream.

Target: Melbourne High School formal at the Grand Hyatt, where Perry got down on the dancefloor and even shook her rump to Beyonce’s Single Ladies. Apparently, the prom was being held in the same hotel in which Perry was staying while promoting her new album in the country. When she overheard her song California Gurls being played at the event, she couldn’t resist and decided to make one heck of an entrance, grabbing a microphone and singing along. By the looks of things, it looks like some students lost their shiz/flipped the hell out, or thought that perhaps someone had spiked the punch and they were beginning to see things. Ha!

”Someone came over to me and said Katy Perry had heard about our formal, and wanted to come,” student council president Anthony Lay explained. “But she’s a celebrity and there were more than 550 students in the room, so another person, a woman, said it would be too dangerous.” But clearly that didn’t stop Perry.

Perry tweeted later the same night: “I totes just crashed a prom!!!”

Watch a news report on the prom-crashing Katy, below.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

How appropriate that BTB favorite Sara Bareilles would cover our lady, Beyonce. Plain and simple, I would not write about this if it wasn’t worthy of the Queen; it’s damn good. Beyonce has got some of the best pipes in the business, and to be able to cover her in a new light, girl must have some talent.

Single Ladies was an worldwide sensation, making millions do the dance and throw their hands in the air. This on the other hand, is a diverse cover. It’s mellow, soothing, and makes you want to sway back and forth, instead of booty pop.

This version gives the song a complete 180. She performed this for a small crowd of about 150, and the bar-like atmosphere is just heavenly. Get out your lighters and throw them in the air for this one! Take a spin and check out this awesome cover!

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

I mighta been born just plain white trash but Fancy was my name!

Sorry, had to throw that out there.

Country legend Reba McEntire put a country ring on it when she recently covered Beyonce’s classic hit, If I Were a Boy for a recent episode of CMT’s Unplugged. And the outcome is amazing! Reba takes the song and sings it effortlessly, proving that if a message is universal (ya know, the whole boys being douchebags thing) then it can be sung in any format, in any language, in any part of the world and will still have a powerful effect on the audience, if the artist connects with the song emotionally. And Reba certainly does.

This is not the first time a song of Beyonce’s was covered by another well-know country artist. In 2007, Sugarland famously performed Irreplaceable on the American Music Awards where Knowles even took to the stage to join in singing along.

Check out Reba’s spin on If I Were A Boy, below.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Oh Betty, how we love thee.

“I’m thrilled to hear he’s going to be on the show because he’s the hottest thing since sliced bread, but I certainly enjoy him. I hope we’ll get along well,” White told reporters about her upcoming SNL appearance (with musical guest Jay-Z). “Yes, [I have listened to his music]…I have no idea [if we'll work together]! But I’m game to try anything. This is an adventure!”

Perhaps Betty can bring out her inner Beyonce and do a little diddy with the rapper? Any ideas? Let’s just hope they don’t throw her in a black bikini and make her do the Single Ladies dance. Not that it wouldn’t be awesome but it’s been done way too much. Either way, whatever SNL creates for Betty, I’m sure will be great TV.

Until SNL airs this weekend, you can check out Jay performing Young Forever (at Coachella) with wifey BK, below.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

PA PA PA Product Placement

You may have already seen this parody but if not, check it! All I can say is, hilarious. Besides the comedic vaule (the Beyonce character is pretty funny in this clip), I found myself nodding in agreement to the points being made.

Hope this brightens up your day a little.

By: Rob Brayl & Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

This morning when I opened my email I received a great excerpt from Maria on GaGa’s video premiere of Telephone (ft. Beyonce). As I watched the video release last night, I was definitely intrigued (how can you not be when there’s vagina flashing and cigarette blazing sunglasses?!), but when the video came to an end I found myself still processing the over nine minute feature directed by Jonas Akerland–who is best known for his award-winning work with Madonna.

I’m not sure what it is but there’s something holding me back from actually being a true fan of the Poker Face singer. I suppose you could call me a psuedo-fan. I mean, if her song blasts out on a dancefloor I will sing along and bounce around just like everyone else–but when it comes to the overall package, I’m just not buying it. One thing’s for certain: I admire her drive and ambition but as an overall artist, I’m just not on the GaGa train quite yet.

I appreciate the fact that this video didn’t air until 11:30PM last night, since it’s definitely NSFK (Not Safe For Kiddies) and definitely NSFW, but I found myself wrestling with the message or lack thereof that was present in the video. I understand that darkness is a style stamp that GaGa has placed on herself but I just didn’t understand the point of the mass murder spree in the video–there was no story leading to the purpose of this detail. This is just another reason why I am led to believe that GaGa is truly a shock artist, doing whatever it takes to get a reaction. In an interview with Barbara Walters, she said the biggest misconception about herself is that she is “artificial and attention-seeking”. And although, I respect her and her work, I also ask: What do you expect when you write about clubs, sex, getting wasted and wear crabs on your face in public? — Not tryin’ to hate, just sayin’!

Perhaps in the future, she will rub off on me. Either way, she definitely has made a HUGE dent in pop culture and I will be interested to hear her next record. With that being said, there were parts of this video that I really enjoyed and other parts I had no desire to see–I will, however, agree that it’s one of her best tracks to date.

On the FLIP SIDE, BTB’s Maria Ciezak loved the video and I wanted to showcase both our uncertainty and our support for the video in this post because that is what’s so great about art–when it arouses discussion.

Read Maria’s review below (and watch the video premiere of Telephone, after the jump).

Do you ever watch something and say “I can’t believe what I just saw?” Well, be prepared to do a double take; Lady Gaga’s (ft. Beyonce) Telephone has finally been released. Ladies and Gentlemen, witness an edgy, sexified Thelma and Louise rebirth. Starting off by slamming rumors, there are tons of hidden meanings just waiting to be found as GaGa prances through prison and ends up poisoning several people at a roadside diner. Covered in everything from electrical tape to latex, this video doesn’t contain a dull moment. A pop smash about wanting to turn your phone off has turned into something so much deeper.

A must-watch nine and a half minute masterpiece; Gaga and Beyonce convolute the stereotype of what a pop music video should be. Continuously opposed to the typical, we love all that makes her so damn Gaga.

Lady Gaga – New Music – More Music Videos

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

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To many, Beyonce is a hero. Here’s one reason why…

Beyonce recently spoke in Brooklyn, New York at the Phoenix House–a nonprofit rehabilitation center for drug and alcohol addiction, to uncover a project she and her mother, Tina, have been developing for years. That project is the Beyonce Cosmetology Center.

The program is a seven-month cosmetology training course for adult men and women. L’oreal donated all the products for use at the center, and Miss Beyonce, along with her mother, have pledged to donate $100,000 to the program annually.

After New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Tina Knowles took the stage, Beyonce, full of humility and grace, took to the podium to explain her vision, a vision she developed while visiting Phoenix House in 2007 as part of research for her role as Etta James (who, at the age of 21, was a heroin addict) in the film Cadillac Records.

Phoenix House provides various vocational training but Beyonce felt like a beauty school was missing and would be an important tool to the facility as she said:

“I saw that a salon was a place for women to socialize, share stories, cry, laugh and get advice,” she continued, speaking on growing up in the beauty parlor in which her mother owned at the time. She was near tears when she added, “Most importantly, I saw the joy it brought my mother, knowing she was a part of their transformation.”

Overwhelmed with admiration for the the strength and the courage of the women and men who’ve chosen to go to Phoenix House for help, Beyonce was determined to make her dream a reality and she has succeeded, touching countless lives whose journey has led to this beautiful story of hope and redemption.

Check out the always humble BK on Good Morning America, explaining the venture, below.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Beyonce to Germany's FHM magazine:

“My music is more than just performing, dancing & shooting videos. I try to show women that we need to be there for each other, support each other, & that you have to work to reach your goals.”

It’s this kind of attitude that truly makes BK from Texas a star. It also reminds me of one of my favorite lyrics that she’s ever written (from the song Hello), when she says–YOU KEEP ME HUMBLE OUT OF THIS HYPE / CAUSE YOU KNOW THERE’S MORE TO LIFE.

Check out the humble BK on The Today Show, high from making Grammy history with her six wins, below.