Beyoncé Reveals Why She Took a Break from Making Music Videos
From her iconic bubblegum pop in Crazy In Love to smashing cars with a baseball bat in Hold Up, Beyoncé has produced some of the most unforgettable music videos in pop history. Her visual storytelling reached heights comparable to legends like Madonna and Michael Jackson in the ’80s. With Lemonade, her music videos became more than just entertainment—they were a powerful celebration of Black womanhood and female empowerment.
But then, the unexpected happened: Beyoncé stopped making videos. Her most recent albums, Renaissance and Cowboy Carter, were released without the usual accompanying visuals, leaving fans puzzled. Now, in a rare interview with GQ, the superstar has shed light on her decision. She explained that she wanted her audience to focus solely on the music and the voice behind it, without distractions from the visuals.
“In a world where everything is about visuals, I wanted to give the voice and the music room to breathe,” she told GQ. Her recent projects explore the often-overlooked contributions of Black musicians to genres like house, disco, and country. According to Beyoncé, these musical explorations were so rich in history and complexity that they deserved to stand on their own.
Regarding Renaissance specifically, Beyoncé shared that the album was created during the pandemic as an escape and a way to dream during a difficult time. For her, the live experience of the Renaissance tour was the true visual. “The fans became the visual,” she said, emphasizing the power of the shared experience. The tour rivaled Taylor Swift’s as one of the biggest box office hits of 2023.
This interview, centered around the launch of Beyoncé’s new whiskey brand, marked her first extensive public conversation in nearly a decade. Prior to this, she had largely stepped back from interviews since 2013-2014, preferring to express herself through personal essays and social media. During the interview, Beyoncé also revealed some personal details, including her decision to give up meat (except for turkey) and her concerns about AI after hearing a computer-generated track that mimicked her voice eerily well.
Beyoncé also touched on her commitment to protecting her family’s privacy. “I’ve worked hard to make sure my kids can have a normal life,” she said. “No amount of fame is worth sacrificing my peace.”
Interestingly, the interview followed the surprising news that Cowboy Carter had been snubbed by the Country Music Awards. Despite its commercial success, including being the first album by a Black woman to top the U.S. country charts, the album received no nominations. While Beyoncé remained optimistic about her country music experiment, her father, Matthew Knowles, criticized the snub, suggesting racial bias might be at play.
To cap off the conversation, here are five of Beyoncé’s most iconic music videos:
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It): A minimalist black-and-white video featuring flawless choreography inspired by Bob Fosse.
Formation: A deeply political video celebrating Black culture and resilience, touching on themes from segregation to Hurricane Katrina.
Countdown: A vibrant, pop-culture-packed video that Beyoncé co-directed while pregnant with her first child.
Crazy In Love: The explosive video that launched her solo career and cemented her status as a pop icon.
Get Me Bodied (Extended Version): A fun, Hollywood-style production featuring appearances by her Destiny’s Child bandmates and sister Solange.
Though Beyoncé may have stepped away from videos for now, her legacy as a visual artist remains unmatched.