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How Beyoncé Resurrected House Music

2022-06-23T13:48:16.200Z


The singer's new single 'Break My Soul' has confirmed the revival of the genre, which was born in the gay clubs of 1980s Chicago, but fails to break new ground


Beyoncé's long-awaited return has confirmed the comeback of house music, a genre that was born in the gay clubs of Chicago in the 1980s and then took off in Europe.

Ahead of her return from her, the pop star indicated she wanted to bring back some lightness in what has been a very gloomy time.

“With all the isolation and injustice over the past year, I think we are all ready to escape, travel, love and laugh again,” she told

Harper's Bazaar

in 2021. “I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible.”

And she has provided a first taste of that escapism with

Break My Soul

, the first single from her upcoming solo album

Renaissance

, which will be released on July 29. The track can be viewed a remake of the 1990s house classic,

Show Me Love

by Robin S.

it uses the same rhythmic base and two of the song's composers, Allen George and Fred McFarlane, are credited on the single.

It could be argued that it even picks up the narrative where Robin S. left it off.

While Robin S was looking for a partner worthy of her, Beyoncé sings: “I just fell in love.”

Some of the lyrics in

Break My Soul

also come from the original Robin S.

It is impossible that Beyoncé – who in recent years has taken a strong stand on political and social issues – was not aware of the cultural significance of house music, which was embraced by the Black gay community in clubs on the South Side of Chicago.

At these parties, everyone was welcome – unlike the elite disco clubs of Manhattan.

In fact, house music was born from the ashes of the Manhattan club scene.

It took off in Chicago in venues such as The Warehouse, which is believed to have given the genre its name.

The godfather of house, Frankie Knuckles, was also the resident DJ at The Warehouse from 1982 until its closure in 1987. Compared to Detroit's synthetic techno, house music was warmer and more sensual.

It sampled soul and funk songs, and featured the dazzling vocals of Black singers such as Crystal Waters (

Gypsy Woman

), Barbara Tucker (

Beautiful People

), CeCe Peniston (

Finally

) and Ultra Naté (

Free).

House music has also been influencing contemporary pop music for some time.

This can be seen in Drake's new album,

Honestly, Nevermind

, which was produced by various big names linked to the genre, including South Africa's Black Coffee and America's Gordo, who made a name for himself in Baltimore's club culture.

The legacy of the dance music scene in Baltimore, which was something like a mini Chicago in the 1990s, has also been picked up by singers such as Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B. For example, the 2020 song

WAP

by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, was a nod to

Whores in This House

, a 1992 classic that emerged in this downtrodden East Coast city.

But

Show Me Love

has had the biggest impact on contemporary pop.

Before Beyoncé sampled its base – which follows the standard four on the floor rhythm pattern – singers such as Jason Derulo (

Don't Wanna Go Home

, in 2011), Kind Ink and Chris Brown (

Show Me

, in 2013) and Charli XCX (

Used to Know Me

, which came out just a couple of months ago) also paid tribute to the song.

In 2014, Clean Bandit and Sam Feldt each recorded versions of the classic, while Kiesza topped the charts in the UK with

Hideaway

, which wavered between reverence for the original and blatant plagiarism.

Perhaps that's why Beyoncé's comeback is notable, but not exceptional.

What does it mean that the biggest pop star on the planet, the one who has been the most ambitious and most in-tune, has returned after a long period with an idea that others have already had?

What does it mean that Beyoncé, after so many years at the forefront of popular music, has stopped innovating and is instead following – not setting – the trend?

Break My Soul

may be more pleasing to the ear than some of her recent experiments, but it indicates a worrying shift.

After revolutionizing pop music in the 1980s, Madonna entered the second stage of her career by appropriating pre-existing musical trends, such as voguing, British dance music and even autotuning.

Her ability to constantly reinvent herself was applauded, but over time, it marked a musical decline.

Beyoncé's new album has yet to arrive, so it is hasty to reach conclusions.

But judging from

Break My Soul,

a house track that does little to break new ground, it could be said that Beyoncé is following Madonna's downward path.

Source: elparis

All news articles on 2022-06-23

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