Last week Beyoncé premiered her new visual album, LEMONADE, with an hour-long special on HBO. The stylized videos were connected via spoken word by Somali-British writer and poet Warsan Shire (narrated by Beyoncé) and were separated into the following themes: Intuition, Denial, Anger, Apathy, Emptiness, Accountability, Reformation, Forgiveness, Resurrection, Hope and Redemption. The surprise album appeared all over the globe in a digital format and now the physical has arrived. Here’s a guide to who was in the video and who helped make this fantastic album happen!
THE CAMEO’S
Tina Knowles, Beyonce’s mother, and her husband Richard Lawson.
Canadian model Winnie Harlow came to fame via America’s Next Top Model. “So honoured to have worked with you and to be acknowledged by you Beyoncé” she wrote in response to her appearance.
These three – Trayvon Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton; Eric Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr; and Michael Brown’s mother, Lezley McSpadden – appear in the poignant visual accompaniment to ‘Forward’, Beyoncé’s collaboration with James Blake.
Tennis legend Serena and music legend Beyoncé team up for the pretty legendary ‘Sorry’, which contains lines like “I don’t give a fuck / chucking my deuces up / Suck on my balls, pause, I had enough / I ain’t thinking ’bout you”.
12-year-old Wallis was the youngest ever Oscar nominee for Best Actress, and the first person born in the 21st century to have received such a nomination from the Academy, for her starring role in Beasts of the Southern Wild.
DePrince, a 21-year-old ballerina currently with the Dutch National Ballet, appears in ‘Freedom’, Beyoncé’s Kendrick Lamar collaboration
These three – Trayvon Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton; Eric Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr; and Michael Brown’s mother, Lezley McSpadden – appear in the poignant visual accompaniment to ‘Forward’, Beyoncé’s collaboration with James Blake.
Renowned as the queen of Creole cuisine, New Orleans’ Leah Chase is 93 years old and this year will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual US cooking awards, the James Beards. In ‘Lemonade’ she appears in the gap between ‘6 Inch’ and ‘Daddy Lessons’.
These three – Trayvon Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton; Eric Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr; and Michael Brown’s mother, Lezley McSpadden – appear in the poignant visual accompaniment to ‘Forward’, Beyoncé’s collaboration with James Blake.
Chloe and Halle are sisters and teen YouTube stars who are known for their cover of Beyoncé’s ‘Pretty Hurts’. She’s since reportedly signed them on a $1m record deal
Disney star Zendaya and Hunger Games star Amandla Stenberg just hanging out in a tree.
THE FASHION
ROBERTO CAVALLI
HOOD BY AIR COAT, YEEZY CROP TOP & LEGGINGS
YOUSEF AL JASMI
BRANDON MAXWELL
GIG COUTURE
MADE BY STYLIST MARNI SENOFONTE
GUCCI YELLOW SUIT
MARIA LUCIA HOHAN
BEYONCE IN ROSIE ASSOULINE TOP | ZENDAYS IN PHELAN TOP
THE COLLABORATOR’S
Beyoncé worked with Jack White in ‘Don’t Hurt Yourself’, The Weeknd in ‘6 Inch’, James Blake in ‘Forward’ and Kendrick Lamar in ‘Freedom’. Producers included Diplo, Mike WiLL Made-It, Just Blaze, Mike Dean, Hit-Boy and more. Notable directors also included Mark Romanek, Khalil Joseph, Dikayl Rimmasch, Jonas Åkerlund and Melina Matsoukas who directed ‘Formation’.
BIG FREEDIA
Star of Fuse’s Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce and New Orleans legend who can be heard on “Formation.” She exclusively told Fuse after the song dropped, “It was a total shocker when I got a call from Beyonce’s publicist and she said Beyoncé wanted me to get on this track. When I heard the track and the concept behind it, which was Beyoncé paying homage to her roots (New Iberia, La.), I was even more excited! It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I was beyond honored to work with the original Queen B. I think it turned out amazing too!”
DIPLO
Three cheers for the bulletproof producer for mashing up elements of “Can’t Get Used To Losing You,” “Turn My Swag Up” and “Maps” on the breezy “Hold Up,” and also snatching the “Spottieottiedopalicious” horns for the devastatingly lush “All Night,” both of which he co-produced and co-wrote.
THE WEEKND
Abel Tesfaye has been a must-have featured artist ever since House of Balloons dropped, and to hear him on a Beyoncé track—especially one that’s as empowering to women as “6 Inch”—causes a nod of approval or two.
WYNTER GORDON
The “Dirty Talk” singer/The Righteous Young frontwoman contributed to a hefty amount of the album, snagging writing credits on “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” “Sorry,” and “Daddy Lessons,” credited as Diana “Wynter” Gordon. Meanwhile, she’s also listed as a co-producer on “Sorry” with Bey and Melo-X.
JACK WHITE
The White Stripes virtuoso and Third Man Records creator not only duets with Bey on the saucy rock-R&B mashup of “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” but is a co-producer alongside the superstar.
EZRA KOENIG
“Produced by Diplo, Beyoncé and Ezra Koenig” is a dream to write, but that’s how “Hold Up” is credited, and hearing the Vampire Weekend leader mold a slinky Bey track is, indeed, a dream come true.
JAMES BLAKE
Although the soulful electronic star is notably featured on the interlude “Forward,” it’s also worth noting that he co-wrote the moving opener “Pray You Catch Me.”
KENDRICK LAMAR
We won’t say anything as trite as “Aside from Beyoncé,” but… the sound of Kendrick Lamar busting out over a scorching Just Blaze beat is worth the price of admission for “Freedom.” Thanks, K. Dot.
JUST BLAZE
So the guy who allowed Jay Z to reintroduce himself (“MY NAME IS HOV”) on The Black Album‘s “Public Service Announcement (Interlude)” just made a cathedral-crumbler with Queen Bey. It’s Beyoncé’s first time working with the 38-year-old production king, and it’s a crazy full-circle feeling for any fan of the Carters. Few producers are as permanently intertwined with Jay Z’s discography as Just Blaze, and every time he jumps on a major modern-day track (Drake’s Rick Ross–featuring “Lord Knows,” Kendrick Lamar’s Dre–featuring “Compton”) is an event.
FATHER JOHN MISTY
Listed as J. Tillman—the name the Fleet Foxes alum used for nearly a decade before taking up the churchy moniker—the recently anointed indie saint is here in a writerly capacity for “Hold Up,” Lemonade‘s second song. Tapping him for the Ezra Koenig/Diplo–produced number is interesting, considering how arch, acerbic and even antagonistic Father John Misty’s public relationship to pop music has been in the year since I Love You, Honeybear thrust him into the spotlight.
ANDRE 3000
Album closer “All Night” credits ten writers, including Andre Benjamin, a.k.a. Andre 3000. Hey ya!
MELO-X
In 2014, MeLo-X released an EP called Yoncé-X, featuring remixes of tracks from Beyoncé‘s self-titled album. The EP caught Queen Bey’s ear, and the Brooklyn multimedia artist was invited to contribute music to her 2014 On the Run Tour with Jay Z. Last year, MeLo began going to L.A. to work with Beyoncé for the sessions that would become her new album Lemonade, which was released this weekend. MeLo co-wrote and sang backup vocals on “Hold Up” and, along with Wynter Gordon, co-wrote and co-produced “Sorry.” He also contributed music to the Lemonade visual album, and is working on music for the Formation Tour.
Rising artist/producer Kevin Garrett took the reigns on “Pray You Catch Me.”
Grey Area singer Kevin Cossom co-wrote “Daddy Lessons.”
“Never Forget You” hitmaker MNEK is one of 15 songwriters credited on “Hold Up.”
Frequent Lana Del Rey collaborator Emile Hayne co-wrote “Hold Up.”
“Headlights” singer Ilsey Juber (on the left) co-wrote “All Night.”
French-Cuban twins Ibeyi make a surprise cameo in the album’s accompanying visual.
Self-Titled mastermind Boots returned for “6 Inch.”
Rae Sremmurd’s Swae Lee is one of the five songwriters sampled on “Formation.”
Hit-Boy co-produced “Sorry.”
Hitmakers R. City co-wrote “All Night.”
Just Blaze arguably contributed the album’s slickest beat on “Freedom.”
Kanye West collaborator Mike Dean helmed “Love Drought.”
British songwriter Carla Marie Williams co-penned “Freedom.”
45-year-old poet/spoken word artist Malik Yusef is credited on “Sandcastles.”
Former Disney diva Zendaya makes a cameo in the Lemonade visual.
Singer/songwriter Wynter Gordon contributed three tracks to Lemonade.
THE SAMPLES
Hold Up
Contains Elements Of “Can’t Get Used To Losing You” Written By Doc Pomus And Mort Shuman. (ANDY WILLIAMS) Published By Unichappell Music, Inc. (Bmi) And 456 Music Associates (Bmi) All Rights Administered By Unichappell Music, Inc. (Bmi).
This Composition Embodies Portion Of “Turn My Swag On” Written By Deandre Way, Antonio Randolph And Kelvin Mcconnell. (SOULJA BOY) Published By Soulja Boy Tell’em Music (Bmi), Emi Blackwood Music Inc./Disaster Publishing/Big-N-Mage Publishing (Bmi)
Contains Elements Of “Maps” Written By Brian Chase, Karen Orzolek And Nick Zinner, (YEAH YEAH YEAHS) Published By Chrysalis Music Ltd/Bmg Blue (Bmi). All Rights Administered By Bmg Rights Management (Us) Llc.
Don’t Hurt Yourself (Feat. Jack White)
Features Sample From The Led ZeppelinRecording “When The Levee Breaks,” Produced Under License From Atlantic Recording Corp. By Arrangement With Rhino Entertainment Company, A Warner Music Group Company. Written By James Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, Published By Flames Of Albion Music, Inc. (Ascap). All Rights Administered By Wb Music Corp. (Ascap) All Rights Reserved.
6 Inch (Feat. The Weeknd)
This Composition Embodies Portions Of “My Girls” Written By David Portner, Noah Lennox, And Brian Weitz. (ANIMAL COLLECTIVE) Published By Rough Trade Publishing Ltd (Prs).
Contains Samples From “Walk On By” Written By Burt Bacharach And Hal David, Published By Bmg Gold Songs (Ascap), New Hidden Valley Music Co. (Ascap) And Performed By Isaac Hayes. Used Courtesy Of Stax Records Concord Music Group, Inc. All Rights Administered By Bmg Rights Management (Us) Llc.
Freedom (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)
Contains A Sample Of “Let Me Try,” Written By Frank Tirado And Performed By Kaleidoscope. Used Courtesy Of Now-Again Records, With Thanks To Thomas Hartlage And Shadoks Music.
Contains A Sample Of “Collection Speech/Unidentified Lining Hymn,” Performed By Reverend R.C. Crenshaw. Recorded By Alan Lomax In 1959. Used Courtesy Of Global Jukebox Publishing (Bmi) And The Alan Lomax Collection, American Folklife Center, Library Of Congress, Courtesy Of Odyssey Productions, Inc.
Contains A Sample Of “Stewball,” Performed By Prisoner “22” At Mississippi State Penitentiary At Parchman, Recorded In 1947 By Alan Lomax And John Lomax Sr. Used Courtesy Of Ludlow Music Inc. (Bmi)/Global Jukebox Publishing (Bmi) And The Alan Lomax Collection, American Folklife Center, Library Of Congress, Courtesy Of Odyssey Productions, Inc.
All Night
Contains Elements Of “Spottieottiedopaliscious”Written By Andre Benjamin, Patrick Brown And Antwan Patton. (OUTKAST)Published By Bmg Monarch (Ascap)/Gnat Booty Music (Ascap), Songs Of Windswept (Bmi)/Hitco Music (Bmi) / Organized Noize Music (Bmi). All Rights Administered By Bmg Rights Management (Us) Llc.
