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beyonce biography

Sofia Eylül 05, 2021

beyonce biography

Beyoncé's 'The Lion King: The Gift' Album Review - Vulture

Posted: 22 Jul 2019 12:00 AM PDT

These songs represent mainstream American music's most concerted push into the intercontinental sounds of blackness since Drake's More Life. Photo: YouTube

The Lion King is an interesting curio, a dream of the Kenyan plains relayed through words and drawings from an American film and animation studio, the songs of a British singer-songwriter, and the score of a German composer. The story takes cues from Hamlet (and the Bible, and Bambi). The big love song has more in common with the music of Tin Pan Alley than Tanzania. The wide-ranging talents of the group of creatives who brought the story of Simba to life awarded the saga broad international appeal, but what makes the film work for everyone also detracts from a sense of specificity of place. Outside of "The Circle of Life," the cinematic opener where composer Hans Zimmer gets the bright idea to call up Soweto-born producer Lebo M. (whose catalogue included arrangements and supervision on the South African apartheid dramas Cry Freedom and The Power of One), and "Hakuna Matata," a song that came to life after the animation team returned from a field trip to Hell's Gate National Park in Kenya with a Swahili catchphrase, the music of The Lion King failed to evoke Africa as acutely as the animators' sketches of Hell's Gate did.

One wonders whether the choice to lead Disney's big African power play with anthropomorphic animals and stately English ballads was an exercise in getting in without getting too political, or if the story couldn't help but relay its creators' distance from its setting. (In producer Don Hahn's making-of featurette, original director George Scribner suggests that he was released from the project not long after pitching a fit about what he saw as an inappropriate choice of songwriter. It is fascinating also to note that a chunk of the Lion King team ditched the project to work on Pocahontas, a story more acutely rooted in the human ambition, division, and cruelty the other film pins on its dandy lion, Scar.) It wasn't until 1995, when Lebo M.'s side project turned official sequel soundtrack Rhythm of the Pride Lands was released, that The Lion King began to visit its roots in music. Rich choral exercises like "He Lives in You," "One by One," and "Lea Halalela" (which would later be reworked into the fan favorite, "Shadowland") were strong enough to grace the official straight-to-video sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and the successful Broadway musical adaptation of the first film. The enterprise found its proper course in time.

Gaga and Ronson respond to claim they 'stole' A Star Is Born song - digitalspy.com

Posted: 11 Aug 2019 12:26 PM PDT

Lady Gaga and Mark Ronson have had huge success with their song 'Shallow' from A Star is Born, but not all of the attention it has received has been good.

A songwriter by the name of Steve Ronsen is threatening to file a lawsuit against the duo, claiming the song has 'stolen' his work. He says 'Shallow' has specifically used a three-note progression sequence from his song 'Almost' without credit or permission.

In a statement to ET Online, he says: "It was brought to my attention by many people that the 'Shallow' song sounds like mine. I did not seek this out, I haven't even seen the movie (I heard it's pretty good). I admire Lady Gaga and I just want to get to the bottom of this.

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, Oscars

Getty Images

Related: Here's why the Beyoncé version of A Star is Born didn't happen

"There are other writers that wrote the 'Shallow' song, including Mark Ronson. I have secured a musicologist who also agrees that the songs are similar. I am simply going about this how anyone else would investigate any possible infringement."

Lady Gaga's lawyer has now issued a counter-statement denying the claims and hitting out at the songwriter (and his lawyer Mark D Shirian) for making them in the first place.

It reads: "Mr Ronsen and his lawyer are trying to make easy money off the back of a successful artist. It is shameful and wrong.

"I applaud Lady Gaga for having the courage and integrity to stand up on behalf of successful artists who find themselves on the receiving end of opportunistic claims such as this. Should Mr Shirian proceed with the case, Lady Gaga will fight it vigorously and will prevail.

"We provided Mr. Shirian a lengthy letter with the findings of multiple leading musicologists, each of whom found no actionable similarities between the two songs. Even Shirian's own musicologist acknowledged the generic three note progression is present in many other songs predating his client's song."

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Beyonce Fans Convinced She’s Expecting Baby #4 After Singer Posts Pic In Gingham Wrap Dress - Hollywood Life

Posted: 08 Aug 2019 08:25 AM PDT

The Bey hive is investigating if their queen is pregnant with her 4th child after Beyonce shared a stunning photo of herself in a purple and white dress! Fans claim she's 'hiding a baby bump' in the new photo, and they want answers.

Beyonce shared a photo of herself on Instagram, and the internet went wild on August 7. The Grammy-winning singer, 38, posted a solo snap of herself dressed in a gingham style dress, where she posed with her arms crossed with a purple purse in front of her midsection. It was Beyonce's pose and stance that had fans wondering if she's expecting her fourth child with husband, Jay-Z, 49. They are already parents to daughter Blue Ivy, 7, and 2-year-old twins Rumi and Sir.

"Bey why you hiding yo Stomach Gal!", one fan commented in reference to the way the singer held her purse in the shot. "Girl what hint is this?", another fan asked. One common question in the comments of Bey's photo was, "Is she hiding a baby bump?"

Another member of the Bey hive claimed the fanbase has been speculating that the singer is pregnant. "We've been saying muva is pregnant.. she's been dropping clues the entire album," the fan wrote, noting that "purple is royalty". Beyonce's dress is purple and white in the photo. And, she included a purple border in her photo.

(Photo credit: Instagram/Beyonce) 

Beyonce has not addressed the pregnancy rumors, and it's unlikely that she will. The notoriously private singer rarely, if ever, acknowledges rumors and reports, and just lets her music do the talking.

But, if Bey and Jay were to add another babe to their brood, it would be lucky No. 4 — the couple's favorite number. Fans of the hip hop duo will know that Bey, Jay, and Bey's mother, Tina Knowles, 65, were all born on the 4th. Bey and Jay later married on the 4th of April in 2008. And, Blue has the middle name "Ivy" because IV is the roman numeral for the number four. Oh, and, JAY's June 2017 album is titled "4:44".

Tina Knowles reveals she bonds with Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy, 7, by doing her make-up for fun - Daily Mail

Posted: 11 Aug 2019 02:22 AM PDT

She is the glamorous mother of superstar Beyoncé.

And Tina Knowles revealed she has bonded with her granddaughter Blue Ivy, seven, over doing her make-up.

Speaking at the Beautycon event in California on Saturday, the American businesswoman, 65, admitted Blue's dad Jay Z doesn't like that she has bought her granddaughter so many make-up kits.

'We have fun': Speaking at the Beautycon event in California on Saturday Tina Knowles revealed she bonds with Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy, 7, by doing her make-up for fun

'We have fun': Speaking at the Beautycon event in California on Saturday Tina Knowles revealed she bonds with Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy, 7, by doing her make-up for fun 

She told Entertainment Online: 'Oh absolutely, I bought Blue so many make-up kits — much to her dad's dismay. Dads don't like that.

'[The make-up is] just for playtime. We have fun, she's quite a makeup artist. She's amazing. [She's very good at doing] eyes. 

'Oh my god, she puts stones and puts all this fancy stuff. She can do a perfect cat eye. She's like an artist.'

Superstar: She is the glamorous mother of superstar Beyoncé (pictured in July 2019, London)

Superstar: She is the glamorous mother of superstar Beyoncé (pictured in July 2019, London)

Tina said she allowed her daughters Beyoncé and Solange, 33, to start wearing make-up when they were 13 years old because they were 'turning into a teenager'.

The mother-of-two shared she let them wear a little lip gloss, blusher and mascara but she explained 'base' make-up was too much for teenagers. 

Tina stressed the importance of teaching her daughters how to do their make-up and watching online tutorials to avoid 'looking like a clown'.  

It comes after Beyoncé shed some light on her family as the singer did her first interview in years to promote her role in the new live action Lion King movie.

Cool mum: Tina said she allowed her daughters Beyoncé and Solange, 33, to start wearing make-up when they were 13 years old because they were 'turning into a teenager'
Top tips: The mother-of-two shared she let them wear a little lip gloss, blusher and mascara but she explained 'base' make-up was too much for teenagers

Cool mum: Tina said she allowed her daughters Beyoncé and Solange, 33, to start wearing make-up when they were 13 years old because they were 'turning into a teenager'

So important: Tina stressed the importance of teaching her daughters how to do their make-up and watching online tutorials to avoid 'looking like a clown'

So important: Tina stressed the importance of teaching her daughters how to do their make-up and watching online tutorials to avoid 'looking like a clown'

The Lemonade hitmaker said to OWN: 'It's exciting because it's one of the only red carpets that I do with my family.

'My daughter gets to dress up and my husband, and this year, it's Lion King which, obviously I play Nala. 

'So, it's the first time I'm doing any appearance as a person that stars in The Lion King, which is something that I grew up watching.'

Beyoncé also raises her two-year-old twins Rumi and Sir, who were born in July 2017, with her husband Jay Z.

Love: It comes after Beyoncé shed some light on her family as the singer did her first interview in years

Love: It comes after Beyoncé shed some light on her family as the singer did her first interview in years

Beyoncé and Meghan Markle Just Met on the Red Carpet and Everyone Can Feel the Love - TIME

Posted: 14 Jul 2019 12:00 AM PDT

The two women who might be considered among the most royal individuals in the world have finally met, and things will never be the same. Beyoncé and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, met in person publicly for the first time Sunday at the London premiere of Disney's live-action Lion King remake.

Meghan Markle attended Sunday's premiere with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex — leaving two-month-old Archie at home — and she wore a black dress by Jason Wu, People reports. Beyoncé wore a long yellow dress and attended with Jay-Z.

As if the magical moment didn't have enough star power already, Elton John and Disney CEO Bob Iger stood with the stars, too.

Jay-Z smiled on as his wife and the Duchess chatted, before Prince Harry said hello to them as well.

"You guys are busy," Prince Harry can be heard saying in a video of the sweet encounter. Beyoncé reportedly said "my princess" upon seeing Meghan.

Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (L) chats with Disney CEO Robert Iger as Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (2nd R) embraces US singer-songwriter Beyoncé (R) as they attend the European premiere of the film The Lion King in London on July 14, 2019.

Niklas Halle'n—AFP/Getty Images

It was Meghan's first red carpet event since Archie was born on May 6, though she's appeared publicly at Trooping the Colour, Wimbledon and the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day where Prince Harry played last week.

Their public meeting comes after a blossoming social media friendship. Beyoncé gave Meghan Markle a shout-out on Instagram in February after she and Jay-Z won the Best International Group award from the Brits. The couple posed in front of a Tim O'Brien portrait of Meghan, calling back their similar pose in front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris in the "Apesh-t" music video.

"In honor of Black History Month, we bow down to one of our Melanated Monas," the caption said. "Congrats on your pregnancy! We wish you so much joy."

Though Meghan didn't react publicly to the Instagram, her makeup artist and friend Chris Martin told CBS in an interview that when he texted her about it, she responded wordlessly, as we all may. "She wrote me back like the big eye emoji," Martin said.

But Beyoncé's praise of Meghan Markle's influence didn't end with the Instagram. In a post on her website, Queen Bey continued to praise her influence.

"At the wedding her culture was front and center, and she and Prince Harry have continued to push the race relations dialogue forward both near and far," Beyoncé said in a post.

Beyoncé and Meghan Markle also have some friends in common. Serena Williams, who was even featured in Beyoncé's "Lemonade" music video, is a close friend of both the Duchess and the singer. Markle recently supported Williams during a Wimbledon match.

Needless to say, people can definitely feel the love tonight.

Write to Rachel E. Greenspan at rachel.greenspan@time.com.

A Brief History of Afrobeats - TeenVogue.com

Posted: 19 Jul 2019 12:00 AM PDT

Beyoncé's smile delivered extra wattage when she gave a rare interview to ABC's Robin Roberts this past week. She spoke about her new album, The Lion King: The Gift, the soundtrack to the widely awaited Disney film. Calling this production, "a love letter to Africa," Beyoncé included her own tracks and brought in popular artists from across the continent, especially Nigeria.

These performers — Burna Boy, WizKid, Tekno, and Tiwa Savage — have become increasingly famous during the past few years, but they will surely play on far bigger stages with this film's release. This event will also serve as a global introduction to their genre, known as afrobeats.

Afrobeats is jubilant party music that draws on West African sources — hybrid languages, propulsive rhythms — and mixes them with delivery and tone from across the Americas, referencing hip-hop and Jamaican dancehall. This blend has a similarly named Nigerian predecessor, afrobeat, which emerged almost 50 years ago.

Beyoncé performs during the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Image

The two are markedly different yet share a trajectory.

Essentially, afrobeat arose from the mind and spirit of Nigeria's Fela Kuti who, like Beyoncé, is identified on a first-name basis. Throughout the 1970s he fused James Brown's funk, traditional West African dance rhythms with jazz and his own take on chamber music for lengthy compositions. As Fela fronted large and tightly scripted bands, he turned his words and charisma toward excoriating the colonial powers that carved up Africa as well as the corrupt systems that kept his country's leaders in power.

After Fela's death at age 58 in 1997, his international stature grew among hip-hop's creators. Mos Def used his "Fear Not For Man" as the lead-off track to his 2000 disc, Black On Both Sides. Questlove and Erykah Badu have curated his recordings for box sets. His life was also chronicled in a Broadway musical (Fela!). These productions anticipated the cross-cultural appreciation that would lead to The Lion King: The Gift. Back in Nigeria, the pop music that became known later as afrobeats also began around the time of Fela's passing but its sunny spirit seemed far removed from his complex art and beliefs.

Most of today's afrobeats stars, now in their late 20s, grew up under different circumstances and influences than Nigeria's instrumental trailblazers like Fela. Hip-hop informed their beats and sampling. Vocalists' combination of English and Yoruba sounded more lyrical than aggressive. Songs became shorter and were produced to sonically fit alongside their counterparts in global R&B. As reggae became stripped down, electronically programmed and sped up to create dancehall tracks, young Nigerians listened and adapted.

The real reason you never hear about Beyoncé and Jay-Z's kids - Nicki Swift

Posted: 23 Jul 2019 08:24 AM PDT

Why would you leave the house when your home is basically a small city? Remember how the Carters moved from New York to Los Angeles for Blue's education? In 2016, they splashed $88 million on a Bel Air mansion to be close to the great school. But, according to Page Six, it was a bargain compared the $120 million bid the couple originally put down. 

So, just what does $88 million buy you in Los Angeles's real estate market? The Los Angeles Times stated that the Carter's sprawling 30,000 square foot compound consists of six buildings, with an extra 10,000 square feet of outdoor space that includes four pools, a basketball court, a 15-car garage, and plenty of green spaces for the children. Inside, the Carter home was remodeled to include a media room, recording studio, wellness facilities, and separate staff rooms. 

Previously, the family wasn't exactly living out of a suitcase in their rental. According to Realtor, the family of three rented a 10-bedroom Malibu estate for $400,000 month before the twins were born. While it's not exactly slumming it, it's safe to say that their new digs are even more luxurious than their old rental. 

With a new house, new additions to the family, and a home that has everything they need, why would the Carters ever need to leave?

Meghan Markle And Beyoncé Adorably Hugged At The UK Premiere Of "The Lion King" - BuzzFeed News

Posted: 14 Jul 2019 12:00 AM PDT

Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images, Tolga Akmen / AFP / Getty Images

The UK premiere of Disney's The Lion King featured not one, but two women of royalty — colloquially speaking, anyway.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, met with none other than Beyoncé — Queen Bey as her fans have ordained her — and people are positively freaking out over the encounter.

According to a Daily Mail reporter, the two couples talked about their young kids during the brief meeting.

Beyoncé, who stars as Nala in the Disney remake, has been attending multiple premieres of The Lion King as the film has rolled out in different markets around the world.

Niklas Halle'n / AFP / Getty Images

The Duchess of Sussex, meanwhile, is technically still on maternity leave after giving birth to Archie, her son with Prince Harry, in May, but she reportedly decided to attend The Lion King premiere on Sunday.

Across social media, fans were naturally excited about the meeting between the two women — particularly the hug Meghan gave Queen Bey.

The meetup between the two wildly famous women comes after Beyoncé repeatedly gave a nod to Meghan on social media over the past few months. In February, the singer posted a video with the Duchess in the background during her acceptance of a BRIT Award for Best International Group with husband Jay-Z.

Beyoncé even gave a shoutout to Meghan on her official website during Black History Month, congratulating the American-born Duchess on her pregnancy.

"Meghan brought many Black traditions to her Royal Wedding including a Chicago-based Black pastor, an amazing gospel choir, and a young Black cellist," Beyoncé's website reads. "At the wedding her culture was front and center, and she and Prince Harry have continued to push the race relations dialogue forward both near and far."
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