Beyoncé Album Ranking

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The first episode that was posted last week is all about ranking Beyoncé's albums.

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An ode to BEYONCÉ: the album that changed our lives...

2013 was the year of Beyoncé teasing. She announced that a new album would be released soon but no one knew when, she performed the Super Bowl Halftime Show (and by performed, I mean SLAYED), "Grown Woman" was released in a new Pepsi commercial, "Standing on the Sun" was released in a new H&M commercial, she started a world tour, and then a song titled "Bow Down/I Been On" was leaked, giving us all hope that a new album would be released soon.
 

It's an event that stops the entire world whenever Beyoncé releases a new album. But still even though she had clearly let us know a new album would be coming, as we approached the end of the year, there was still no album.
 

Then one morning as I woke up at 2:30am to get ready for work, I was woken up by several text messages from dear friends of mine and my lovely sister, informing me that in the few hours I slept, Queen Bey herself released an entire album complete with a music video for every song! How in the world was this even possible?!!! In this day and age where everything seems to be getting leaked online before its official release date, how did she manage this? I mean a song or two perhaps, an album would be pushing it, but this woman did all PLUS 17 brand new music videos! It was the perfect early Christmas present to the world. And after a year of letting it all marinate and sink in (not to mention ANOTHER world tour with her husband, the incident in an elevator, and the gem that is "7/11") it's time to revisit her best work to date with an updated track by track review! You're welcome.

"Pretty Hurts" (9/10)

This beautiful woman opens up her fifth album with a song all about image and the cost of beauty. It's a different way to open up an album, more poignant and personal and eye-opening than she usually is (although she came pretty close with "If I Were a Boy" and "1+1"). Co-written with Sia and produced by Boots, it's an eye-opening piece of music that really teaches us all what true beauty is. We don't all have to try so hard. The music video is without a doubt one of the most beautifully shot videos in this collection, great art direction and cinematography. And let us not forget what a beast Queen Bey is in those shorts and that top, pageant queen and all breaking every trophy and award in her room!

"Ghost/Haunted" (8/10)

The “Ghost” portion of track #2 at first I thought was one of the weak spots in the album. The weird chanting, the repetitiveness, it all just seemed misplaced. (But after listening for a year, it's definitely grown on me). And then we got to the good stuff with “Haunted”, a haunting (ironic) tune filled with sex and sex. It's no wonder it's now being used to promote the new Fifty Shades of Grey movie. On the music video side, “Ghost” is beautiful (obviously) with a lot of pretty sheets floating around. It's “Haunted” that takes the cake though with its gothic themes, that famous pixie cut, and all that freakiness. It's a whole different side to Beyoncé that seems to get stronger and stronger from here on out.

"Drunk in Love" (featuring Jay-Z) (10/10)

A collaboration with her husband on her own album had been missing from I Am…Sasha Fierce and 4, so it was a pleasant (albeit not a very surprising) surprise to see Jay-Z pop up. But I didn't think it would be what everyone would talk about! It has a clearly distinctive sound, different than most singles of hers. And although it's not as upbeat as something like “Crazy in Love”, “Dejá Vū” or “Run the World (Girls)”, it's the undeniable chemistry between the two AND all of those lyrics that got stuck in our brains that made this a true gem. Surfboard? Watermelon? Clint Eastwood? Whoaaaa baby? Genius! From that little opening warrior call to the thumping bass, it glides so nicely from beginning to end. The video may be awfully simplistic, but it catches them in a beautifully  natural environment where nothing needs to be forced. It's effortless, it's two people in love, dancing and singing in a beach. It's just that those two people happen to be the King and Queen of America.

"Blow" (8/10)

Pharrell was in his producing prime last year, so it's no surprise that he contributed to her blockbuster album. While it's an upbeat, light-hearted addition to the album, it was never one of my personal favorites. My favorite part though is hearing the moment when it switches from Pharrell’s production to Timbaland’s (turn that cherry out) and just how in sync they are with each other. The video is fun and retro and very very blue, and did I mention fun?!

"No Angel" (9/10)

This was the song I would constantly skip over every time I listened to the whole album. I didn't think there was anything special about it, I thought it slowed down the whole pace of the album. But then after a couple of months of not listening to it, it popped up out of nowhere and I was entranced by its beat, her whispering highs, the pure grit of it all. The video is a nice homage to her hometown and I love the contrast of the dirty south and her in all her splendor, but it's nothing compared to the perfection of the song itself.

"Yoncé/Partition" (10/10)

We had Beyoncé, we had Queen Bey, we had Sasha Fierce, and thanks to this gem we now have Mrs. Carter and Yoncé, the names that just roll off the tongue like liquor. It has that signature Bey swag and bump that makes songs like “Get Me Bodied” or “Countdown” some of the best in her collection. And when we think it can't get any better, in comes that booming DROP, dum dum dum duh dum. Timbaland is in his prime, lyrics co-written by Justin Timberlake and Beyoncé herself, it's a very revealing and overly sexual song, something a lot of us aren't really used to hearing from her before. She's being more open, letting us into a part of her personal life that she's never shared before…and it's amazing! They get freaky, and we likey. And the video perfectly compliments it's music, a sexual fantasy of pleasing her man, all the things he dreams of happening start to happen just for him. The mirrors, the dancing, that rubber pole thing she moves around with, it has so much goodness happening all around.

"Jealous" (9/10)

It’s the halfway point, and you're starting to think that it can't get any better than this. The first part is always so much stronger than the last. This woman has nothing left to give. So then she leaves us with this song, the most vulnerable piece of work she's ever given us. Most of the time she likes to write about a woman scorned, why it's always the man’s fault. It seems demeaning, but it gives us catchy moments like “Irreplaceable” and “Single Ladies”. But here she takes the fault herself, she opens up herself in yet another way giving us more depth, more vulnerability, a heartbreaking recollection of what she's done wrong. And it's placement of following “Partition” is amazing. It's a great contrast and a great part 2 where the music videos are concerned. What happens if he DOESN’T like all that she's done, if he doesn't appreciate her for what she's giving him, maybe something else is happening. It's beautifully tragic.

"Rocket" (9/10)

“Let me sit this assssss on ya…” What a way to open up a song! It's a fantastic dream team behind this 6-minute song: Timbaland, Miguel, Justin Timberlake, and Beyoncé herself. Another sexual piece of music that goes on and on (in a great way of course). A nice gentle song you never want to end, it's complimented yet again by a simplistic but beautifully shot music video, all about Mrs. Carter, and a lot of bath water. Rock. Hard. Rock. Steady.

"Mine" (featuring Drake) (10/10)

The intro of this track is another part of Beyoncé that we've never heard before. It's her most vulnerable moment yet, questioning her marriage, her baby, her life. It's an epic song with a thumping infectious beat, a great collaboration with Drake and his producing partner Noah “40” Shebib. The ending kind of dies out in a weird way, but everything before that is delightful. The video is the next most beautiful piece of work after “Pretty Hurts”. The dancers in masks, those opening shots, the fire. It's all breathtaking.

"XO" (9/10)

It’s a special song for her fans, and it's got a very infectious rhythm throughout. Her voice is somewhat quieter and deeper. In reading about the song, it was discovered that she had a cold when she recorded it as a demo. When she decided to keep it for the album, she liked the way it sounded originally and decided to not re-record it. There's a little crack in her voice when she sings the first “baby love me lights out” before the first chorus. The fact alone that she kept in her flaw for this version (and ended up choosing this as her first official single) makes this a spectacular selection. Otherwise I feel like it would be a so-so song on this album. The video is nothing too spectacular. Although what I would give to be at Coney Island and have Yoncé herself taking over to film. Yes please!

"Flawless" (featuring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) (10/10)

The first half of this song before Ms. Adichie’s mesmerizing speech was released earlier in the year along with “I Been On”, but it was titled as “Bow Down”. To hear it continue on as “Flawless” takes me into another dimension. We've never heard Beyoncé get so angry and passionate when it comes to how she's represented. She goes all out on this song, she goes hard with such grit and power in her voice. We've always assumed that Beyoncé was a self-proclaimed feminist, but it's in this song that she officially declares it as her title. The video is equally satisfying with its jarring mosh pits, hand choreography, and that flannel shirt and jean shorts. And as usual, it gave us one more thing to adapt into our everyday language… “I woke up like this.”

"Superpower" (featuring Frank Ocean) (9/10)

As we approach the end of the album, we get to the more somber section, beginning with this haunting production from Pharrell. It's an eerie track that plays all the way through with its voice box background and all. It's an empowering song for us all, to make us all feel like we have superpowers inside. We can conquer anything if we set our mind to do it. It's passionate, it's inspiring, and her voice is so beautiful when it's low. She never has to try so hard to get her point across. The video was pleasing in and of itself for the Destiny’s Child reunion that took place. And what direction it must have been to just take a parking garage and tear it apart like that!

"Heaven" (9/10)

Now comes a beautifully sad moment when Beyoncé remembers a friend gone too soon. It's bittersweet but absolutely beautiful to hear it sung that “heaven couldn't wait for you”. It's a yet another haunting melody on the album, but one that really resonates again and again. The video is once again a beautifully shot one at that, reminiscing about a friend that's passed on. The images of Beyoncé in church have some of the most breathtaking light I've ever seen.

"Blue" (featuring Blue Ivy) (10/10)

And at last we have the most precious moment of the entire album: an ode to a child. Her child of course. It's a beautiful and upbeat song with quite a fun energy. It has a nice lightness to it but it's so epic and beautifully written about and for her daughter Blue Ivy and all the joys or being a mother. The music video is just as sweet and equally full of love with its beautiful backdrop of Beyoncé traveling the world. It's a sweet way to close the album. And because of her credited as a featured guest, it now means we can call her Grammy-nominated Blue Ivy. Amazing.

"Grown Woman" (9/10)

The bonus video on the album finally gives us a full taste of the song that had been teasing us all year. "Grown Woman" was first released in a short form for her career retrospective Pepsi commercial earlier in the year. We all had assumed that it was the first official single, but of course she kept it all to herself. Then she surprised us all when she performed it during the end of her European leg of the Mrs. Carter World Tour. It's an infectious beat thanks to super producer Timbaland. It has a great island feel and the video perfectly compliments the sound. It's fun, vibrant, and colorful. Not to mention it's great seeing videos of her as a youngin' singing her own new song! Trippy, but in the best way!

Crazy and Drunk in Love with these Beyoncé & Jay-Z Collaborations

With their On the Run tour premiering on HBO tomorrow night, it’s time to rank their 9 collaborations over the past 10 years together! 

9.) “That’s How You Like It”

from the Beyoncé album Dangerously in Love

Back in the day when their love was first blossoming, this was pleasant surprise hearing Jay on 2 songs off her solo debut. Not to mention that it started to confirm the rumors at the time that there was in fact a new power couple on the horizon. It’s a lovely R&B love song you can’t help but bump in the car with the windows down. 

 

8.) “Hollywood”

from the Jay-Z album Kingdom Come & the Beyoncé album B’Day [Deluxe Edition]

Back in 2006, Jay-Z was making his comeback to music, so of course his album had to include another collaboration with his boo thang. This is a little different than what we’re used to hearing, but it’s such a fun energetic song. You have to love the 2007 version from her B’Day [Deluxe Edition] with her sassy closer where she basically warns everyone about drugs and death in Hollywood. 

 

7.) “Lift Off”

from the Jay-Z & Kanye West album Watch the Throne

It’s not necessarily a love song (especially because Kanye is in the middle of it all) but it’s a song with wonderful production from an amazing collaboration album. 

 

6.) “Déjà Vu”

from the Beyoncé album B’Day

Queen Bey finally left the days of Destiny behind and went back to her solo career with this funky club banger. The horn section reminiscent of Earth, Wind, & Fire mixed with a little more view into their relationship made this song a real winner. It may not have been as successful as “Crazy in Love”, but give us Beyoncé and her African tribal dance in New Orleans and we’ll be on board any day! 

 

5.) “Upgrade U”

from the Beyoncé album B’Day

In keeping with the tradition from her first album, Jay-Z made not 1 but 2 appearances on her B’Day album (3 if you’re looking at the deluxe edition). This song goes so hard and is the most “bump-tastic” song in their repertoire (in my opinion at least). It’s a true testament to the fact that they both seem to elevate each other’s status. 

 

4.) “Part II (On the Run)”

from the Jay-Z album Magna Carta

This may be a Beyoncé song featuring Jay-Z on his own album, but it’s sweet to make a follow-up to the song that started it all for them. Not to mention that it also gave them a great name for their tour and one hell of a music video that we’re all secretly hoping will be a real a movie someday. 

 

3.) “03 Bonnie & Clyde”

from the Jay-Z album The Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse

And to the song that started it all! It was the beginning of a beautiful partnership with this Kanye West-produced, Tupac-sampling, ride-or-die anthem.

 

2.) “Drunk in Love”

from the Beyoncé album BEYONCÉ

A very worthy contender for being this high up on the countdown, this song has blessed us with so much: a look into what goes on behind closed doors, Clint Eastwood and Tina Turner references, watermelon, and surfbort. This song was very close to being number one, but…

 

1.) “Crazy in Love”

from the Beyoncé album Dangerously in Love

…is there any surprise that this is the number one collaboration?!!! It’s not their first collaboration, but it certainly is without a doubt their most memorable! Not only is it their best song, but it’s also one of the best songs of the 00’s. 

 

Here’s to more crazy, drunk, upgraded, running, lifting collaborations in the future!

Beyoncé Album Ranking

Beyoncé just made everyone’s Christmas a little better – no, scratch that…A LOT better! In what is now THE best kept secret of the year (or ever), she released her self-titled 5^th studio album a couple days ago, a beautiful “visual album”, proving why she is who she is AND sneaking in at the last second to bring us the best album of the year! This is not to say that her other albums aren’t as good, they have their own special moments too. And in keeping with her love and connection with the number 4, for every Queen Bey album in my opinion, there are four signature songs to look out for: the Bey standard, the fiercest track, the best ballad, and then the personal favorite. So now let’s look at how her albums rank and what songs fit this criteria!

 

5.) I Am…Sasha Fierce (2008)

I have to admit that if there was any album of hers that I honestly did/do not like, it would be this one. Sure, it has its moments of pop culture greatness (“Single Ladies” anyone?) but the album as a whole felt very incoherent and jumpy, if those descriptions make any sense. We all knew about Sasha Fierce already, but did it require its own separate disc? Regardless, there are moments of sheer perfection that must be highlighted.

 

Bey Standard: "Halo"

Ryan Tedder’s great production (regardless if it sounded just like the other 4 songs he produced around the same time) is what makes this song epic. Not to mention that she now uses this song to close out every show of hers…it’s a classic!

Fiercest Track: "Ego"

It’s fierce already, but what really makes this song amazing is the vocal breakdown towards the end of the song when she riffs and vulnerably shows off her raspy notes in all of its glory. Fierce enough indeed! Why it was considered a bonus track is beyond me.

Best Ballad: "Disappear"

A slow and steady build of a song that really shows off her lower and higher registers simultaneously, it’s beautiful and heartfelt.

Personal Favorite: "Smash Into You"

Producer and songwriter duo Tricky Stewart and The-Dream definitely made a statement alright with their work on “Single Ladies”, but it’s their ability as R&B producers to incorporate elements of rock, pop, AND R&B together that makes this song truly special. Not to mention that Beyoncé sounds so incredibly beautiful as always.

 

4.) Dangerously In Love (2003)

Beyoncé was already doing it big on her own outside of Destiny’s Child, but this is where she finally made her declaration of independence. Hard to believe that her own label told her that she wouldn’t have a single hit on this album. But like she says “they were right…I had 4”. The singles alone made this album truly special and solidified her mark as one of the world’s best entertainers.

 

Bey Standard: "Crazy In Love"

I mean come on…this song NEVER gets old! Going on its 10^th anniversary, this song still makes anyone bump and shake when the “uh-oh’s” start. With a little help from Jay-Z, Beyoncé proved this whole solo thing she was doing was very much paying off.

Fiercest Track: "Naughty Girl"

With a sample from Donna Summer and a little cameo help from Usher in the music video, she hits all the sweet spots, showcasing her sexy fierceness in the high register and growling sex appeal both in the way she sings AND the way she moves.

Best Ballad: "Dangerously in Love 2”

It was already a Beyoncé solo when this song originally appeared on Destiny’s Child’s third album Survivor, but with a re-done production, she truly shines in this epic romance ballad of being too dangerous in love.

Personal Favorite: "Baby Boy"

Mixing reggae and R&B together never sounded better with a little help from Sean Paul and producer Scott Storch. It’s another fierce track that helped her score another number one spot on the charts, as it deserved!

 

3.) B’Day (2006)

With just 10 songs, Beyoncé was able to show off parts of her personality and self that no one had a chance to really see. It was a celebration of everything that people already loved about her, but times 100! She manages to funk it up with “Déjà Vu”, bump it with “Get Me Bodied”, sass it up with “Ring the Alarm” and everything else in between. THIS should have been her Sasha Fierce album all on its own.

 

Bey Standard: "Irreplaceable"

Another staple in her growing catalogue of hits, this one gave her fans the ultimate shake off when it came to leaving our significant others. There’ll always be another one here in a minute. And thanks to this, we all know what direction to shake them off to… (I’m talking about the left, the left).

Fiercest Track: "Freakum Dress"

Fierce can’t even begin to describe what this song is: it’s monumental, epic, hot, freaky! Rich Harrison’s productions were all started to blend together, but it seems like he kept the best tracks for Bey. Here, she gets to show us all a little glimpse of what happens when every now and then, she goes to the back of the closet to pull out that freakum dress.

Best Ballad: "Resentment"

A sweeping, heartbreaking recollection of feelings that is all parts epic and beautiful. It’s a slow and steady build where Beyoncé’s vocals soar from beginning to end.

Personal Favorite: "Kitty Kat"

It’s a sassy highlight from producer Pharrell, but honestly, you wanna know what makes this song my personal favorite? The fact that she raps AND manages to quote the movie Friday: “you ain’t gots ta lie, Craig!” Thank you.

 

2.) 4 (2011)

And then she goes and releases her most coherent, well thought out album thus far. 4 was a beautifully crafted album from start to finish, bringing to light the many influences in Bey’s career. From 70’s funk, 90’s slow jams, Chi-Lites songs, Jackson 5 dances, this album brought back R&B for a moment. It’s without a doubt the most underrated album of her career, but certainly one of the best.

 

Bey Standard: "Love On Top"

I mean really! From the moment I first heard this song, I knew it was going to be a hit. And before she officially released it as a single, she performed it as her pregnancy declaration at the VMA’s. The feel-good vibes and old school feel make this song a standard, but it’s the key changes at the end that make it legend!

Fiercest Track: "Run the World (Girls)"

Who run the world? Who do you think?! Beyoncé was not willing to let anyone forget that she’s all about women and independence. She growls, she belts, and she conquers in both the song and video. She didn’t hold anything back in this beast of a first single (that might I add should have done a lot better than it actually did).

Best Ballad: "1+1"

What a way to open up her album with this beautiful love song. It’s epically romantic and heartfelt, from feelings of desire, longing, and a need for that special someone, knowing that two people are meant for each other. It’s just beautiful all around.

Personal Favorite: "Countdown"

It’s fierce AND gets you moving! What more could you want? It’s a bouncy hip-hop club track with excellent production from The-Dream and Beyoncé herself, bringing to mind a lot of funk and party jams complete with its own marching band rhythm. Another Beyoncé jam that you can’t help but dance to, no matter how old the song gets.

 

1.) BEYONCÉ (2013)

And just when you thought she couldn’t out do herself again, she goes and surprises us all once more with this visual album. Beyoncé has always had a love for creating music videos for her songs, even if they were not being released as singles. Here she really shows us how special each song is just by showing us the visuals and what the song means to her. Not to mention that this is probably the most open Queen Bey has been ever when it comes to sex, marriage, and her kids. It’s without a doubt the best work of her career…so far.

Bey Standard: "Pretty Hurts"

In what is sure to be a classic soon, this track emphasize beauty and imperfections, the need to look and find what really is beautiful. It hurts…it really does.

Fiercest Track: "Yoncé/Partition"

Damn Bey! You can’t help but pop pop pop to this two-for-one track. With amazing production from Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, she brings out her fiercest performance yet! Yoncé is on ALL our mouths like...

Best Ballad: "Heaven"

You can’t help but tear up with the last two songs on this album, but its here as she takes us through her unfortunate miscarriage before Blue Ivy that really showcases her honesty and heartfelt emotions. Heaven couldn’t wait, and it’s gut-wrenching to hear those words, but so true at the same time. Well done.

Personal Favorite: "XO"

Listening to this album four times back to back in the past two days, every song on this album is a favorite for one reason or another. But it’s this Ryan Tedder track that is just feel-good, fun, and all around great! She always seems to out-do herself no matter what!

Beyoncé Countdown (NEW UPDATES!)

In the wake of her impressive Halftime Show production last night, and in preparation for her upcoming album and tour, I present to you an updated singles countdown from Queen B. Beyoncé is fierce, crazy, beautiful, and spectacular. No one can deny the power and talent she has when it comes to her music and performing!

10.) “Upgrade U” (featuring Jay-Z)

(from the album B’Day)

The second of four husband/wife collaborations, and this one is all kinds of rough! It’s Sasha Fierce at her best, representing for all the ladies that women are here to rule (and can make their own money too!) She looks stunning and beautiful as usual, and she does a great impression of Jay-Z!

9.) “My, Myself, And I”

(from the album Dangerously In Love)

She can bring the fierceness to a powerhouse club hit, but what makes her ridiculous is her ability to still bring the fierceness with a slow song (or even a mid-tempo number). It’s a bittersweet tale from a heartbroken woman, filled with sadness and strength to move on. And who doesn’t love a backwards plot?

8.) “If I Were A Boy”

(from the album I Am…Sasha Fierce)

Coming out with two first singles from this album gave her fans a chance to really see two different sides of her. With this song, it was great to dive in deeper and see more fierceness in a mid-tempo song. Again she represents for all the ladies, bringing to light an obvious double standard when it comes to men and women. Beyoncé is always adamant about making a statement no matter what.

7.) “Countdown”

(from the album 4)

With this infectious number, Queen B. brings the fire, the love, the fun, and most certainly the band! From the opening riff to the thumping beat, the song is pure Beyoncé perfection. Not to mention that the fast pace of the video and quick editing makes it another staple in her already impressive and entertaining video anthology. And she did it all while pregnant!

6.) “Halo”

(from the album I Am…Sasha Fierce)

It’s a subtle, beautiful song from start to finish. Regardless of the same exact beat that Ryan Tedder seems to pass around (check out Kelly Clarkson’s “Already Gone”, Jordin Sparks’ “Battlefield”, or Natasha Bedingfield’s “Strip Me”) Beyoncé holds her own with this perfectly sweet song about love! It still has just as much power in it as it did 4 years ago.

5.) “Irreplaceable”

(from the album B’Day)

Only Beyoncé can come up with words and phrases like “Bootylicious” or “Bug-a-Boo” and make it stick in our heads for years and years. Here she did it again with “to the left, to the left”, and every woman (or man too) that has been done wrong can easily rub it in their significant other’s face that someone else is waiting for them! GO GIRL!

3.) “Run The World (Girls)”

(from the album 4)

People love it, die-hard fans seem to hate it, but let me just prove my point here: do we really want to hear the same exact song over and over again? Do we want to be stuck with the same song that everyone else is doing right now (see Ke$ha)? Beyoncé takes her artistry to another level, offering up her most infectious first single to date. This song is filled with lots of energy and another urge to prove something. Needless to say, Beyoncé has proved herself time and time again, and a song (especially the video) like this just goes to show that she’s here to stay forever and ever!

3.) “Love on Top”

(from the album 4)

You can’t listen to this song and NOT feel like side-stepping. And you can’t listen to this song and NOT hear just how true the words are coming from Beyoncé’s lips. It’s been no secret that her love for hubby Jay-Z is beautiful and poignant. But in recent years she has become more open and public about their marriage and what the special love they share. Not to mention that when she premiered this song at the 2011 VMA’s, the baby bump announcement made it all the better, adding even more love to her precious family.

2.) “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”

(from the album I Am…Sasha Fierce)

Much like “Bootylicious”, “Bug-a-Boo”, and “Irreplaceable”, Beyoncé gets one more thing stuck in our heads! And as much as we all say how annoying this song is, you know that when you hear it, you still listen to the whole thing, singing right along with B! Not only is the song infectious, but the video and choreography are legendary now (thanks to people like Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, and every single YouTube user).

1.) “Crazy in Love” (featuring Jay-Z)

(from the album Dangerously In Love)

It would be shame for me to pick any other song of hers as #1 (which I have done in the past sadly). We mustn’t forget about her debut as a solo artist, ditching her backup singers (still love ya Kelly & Michelle!) and stepping out on her own. From the first second of that pulsating horn sample and the infectious uh-ohs, Beyoncé held her own and showed us all what was hiding behind two other girls next to her.