In the Elle article “Exclusive: Beyoncé Wants to Change the Conversation” by Tamar Gottesman, the author uses the quote “hypervisibility and inaccessibility simultaneously” to apply to Beyoncé’s careful management of her private versus public life. Lemonade certainly feels like the most intimate look into the real life and world view of Beyoncé as a star icon. The use of dream-like music to transition to new parts of the story adds to the feeling that it is a glimpse inside the mind. I admire Lemonade as a beautiful representation of both personal and generational trauma, and as a sort of vindication for anyone who has ever felt hurt and betrayed. The redemption arc is utilized perfectly to express a cohesive narrative, and retells the age-old story of a woman scorned in a new and unique way.
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2016/04/25/beyonce-lemonade
The critique in the article “Moving Beyond Pain” by Bell Hooks, that Beyoncé’s professed interpretation of feminism is oversimplified, is valid. However, I think that this is a misunderstanding of Beyoncé’s target audience. I don’t think her FEMINIST banner was meant to activate those already conducting critical analysis of the feminist identity. I think for a lot of people, stripping down feminism to the bare bones of “equal rights for men and women” makes the concept more palatable and approachable for those who feel alienated from or ignorant about feminism as an identity. From my point of view, it seems that Beyoncé’s goal is to make people who had never considered calling themselves a feminist think about doing so, and know that it is okay.
https://medium.com/beyonc%C3%A9-lit-and-lemonade/what-beyonc%C3%A9-says-about-feminism-beyonc%C3%A9-vs-lemonade-842caf841837
I noticed that in Lemonade, Beyoncé compares herself to Malcolm X, and also used the image of Martin Luther King Jr. Later in the film. I think her ethos throughout the piece evokes the ideology of both. In the beginning, her wrathful feelings overwhelm her and make her a destructive force, but ultimately she does choose love and family over holding on to anger and hate. The article by Hooks also criticizes Beyoncé’s use of violent imagery in the visual album. The author claims that it’s just another instance of representing black women in the role of the victim. I think this critique is unfairly applied to this work in particular, and felt empowered by both the violence and the forgiveness. While some art is made for others, Lemonade feels deeply rooted in personal hurt and experience. Violent feelings stir violent action in some cases, and I don’t think Beyoncé is necessarily prescribing violence as the antidote for betrayal.
https://www.thedrive.com/a-list/3187/the-demolished-cars-of-beyonc-s-lemonade
Beyoncé is ultimately a figure so multidimensional that she can be debated from almost any side in terms of her role as a feminist icon, as a black icon, and as a model of consumption. How much of her FEMINIST label is marketing, and how much is true to Beyoncé as a person? I believe Beyoncé’s power is rooted in her ability to challenge dominant ideologies and continue to generate discourse, while also conforming in a way that maintains her desirability and accessibility.