Artist Research - Beyonce

Beyonce's music varies over many genres such as Pop, Soul , RnB and hip hop. As an artist her music is constantly changing in order to keep up with modern tastes, but not only is her music changing her image changes as well.

Beyonce's first album "Dangerously in Love started off her career as an RnB and Hip-hop artist.
The album cover shows Beyonce as being elegant, sexy and glamorous. The dress code of a revealing diamond top not only shows her wealth but also the sex appeal that surrounds her. This appeals to men who instantly notice her body. Her eyes are also looking directly at you and it is as if she is trying to lure you in. The way her arms are positioned is intentional in order to show off her body but also the diamond top. Her hair looks "windswept" and this is done on purpose to show her beauty.

The image of Beyonce takes up most of the cover and this shows she is the center of attention. The artist's name and album name is positioned in the corner intentionally as that is not the main focus. The framing of the image cuts out her lower part of her body in order to emphasise her upper body and her face.  As this is her first album the artist's name is not too important but her image is important as the audience will see this album cover and remember her. The image is very daring and it clearly shows Beyonce in all her glory.

Beyonce has evolved as an artist and her image has changed as well. The cover of her latest album shows this. In this picture we see Beyonce with her arms on her hand staring out into the distance. The blank olive background clearly emphasises Beyonce and makes her stand out. Her position on the cover interferes and covers her name, this makes her look rebellious. The Mise En Scene also suggests this with the blonde hair, black eyeliner and fur scarf/top. This portrays her as being wild and sort of minimalist in a sense. The makeup and style of her hair makes her look fierce and like an animal. This image is a change from the glamorous , luxurious Beyonce we are used to. There is still a hint of this though with the golden wrist guard/bracelet.

The position of her body and arms shows her trying to display her beauty. The lighting makes her skin look much brighter which can denote a sense of innocence. Her eyes are looking away from the camera, this lack of eye contact portrays her lack of interest.

Beyonce's Alter-Ego - Sasha Fierce

Beyonce is unique as an artist because she has created an alter-ego called Sasha Fierce who is her sexy, aggressive side. She said that Sasha was being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy, too sexy", stating "I'm not like her in real life at all ... I'm not flirtatious and super-confident and fearless like her. What I feel onstage I don't feel anywhere else. It's an out-of-body experience. I created my stage persona to protect myself so that when I go home I don't have to think about what it is I do. Sasha isn't me. The people around me know who I really am."








Beyonce's live performances are normally very extravagant with stunning visuals and stunts. She cares about her fans and creates these dance routines which is part of her image. Beyonce also prides herself on the way she dresses wearing up to 10 different outfits during one show! Beyonce also takes pride in being a woman and standing up for feminist views and she has an all-female band called Sugar Mama. This shows her as being very feminine but also proud. Her live performances have gained her a lot of critical success:

Tamara Hardingham-Gill of the Daily Mail wrote, "many industry experts have been tipping Beyoncé as the next Michael Jackson. While it’s far too early for such comparisons, she certainly proved that she is one of the most exciting and talented performers around and may well go down in history as such".