Dr. Anisa Shomo,
Herald Beauty Contributor
Last summer, Beyoncé released her latest album Renaissance. This was huge news since it has been 8 years since she dropped an album. It features retro sounds of 70s, 80s, and 90s music and also incorporates modern sounds. Renaissance is a party album. I joked last summer that it could have been called “I Am Sasha Fierce Part 2” because it is not what most fans expected from Beyoncé. There are very few ballads. The songs incorporate elements of house music, disco, bounce music, afro-beats and more. It has similarities to Lemonade because each song has a different sound. The difference is that the album is not about her spouse. She dedicated the album to her late Uncle Johnny who was a member of the LGBTQ+ community. She featured various LGBTQ+ artists on the album. It is a celebration of different communities, music styles, and versions of freedom.
Beyoncé is the voice of a certain generation. Summer 2003, so many people our age were “Crazy in Love”. Summer 2011, we put our “Love on Top.” There are plenty of Beyoncé albums and songs to which I cannot relate so I do not consider myself a member of the “Beyhive.” However, when Renaissance dropped last summer, I appreciated the celebration sentiment. Our generation has been working hard for the past couple of decades to find stability in our homes, families, and careers. We survived a pandemic and the aftermath. The past 20 years has been full of peaks and valleys. This part of our lives is all about having some fun while we are still here.
Thus, this summer belonged to Beyoncé. I was very excited when she announced the Renaissance tour. I knew that it would be the party of the summer. I purchased tickets for the Nashville show and started planning my outfit. The album cover and tour poster alluded to an “urban cowgirl” theme. I love cowboy boots and own quite the collection. For this occasion, I decided to buy a pair of rhinestone cowboy boots and a matching hat. Once I committed to the hat, I needed a hairstyle that was hat friendly and able to withstand the heat of summer concerts. The easy decision: wear two long French braids. The hard decision: choosing a color. I went to Amani Beauty in Cincinnati where they have at least 20 color options for ModelModel 60 inch braiding hair. Eventually, I chose to have my hair styled with brown braids and pink and silver highlights. I loved how it all came together.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Nashville concert and I decided to attend in Atlanta as well. It was a “Summer Renaissance” to remember. I hope that you had a great summer as well!