Beyoncé: At Work, On Screen, and Online

A collection of writings examining the multitalented star's significance to music, culture, and society.

Who runs the world? The Beyhive knows. From the Destiny's Child 2001 hit single "Survivor"to her 2019 jam "7/11," Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has confronted dominant issues around the world. Because her image is linked with debates on race, sexuality, and female empowerment, she has become a central figure in pop music and pop culture.

Beyoncé: At Work, On Screen, and Online explores her work as a singer, activist, and artist by taking a deep dive into her songs, videos, and performances, as well as responses from her fans. Contributors look at Beyoncé's entire body of work to examine her status as a canonical figure in modern music and do not shy away from questioning scandals or weighing her social contributions against the evolution of feminism, critical race theory, authenticity, and more. Full of examples from throughout Beyoncé's career, this volume presents listening as a political undertaking that generates meaning and creates community.

Beyoncé contends that because of her willingness to address societal issues within her career, Beyoncé has become an important touchstone for an entire generation?all in a day's work for Queen Bey.

"Iddon and Marshall's Beyoncé is poised to expand critical conversations about the biggest and most influential pop star of the 21st century." —Daphne Brooks, author of Bodies in Dissent: Spectacular Performances of Race and Freedom, 1850-1910

© 2021 Indiana University Press (Ebook): 9780253052865

Release date

Ebook: 12 March 2021