Essay

Beyonce’s albums are the most popular at the moment! Her first album Dangerously in Love was released on June 22th, 2003 and was really successful as well as her latest album I Am…Sasha Fierce which was published on November 8th, 2008. Even though both albums are Beyonce’s, I find them different and alike in several ways. Their, theme, type of music, and popularity can be compared.

Dangerously in Love and I Am...Sasha Fierce have different themes. In Dangerously in Love, the songs explain love and honesty. There are some songs that focus more on the beauty of love, Dangrously in love for instance, while others explore the other side of love: break up,Yes, for example. On the other side, I Am...Sasha Fierce’s theme is really unusual. It is the difference between the old godly Beyonce and the new evil Sasha Fierce. In this album, this spiritual duality is shown in her songs, pictures, videos, etc. Songs like Ave Maria and Halo are obvious examples for this theme. I personaly prefer I Am...Sasha Fierce’s theme because I find it really special and original. I think that love is a common theme that every artist uses so it isn’t really unique and cannot show the artist’s personality. Since her albums have different themes, her songs also have different styles.

Dangerously in Love and I Am…Sasha Fierce have different style of music. In Dangerously in Love, the type of music is really varied. It is mostly R&B and soul/pop, but in order to show her talents in composing, Beyonce made some up-tempo club songs like Crazy in Love, some mid tempo ballads (Dangerously in Love), and some emotional songs (The Closer I Get to You). The album even contains some Arabic style songs, Baby Boy for example. On the other hand, the musical style of I Am…Sasha Fierce is also based on R&B and pop, but it doesn’t have as many ballads. In that album, she developed a kind of electro music which is displayed in Sweet Dreams and Radio. I think both albums are great. I particulary like Beyonce’s up beat songs and her ballads. Although she composed different kinds of music, all of her songs are still really successful.

Dangerously in Love and I Am...Sasha Fierce are two extremely popular albums. Both albums were rated first on the U.S Billboard 200 chart and received positive reviews from music critics. 317 000 copies of Dangerously in Love were sold out in its first week while 482 000 copies of I Am...Sasha Fierce were sold (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am..._Sasha_Fierce and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerously_in_Love) . Through these two albums, Beyonce won a lot of prizes, for example, many Grammy Awards and BRIT Awards. Her two albums are now worldwilde commercial successes and have a lot of number one singles such as Crazy in Love, Baby Boy, Single Women (Put a Ring on It). To date, Dangerously in Love has sold more than 10 million of copies while I Am...Sasha Fierce has sold more than 6 million! I find that Beyonce’s albums are fantastic. I think she deserves all her popularity and prizes since she works really hard on composing songs and singing.

Beyonce is an extraordinary artist and has a lot of success. Even though she changed some musical styles, she stays really popular and all her work is always appreciated by her fans. I prefer her latest album because I like the up beat songs and her new musical style.ut overall, I find both really good.

Mock Report

On a rainie day, Ashley was bored in a coffe shop when she suddently bumped into Beyonce while going to the bathroom. Obviously, she asked some questions.

Ashley asked if Beyonce wanted to be a star when shes was little. Beyonce said when she had been young, she had liked singing alot. She had sung in the church choir and had participated to many competitions. Obviously, she had wanted to be a star.

Ashley asked how she felt when she had released her first album. Beyonce answered that she had thought it easy at the beginning. Than it had become more difficult while composing songs, recording, etc. At the end, she couldn’t believe how successful it had been.

Ashley asked how Beyonce felt about her career up until now. She said she was really satisfied. She had 3 albums and alot of singles, she played in movies and had many contracts. She said she didn’t mind the presseure of being a celebrity and actually enjoyed it.

Ashley asked which of her songs was her favorite. Beyonce replied that she liked all of her songs and didn’t have any favorite.

Ashley asked what she thought of her latest album, I Am...Sasha Fierce. Beyonce said that she found it really original and she liked her transformation from Beyonce to Sasha Fierce. She supposed that her fans appreciate it too.

Ashley asked if she was planning to stop singing. Beyonce answered that obviously, she would retire some day, but she hadn’t decided when.

Ashely asked what she did to get fit. Beyonce replied that she didn’t follow any diet. She said she did exercise regularly and walked alot. She tried not to eat fried or oily food too much, but sometimes, she said she still ate junk food like a little kid!

Ashley asked if Beyonce was planning to have kids with Jay-Z. She answerd that she loved kids and wanted to have alot of children but not now because she was too busy to think about that.

Ashley asked if Beyonce got exited about a number one record. She said that that was amazing for her and she could never predict when a song was going to be a big hit or not.

Ashley asked if she was able to live a normal life even though she was a celebrity. Beyonce said that she could easily spend time with her family without media or paparazzis following her. She also said that it wasn’t as hard as everyone thought.

At this point, Beyonce's manager arrived, furious about this unplanned interview. They rushed away and Ashley posted this on her blog.

Interview

Ashley: Did you want to be a star when you were little?
Beyonce: Yes, when I was young, i liked singing alot. I sang in the church choir and participated in many competitions. Obviously, I wanted to be a star.

Ashley: How did you feel when you released your first album?
Beyonce: I thought it easy at the begining. Than it became more difficult while composing the songs, recording...At the end, I couldn’t believe how successful it was.

Ashley: How do you feel about you career up until now?
Beyonce: I am really satisfied. I have 3 albums and alot singles, I play in movies and I have many contracts. I don’t mind the pressure of being a celebrity. I actually enjoy it.

Ashley: Which of your songs is your favorite?
Beyonce: I like all of my songs! I do not have any favorite.

Ashley: What do you think of your latest album, I Am…Sasha Fierce?
Beyonce: I find it really original. I like my transformation from Beyonce to Sasha Fierce. I suppose that fans appreciate it too.

Ashley: Are you planning to stop singing?
Beyonce: Obviously, I will retire some day, but I havn’t decided when.

Ashley: What do you do to get fit?
Beyonce: I do not follow any diet. I do exercise regularly. I walk alot. I try not to eat fried or oily food too much, but sometimes, I still eat junk food like a little kid!

Ashley: Are you planning to have kids with Jay-Z?
Beyonce: Yes of course! I love kids and I want to have alot of children, but not now. I am too busy at the moment to think of that.

Ashley: Do you get exited about a number one record?
Beyonce: Absolutely! This is amazing for me. I can never predict when a song is going to be a big hit or not.

Ashley: Are you able to live a normal life even though you are a celebrity?
Beyonce: Of course. I can easily spend time with my family without media or paparazzis following me. It is not as hard as everyone think.

Lyrics analysis: "At Last" by Beyonce

At last my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song

Ohh yeah yeah
At last
the skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you

I found a dream, that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known

Ohh yeah yeah
You smile, you smile
oh And then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine at last



And life is like a song --> SIMILE: Her “life” is compared to a “song”

My heart was wrapped up in clover --> METAPHOR: In reality, her heart isn’t wrapped up in a clover

Dream --> PERSONNIFICATION: Her crush is represented as a dream, since it is so good and perfect

The theme of the song is love. It is talking about new love, when you just have a crush on someone.

Lyrics analysis: "Satellites" by Beyonce

Satellites
Flashing by.....
It's a beautiful state were in
But, how can we love in isolation?
Think how happy we can be when we just try

We're nothing like we seem
Passionate words are never spoken
You don't know how I bleed when I leave your side

In your eyes, love's alive
I've come untied 'cause we're flashing by
Like satellites
Satellites......

Take all the rules away
How can we live if we don't change?
We're always on display...let's run and hide

In our eyes, love's alive
We've come untied 'cause we're flashing by
Like satellites
Satellites......

If we don't communicate, we'll exist in our own space
We have all the love we need
While we're apart, I cannot breathe

Satellites.....
Flashing by.....
Satellites.....


You don't know how I bleed when I leave your side --> HYPERBOLE: In reality she does not bleed, but she felt so painful as though she was bleeding.

we're flashing by like satellites--> SIMILE: “we” is compared to “satellites.

Satellites, satellites...... -->ANAPHORA: The word “satellite” is repeated to emphasize how much they are like satellites.

While we're apart, I cannot breathe --> HYPERBOLE: Again, “I cannot breathe” isn’t realistic. It is said this way to show the sadness “while we’re apart”.

The theme of the song is the sadness of love.

BEYONCE MINI BIOGRAPHY

Beyonce is a popular pop/hip hop singer. She is also a song writer, model, etc.


Her full name is Beyonce Giselle Knowles. She was born on September 4th, 1981, in Texas, USA. She has three albums: “Dangerously in Love” (2003), “B’Day” (2006), and “I Am… Sasha Fierce” (2006). Beyonce lived in a happy family with her mother, her father, and her sister. Her father has an important role in her career because he became her first manager. She started entering several singing and dancing competitions when she was little. During auditions, she met LaTavia Robertson and LeToya Luckett and formed a group with them with Kelly Rowland. She officially started her career in 1997, in the group called “Destiny’s Child”. It had a lot of success, but there were also problems: members leaving, negatives vibes, etc. Beyonce finally left the group and had an immediate success in her solo career when she released her first album.

Since 2002, Beyonce has been dating Jay-Z. Because they are a private couple, fans don’t know a lot of things about their relationship. They had a lot of singles together. All this is really important and memorable because they ended up getting married in 2008.

Beyonce also won a lot of awards, such as the"American Music Awards",the "Grammy Awards", etc. She has a total of 106 awards and 233 nominations!

Beyonce started her career in the 1990s and is still active now.


Sources:
Beyonce Biography_unknown author_10/03/10 http://www.beyonce-lyrics.com/biography.shtml
List of awards and nominations received by Beyonce Knowles_uknown author_10/03/10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Beyonc%C3%A9_Knowles
Beyonce Biography_uknown author_10/03/10 http://www.biography.com/articles/ Beyonc%C3%A2%CB%86%C5%A1%C3%82%C2%A9-39230