Beyoncé wants you to ‘Bow Down bitches’

Beyoncé’s new track has arrived. It’s called Bow Down/ I Been On. It’s completely, extremely and very, very different to what you would expect from arguably the biggest star in the game. It’ll take some time to get into because the voice you’re expecting is only there for about forty seconds. The rest of the track has her voice heavily manipulated and full of effects (the kind of ish you’d expect from Will.i.am). I can’t imagine this is the first single though. Surely?

Maybe it’s an intro to the new album yes, but not a single that everyone’s expecting. And just when we’re all like, wtf B, she’ll drop the track we’re hoping for… Am I asking for too much? Your thoughts?

Catch Beyoncé: Life Is But A Dream in Nu Metro cinemas

I was wondering when, where we would get to see this. Well here’s the answer. Beyoncé’s Life is but a dream will be shown in select Nu Metro cinemas from Friday 1 March to Thursday the 7th. Full press release below:

CATCH BEYONCÉ AT NU METRO CINEMAS FOR ONE WEEK ONLY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Johannesburg, 20 February 2013 – Multiple Grammy Award winner, entrepreneur and actress Beyoncé is the focus of an intimate feature-length documentary film releasing for one week only in select Nu Metro Cinemas around the country from Friday, 1 March till Thursday, 7 March 2013.

BEYONCÉ: LIFE IS BUT A DREAM, directed by the superstar, is a fusion of video that provides raw, unprecedented access to the private entertainment icon and her high voltage performances. Along with electrifying footage of Beyoncé onstage, this unique special looks beyond the glamour to reveal a vibrant, vulnerable and unforgettable woman.

Beyoncé: The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour – dates

After three years, it’s official. Mrs Carter aka Beyoncé Knowles is hitting the road again. Live Nation will be putting on The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, which kicks off this April. You can see all the tour dates below. Now I love me some Beyoncé, but I’m really bummed that this ‘world tour’ doesn’t include any dates in SA (or Africa for that matter).

The tour is her biggest undertaking to date and the second half of the tour will include Asia, Latin America and Australia. Sadly, I have word that there are no plans to bring B to our part of the world at this stage. Sob – and WHY???? We’ve had Gaga, Kanye, Coldplay, Jigga. we’re getting Bieber. Surely we can get Beyoncé? So we look ahead and I’m thinking maybe it’s time to go back to the US for a holiday and make sure it’s around the same time as her tour. Who’s game?

Beyonce Super Bowl Halftime Show

Time and time again, Beyoncé proves she is the business – the best female performer out there. Check out her performance at last night’s Super Bowl Halftime Show. #Winning.

Beyoncé gearing up for Super Bowl

Will Beyoncé‘s Super Bowl performance outdo her Billboard Music Awards performance? I have a feeling she might just blow it out of the water. Add Destiny’s Child to the mix and I think you have a #winning combination. Will you be up watching Ravens taking on the 49ers in New Orleans? Or are you just getting up to watch your girl Bey? If this little teaser clip is anything to go by, I think I might just have to pull yet another all-nighter

Oh and if you’re looking for a bit of a laugh and some fun, check out some of the players talking about King B here.

Don’t forget to catch the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show this Sunday/ Monday.

Did Beyoncé lip-sync her way through The Star-Spangled Banner?

I don’t think so – and here’s why:

Beyoncé Knowles has been accused of lip-syncing her way through her performance at President Barack Obama’s inauguration on Monday. The star had the duty of singing the American national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. What an honour and there is no better person in my opinion to have than Beyoncé, to sing it.

The Halo singer does the anthem, and true to form, she nails it. On stage it looked like the star was having some issues with feedback or interference, so she removed her earpiece mid-set. She carried on like a true pro and in my opinion, it was the best version of the anthem I have ever witnessed. Then someone from the Marine Corps puts out a statement saying both the band and Beyoncé weren’t live and that the Grammy winner lip-synced her way through the song.

So here are a couple of questions for you:

- Do you care?

If you don’t care, that’s cool but I do. I’m an entertainment journalist, a lover of music and I admire and respect Beyoncé like no other.

- Is it a big deal?

Yes, it is a big deal. With a global audience focused on you for that performance and the trust the President has in you to sing the anthem, it is a big deal. While many artists don’t sing their songs live (we know this), the one time an artist really shouldn’t lip-sync is during the national anthem. It is possibly the highest honour one can get and it means you have the talent to pull it off. It is also the one time you really get to show that talent off in a raw, but impressive way.

I can understand artists having a back-up recording available for a number of reasons; be it stage fright, forces of nature or being sick, but come on. This is Beyoncé, one of the greatest singers and performers of our time.

So the big question then is did she or didn’t she? I really don’t believe she did. I’ve watched the clip a number of times and it looks clean to me. Sure, she had a bit of a hiccup with her earpiece and it sounds like there’s a bit of an echo or some feedback (maybe the recording), but she really looks to be singing – and well. If she did lip-sync, it is by far the best lip-syncing performance I have ever seen in my life. The famous Beyoncé-isms were there and it was a well rehearsed and flowed really nicely. It was incredible.

There is no official statement from Beyoncé’s peops, but E! Online has a statement from the US Marine Corps Media Officer. Read it here. So there you have it, I don’t believe she lip-synced, but I guess time will tell.

Your thoughts?

 

 

Watch Beyonce live at Revel highlights

A friend of mine, Lihle Mtshali recently went off to Atlantic City to see the lovely Beyoncé Knowles-Carter live in concert. Apparently Beyoncé was on stage for over two hours in which she played not only some of her biggest songs, but from some of the other leading ladies in music too. Check out the video above for some highlights including a tribute to Whitney Houston.

This woman can do no wrong can she? Less than five months after giving birth to her and husband Jay-Z’s first child, she’s back on stage doing what she loves to do and what she does oh so well. One day Beyoncé you’ll come and see us in South Africa… hopefully soon!

 

Jay-Z releases “Glory” for his daughter Blue Ivy

Haters, sit down! This has to be one of the most amazing and special gestures I’ve come across. Not even two days after the birth of his and wife Beyoncé’s first child, Blue Ivy Carter at the weekend, rapper Jay-Z has released an ode to his little girl. In the track you’ll hear lyrics like, “I painted the sky Blue, my greatest creation was you”.

I think this is really special. To become a father is a gift, to give this as a gift to his little girl is just as special. Listen out for Blue Ivy at the end of the song too.

Beyoncé to release “Live At Roseland” DVD

Who runs the world? Well the world of entertainment that is? I’d say Bono is up there, Brad and Angie too, but the couple that definitely runs the world of music has to be Beyoncé and Jay-Z. So with that in mind, it excites me to announce Beyoncé’s highly anticipated Live At Roseland DVD will be on sale from the 5^th of December.

Back in August a limited audience got to see the multiple Grammy winner do what she does best at the famed Roseland Ballroom. Only 3500 tickets were made available for each of the four shows, and to cement her status as ‘King B’ the shows sold out in 22 seconds (a record).

Critics at The New York Times described the show as “robust,”  “finely-tuned,” and “compelling”. The show included material from her latest album, 4, as well as stories and performances from her previous records and from her Destiny’s Child days. In total you will get to see 26 songs in the DVD, awesome. I bet I sound like the Verimark voice-over dude when I say, but wait there’s more.

If you decide to get the deluxe version, you’ll get a two-disc DVD, complete with the full concert, offstage footage, and a video anthology that includes seven videos from 4. This is definitely one of the best Christmas presents you can give someone.

You can also catch the show on Channel O, DStv 320 on Sunday the 4^th at 6pm if the above hasn’t sold you. Watch it and believe you me, you will be waiting patiently for the music stores to open so that you can own this little piece of history and magic.

 

Watch Beyoncé’s new video, “Party”

Mama-to-be Beyoncé might be carrying the most famous unborn child to date, but that isn’t stopping her from grafting. The superstar has been churning out loads of music videos from her latest album “4″, which is what the record label said they would do. This is of course as many speculated how the album would be a flop. It has been quite the opposite actually, thinking “Girls… Run the World”, “Best Thing I Never Had”, “Countdown” and “Love On Top”.

She continues on this path by releasing the latest video for the track “Party”. Now if you have the album, you will know that Andre 3000 of Outkast fame is credited for his contribution, but in this video it’s the new “It boy” who features on the track, that being J. Cole. I wonder what the vibe is there?

It’s a cool video, exactly how I thought it would pan out actually. It’s funny how when you hear a track, a certain look and feel is created in your head. And so when the video finally hits the web, you know you get the meaning, the feeling of the song In the video you will also get to see aunties Solange and Kelly Rowland too. We haven’t seen Kelly and Beyoncé in a video since Destiny’s Child days, so this is really is cool.

Awesome video, love me some B. Now all I want is a video for Start Over and then to wrap up the album, “I Was Here”. Then I will be happy for her to go and rest haha, but it would be a great way for her to take a breather and prepare for the birth of her first child don’t you think? Read the lyrics below and see how appropriate they are: