Love at First Listen - Beyonce (16 Carriages) Coming Soon - Vampire Weekend(Capricorn), Rachel Rose

There were too many Loves at First Listens this week and Beyonce's song 16 Carriages had me in such a chokehold that I really had to give her the largest spotlight. She's Beyonce!

BEYONCE - 16 CARRIAGES

As she pivots to dominate yet another genre, Beyonce is proving that she really is bigger than the entire music industry. She's not defined by genre or awards anymore. She is an artist, a queen and forever that girl. She's Beyonce. Amidst yet another reminder of the Grammy's institutional racism against black women (SZA snub, And Jay-Z's speech about Beyonce's many snubs), Beyonce has decided to say 'I'm actually going to challenge another racist institution' - American country music. As we saw a few years ago, her performance at the Country Music Awards with country icons The Chicks, caused such a racist backlash that CMA had to take down the video of their performance And after that backlash, they had to put it back up. But Beyonce is here to proudly proclaim her country roots , going heavily country in her two newest singles Texas Hold 'Em and 16 Carriages in a way that is still uniquely Beyonce. In 16 Carriages, Yonce's giving us these lush melodic riffs on top of a cinematic and expansive country-musical landscape. Every time I hear it, it's almost as if I'm experiencing the sensation of freedom for the first time looking out at a wild expanse of land ready to roam free.

Lyrically, the storytelling is so tightly woven and impactful, expressing her grief at the childhood she lost trying to make a better way for her family. This itself is sort of a classic tale of the adultification that many black women , particularly eldest daughters tend to feel. "At fifteen, the innocence was gone astray. Had to leave my home at an early age. I saw Mama prayin', I saw Daddy grind. All my tender problems, had to leave behind. As an eldest daughter and first generation Haitian-American, I feel her words so particularly heavy within me. 16 Carriages, is big and anthemic, bringing the listener through a forward progression with each verse. Each musical layer builds, giving us stronger percussion, lusher harmonies, and deeper storytelling as the song expands. Beyonce brings us to this highpoint, delivering this beautiful message of perseverance through struggle : Sixteen dollars, workin' all day. Ain't got time to waste, I got art to make. I got love to create on this holy night. They won't dim my light, all these years I fight. I got love to create on this holy night. Beyonce allows us to grieve and rejoice as 16 Carriages march us towards liberation. I can not stop talking about this song. It may be one of my favorite Beyonce songs of all time. I may have listened 100 x already but it's truly one worth holding on to. I'm excited for what the second wave of the Renaissance is going to bring.

Stay tuned for my next Loves at First Listen - Madi Diaz, who I can't wait to see in a few weeks, has released another incredibly raw and honest record honing in on the anxieties around love. Vampire Weekend has also released new music that triggered a deep nostalgia for their Contra and Self-Titled days. And lastly, Rachel Rose and up and coming Brooklyn artist that has been making my heart sing along with her luscious Joni Mitchell and Sara Bareilles- style vocals.