Beyoncé’s latest single, “Break My Soul”, is the perfect get-up-and-go song. Comprising a bass-infused beat and motivational lyrics, the upbeat song is guaranteed to dominate the club scene this summer. Produced by Beyoncé, Tricky Stewart, and The-Dream, the pulsating dance track is the lead single for Bey’s upcoming seventh studio album, Renaissance.
“Break My Soul” samples Robin S.’s 1993 hit single “Show Me Love” and Big Freedia’s 2014 song “Explode”. Historically, Beyoncé has always gone against the grain in her artistry. In a music industry that has normalised songs under three minutes, Queen B decided to bless us with a four-minute-and-thirty-eight-second club banger.
The song’s groovy ambience is audible from the onset, ushering us in with a fast tempo. Queen B graces our speakers with melodious harmonising (“la-la-la-la”) along the song’s thumping beat. Corresponding with the song’s overall positive theme, a clip of Freedia chanting the mantra “release the stress, release the love, forget the rest” is played now and again throughout “Break My Soul.” Furthermore, Beyoncé sings “you won’t break my soul” in the song’s chorus, serving as motivation to be resilient.
The song’s lyrics affirm the idea of cutting off all toxicity and focusing on things good for one’s well-being. Beyoncé sings lyrics such as “I’m on that new vibration” and “I’m buildin’ my own foundation”, both alluding to self-renewal.
As usual, Beyoncé gives us a glimpse of her Sasha Fierce persona through a rap-sung cadence in the song’s second verse. Giving us wordplay, Bey raps: “Ain’t takin’ no flicks, but the whole clique snapped.” The lyrics suggest that there’s no paparazzi, but everyone in the Queen’s clique looks flawless.
Beyoncé reminds us that she is a vocal powerhouse by singing the song’s chorus soon after the second verse. The vocal strength in the song’s chorus contrasts the laidback nature of the rap-sung cadence, showcasing Bey’s versatility.
Despite the song’s positive message, there has been a great deal of negative pushback on social media. However, this was to be expected, considering contemporary music enthusiasts have never been fond of sonic experimentation throughout history. What has been noticeably different about Bey’s album build-up this time is that she is actively building momentum around its release.
Renaissance is set to drop on 29 July, and although its features are still top secret, some may argue that a Jay-Z feature is plain to see. The key takeaway from “Break My Soul” is that Queen B is done with discourse. All she wants us to do now is dance and touch some grass.
