‘Beyoncé’ by Beyoncé album review

Amy Deng • February 13, 2014

Beyoncé has delivered countless surprises in her 15 years on top of the music world, but she’s never dropped a bombshell like this. “The Queen” surprised the world with a “visual album” – 14 new songs, 17 videos, dropped via iTunes with no warning.

“Beyoncé is one of the most amazing singers ever. She is my idol,” said Lily Retford, 9.

The vibe on “Beyoncé” is futuristic R&B, strongest when it goes for full-grown electro soul with an artsy boho edge.

Beyoncé surprised the world with her new album. But she did not fail to impress. The variety of songs brought mixed emotions and was a big hit. Photo Courtesy of MCT — **Beyoncé** surprised the world with her new album. But she did not fail to impress. The variety of songs brought mixed emotions and was a big hit. Photo Courtesy of MCT

“This album really was unexpected. Beyoncé managed to pull off yet another flawless piece of work,” said Astrid Cabello, 10.

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“Drunk in Love” was one of the highlights of the album. It is a superb duet with her husband, Jay Z. The album also features the voices of Drake and Pharrell.

“’Drunk in Love’ had to be my favorite out of the entire album. It is so soulful and makes me want to dance,” said Cabello.

Beyoncé throws in many pageant-ready ballads about believing in your dreams and reaching your goals. This theme throughout her songs is very uplifting and soulful.

About the Contributor

Amy Deng, Managing Editor

Hello! My name is Amy Deng and I am a senior at Sycamore High School. This is my fourth year on staff and I currently hold the position of managing editor for the print magazine, The Leaf. My job is to design the style sheet, mentor new students, and oversee the design process of the print platform. I enjoy writing articles on multiple genres, including feature, news, and sports. In particular, I work with several design programs such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop to create pages and layouts for the Leaf. I joined journalism hoping to experience hands-on news coverage and to improve my writing skills. Over the years, I have grown to enjoy and value my experiences in the classroom. Through collaborating with other staff members, I have developed and improved my communication and leadership skills; and through working as a team, we have been able to produce an award-winning, student-run news magazine. I am excited for the new year and can’t wait to see what it holds! More about myself: I have always been involved with sports ever since I was a child. I participated in synchronized swimming for seven years and am currently a part of the school varsity swim team and during the offseason I am part of a club team, BASH. In addition, I have always been passionate about my cultural roots which is why I am the vice president of the Chinese Club. My role is to lead club presentations and organize bi-weekly activities. I also volunteer at Bethesda North Hospital as an escort where I discharge patients. Additionally, my favorite hobby is listening to music. I enjoy a wide span of genres and a few of my favorite artists include: Two Door Cinema Club, Mac Demarco, Beach House, Bon Iver, Chance the Rapper, Childish Gambino, and Stevie Wonder. Quote to live by: “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others” - Audrey Hepburn.