
I'm not going to try to be cool, forget being cool, I'm going to be honest, I'm going to be sad, I'm going to be passionate, I'm going to be vulnerable, I'm going to sing from my heart. I'm going to sing about love and do the opposite of what I thought I was going to do. I said I'm going to take a risk and I'm going to bring R&B music back and I'm going to add bridges to songs and chord changes. She used hip hop for a "broader sound" and looked to bring soul singing back, stating, "I used a lot of the brassiness and grittiness in my voice that people hear in my live performances, but not necessarily on my records." Recording and production She also found additional influences in Earth, Wind & Fire, The Stylistics, Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson. In 2015, The-Dream revealed that he and Beyoncé had composed a whole album based on Kuti's music, although this was scrapped in favor of creating 4, therefore explaining how "End of Time" became so heavily influenced. DJ Swivel, one of 4 's engineers, later described how Kuti's use of percussion and horns influenced the track " End of Time". She worked with the band from Fela!, the Broadway musical based on Kuti's life. Problems playing this file? See media help.Īlthough much of 4 's inspiration came from "touring, travelling, watching rock bands and attending festivals", the album's early musical direction was influenced by Nigerian Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti, whose passion for music motivated Beyoncé. " End of Time" uses horns and percussion used inspired by late Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. I really focused on songs being classics, songs that would last, songs that I could sing when I'm 40 and when I'm 60." Beyoncé also sought to make more artistic music, rather than purely commercially oriented songs. The more mature I become and the more life experiences I have, the more I have to talk about. It's bolder than the music on my previous albums because I'm bolder. I wanted musical changes, bridges, vibrata, live instrumentation and classic songwriting." On her website she wrote, "The album is definitely an evolution. With 4, I tried to mix R&B from the '70s and the '90s with rock 'n' roll and a lot of horns to create something new and exciting. She intended 4 to help change that status, commenting, "Figuring out a way to get R&B back on the radio is challenging . In an interview for Complex, Beyoncé expressed dissatisfaction with contemporary radio.
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She severed professional ties with father and manager Mathew Knowles, who had guided her career since the 1990s with Destiny's Child, noting that the decision made her feel vulnerable. During her hiatus, she "killed" Sasha Fierce, the alter-ego used in her previous studio album, as she felt she could now merge her two personalities. Sasha Fierce (2008) and a world tour, Beyoncé took a career hiatus in 2010 "to live life to be inspired by things again". As of November 2016, 4 had sold 5 million copies worldwide.įollowing the release of her third album I Am. "Love On Top" won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 55th annual ceremony. 4 spawned the international singles " Run the World (Girls)", " Best Thing I Never Had", " Party", " Love On Top" and " Countdown". It was her fourth consecutive album to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200, and it also reached number one in Brazil, Ireland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The album received generally positive reviews by music critics several publications included it on their year-end lists. In May 2011, Beyoncé submitted seventy-two songs to Columbia Records for consideration, twelve of which appeared on the standard edition.Ĥ was promoted in mid-2011 by television performances and festival appearances, such as Beyoncé's headlining Glastonbury Festival set. 4 's lyrics emphasize monogamy, female empowerment and self-reflection, a result of Beyoncé considering a maturer message to contend artistic credibility. Severing professional ties with father and manager Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé eschewed the music of her previous releases in favor of an intimate, personal album. Her collaborations with songwriters and record producers The-Dream, Tricky Stewart and Shea Taylor produced a mellower tone, developing diverse vocal styles and influences from funk, hip hop, and soul music.


Following a career hiatus that reignited her creativity, Beyoncé was inspired to create a record with a basis in traditional rhythm and blues that stood apart from contemporary popular music.

It was released on June 24, 2011, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. 4 is the fourth studio album by American singer Beyoncé.
