Lemonade Is Not Beyonce’s Story

Yes. Another blog about Lemonade because that is what true art does. It not only evokes emotion but it incites cultural enlightenment. I believe Lemonade is more than Beyoncé telling a story about her and her husband. I feel as if she said “I want to tell the story of thousands of women” and that’s exactly what she did. I don’t truly believe the entire album is about her and Jay-Z but even if it is, it doesn’t matter. Lemonade is NOT just Beyoncé’s story, it’s mine. And hers. And all of the shes in the world who can remotely relate to what she is saying, portraying, and declaring.

This album is poetry. It’s a beautifully creative way to tell the stories of real life people dealing with real life shit. Is that not why we love Beyoncé? Beyond her amazing performances and creativity, she tells our stories; from “Irreplaceable” all the way to “Formation” and the entire Lemonade album.

Songs like “Sorry” and “Hold up” are our anthem. How many of us have felt that way? Whether in relationships or marriage, “Sorry” is an opportunity to celebrate our impending freedom from our current situation. It’s a charge to reclaim our queen. To be empowered instead of feeling however that relationship made you feel. “Tell him boy bye.”

I was advised that it may not be a great idea to watch the visual album while pregnant because the images and content could evoke emotions that may lead to emotional instability. While I completely understand the logic behind the advice, it just provoked me to go and watch Lemonade for a second time (because sometimes I let curiosity and pride override all logic). Songs like “Let It Be” could absolutely leave women that were upset or suppressing to revisit those raw emotions especially if they haven’t healed from them. I only consider that a bad thing if they lack the inner strength and guidance to find healing after those emotions resurface. Or if they fail to seek it elsewhere. OR if they just simply desire to never revisit those feelings and emotions ever again.

I believe every woman should take a journey through their pain. We need to know that we can experience pain and still come out of it restored and beautiful. I don’t think pain and the “ratchet” ways in which we tend to express it should scare us or move us to avoid images that may remind us of the past. Pain isn’t something to run from.  I think running and avoiding will put us in a state of operating through suppressed emotions that will one day erupt. I can’t live life that way.

I have had to mature to a place of learning how to deal with my pain and emotions in a healthy way where I don’t blow up nor ignore them. I haven’t perfected it. But I won’t unless I allow myself the opportunity to feel and be guided by God and my spirit towards true healing and the beautiful lessons embedded within my experiences. I want the battle scar. Because it’s inevitable that one day, I will need to tell the story of that scar to someone who has been freshly wounded. I want to be able to watch images that remind me of my painful experiences and reflect back to them while wearing the cologne of freedom.

And what if my interpretations of these songs are completely erroneous to the points Beyoncé intended to make? It doesn’t matter. That’s what art is. Art is to be created by the artist and interpreted by the admirer. I can interpret her music however I want. The next woman can interpret it differently and I would never tell her she’s wrong. I can only give my opinion and take from it what I desire.

Some people will look at Lemonade and say that it’s simply a marketing ploy to get people to continue to buy in to Beyoncé’s empire. Whatever. It doesn’t hurt me to read that, and I won’t say they’re wrong. I’ll just say that I disagree and I’ll go about my business singing “Boy Bye” as I do my ratchet bounce. I’m grateful for Beyoncé’s brilliant ability to portray art without boundaries. She embodies the reality that we can truly do whatever the hell we want to do. I admire her artistry as I strive to grow more and more free in my own. Lemonade is my story. It’s all of our stories. I embrace it and love it for everything that it will be.