Beyonce's Saving Grace: Halo

I really hadn't paid attention to this song until I checked out the video. The song and video are really beautiful. Beyonce has a knack for making simplicity powerful. Her videos for the I Am...Sasha Fierce album are very stripped down. If you've noticed they've also all been in black and white, except for this one. And even Halo is in what I'm calling "color light" with very muted and pale tones. I know everyone seems to like Single Ladies and now Diva but I really prefer the slower songs. I think Beyonce is at her best when she's got a sentimental, slightly melancholy vibe going on. Think If I Were a Boy or Me, Myself and I. Having said that, Beyonce rocks all her songs and Crazy In Love is my all time fav.

Why do I not own Beyonce's latest album yet? It's a shame. I'm feeling the economic crunch much like everyone else and so I'm slightly picky about luxuries I must have right now and those that can wait. The good news is that Beyonce/Sasha Fierce's music isn't going anywhere and I can purchase it later. In the meantime, I'll just have to stick to Vh1, MTV (when they actually play videos), YouTube and Beyonce's website of course.

Also I noticed that Beyonce is starring in a movie called Obsessed due out April 24. I saw the trailer last weekend at the movies. I wasn't overly impressed. Spoiler Alert! I think the plot will pretty much be The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and/or Fatal Attraction and perhaps a touch of Disclosure (to give it that office feel) except with sexier people. I'll pass on the movie but I will continue to enjoy Beyonce's music. It's her true calling after all.

Etta to Beyonce: At Last the Time to Whoop Your A** Has Come Along!

So, in the rant heard round the world, or at least the gossip columns and Fox News, Etta James totally went off on Beyonce. The reason? I guess Etta didn't like Beyonce getting the spotlight for singing the song "At Last" at the Inauguaration Ball. Oh yeah, she talked smack about the President too.

I find it curious that she waited until last week at a concert to talk about just much she can't stand Beyonce. Has she been stewing since January 20th or did she just catch the Inauguration last week? Sounds like pent up rage to me. I can picture her pacing up and down the halls of her house. Muttering revenge to herself and yelling at her manager. Does she still have a manager? Also, is Obama not her President because she didn't vote for him or because Beyonce got to sing "At Last" and not her? This whole mess raises lots of questions for me.

I believe this matter can only be resolved by a song-off. Simon Cowell can be the judge. Beyonce can start with "To the left, to the left, all the songs you own in a box to the left. You must not know 'bout me. I could be another you in a minute. Matter fact, I'll make more money than you in a minute. Don't you ever get to thinkin you're irreplaceble."

Call me ladies! I'll get it all set up for you!

If I Were A Boy or Maybe a Songwriter

A couple of weeks ago I tweeted that Beyonce's single, If I Were a Boy reminded me of another song. I went on a Google search to see if she sampled the melody from an old song and found out more interesting information. Apparently, Beyonce did not write this song and there is some controversy about how she obtained it. Meaning, did she violate the copyright? The song was actually written by BC Jean You can listen to her version here.



I've listened to both versions and Beyonce sings it way better. I seriously doubt that she stole a song from a writer. Too much drama!! I can't pin down a reliable source on this so I give Miss B the benefit of the doubt and think that BC Jean was or will be handsomely paid for her song writing skills.

Beyonce's Split Personality

So I'm sure many of you peeps are aware that Beyonce is coming out with a new album that drops today. What you may not know is that the title, I Am...Sasha Fierce is derived from Beyonce's self-proclaimed diva on-stage personality. I remember reading an article about Beyonce's other personality a few years prior to her marriage to Jay-Z.

I suppose having an alter ego helps keep things real? You let the alter-ego take over when you're on stage and get to be super dramatic and then return to your normal self when the lights go down? I think that's what Beyonce's trying to say.

"The new record is a double album and has two covers, like a magazine would have two covers," Beyoncé revealed. "One of the covers is named I AM... and the second cover is named SASHA FIERCE. That is my alter ego and now she has a last name. I have someone else that takes over when it's time for me to work and when I'm on stage, this alter ego that I've created that kind of protects me and who I really am. That's why half the record, I AM... is about who I am underneath all the makeup, underneath the lights, and underneath all the exciting star drama. And SASHA FIERCE is the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I'm working and when I'm on the stage. The double album allows me to take more risks and really step out of myself, or shall I say, step more into myself, and reveal a side of me that people only know me see." Source

Didn't Garth Brooks try this other personality thing a few years ago? Wait, maybe this is different because Beyonce's personality Sasha Fierce still sings the same songs as Beyonce does and the style hasn't changed at all? Did she consult with Garth before putting this album out? Did she get tip like, "Beyonce, whatever you do, don't change you're hairstyle and your actual music persona because the fans don't take too kindly to it."

Seriously peeps, do you remember that Garth incident? I was never a big Garth fan; country's just not my thing. But I could appreciate the fan base and the fact that Garth was an amazing performer and song writer. Then he decided to go kinda crazy. He took a risk and it just didn't work out.

I'm sure Beyonce/Sasha will have better luck.