Essays investigate Beyoncé's global impact

Honorable Mention for Outstanding Edited Collection of Essays in Ethnomusicology for the 2023 Ellen Koskoff Edited Volume Prize by the Society for Ethnomusicology, 2023

From Destiny's Child to Lemonade, Homecoming, and The Gift, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has redefined global stardom, feminism, Black representation, and celebrity activism. This book brings together new work from sixteen international scholars to explore Beyonce's impact as an artist and public figure from the perspectives of critical race studies, gender and women's studies, queer and cultural studies, music, and fan studies. The authors explore Beyoncé's musical persona as one that builds upon the lineages of Black female cool, Black southern culture, and Black feminist cultural production. They explore Beyoncé's reception within and beyond North America, including how a range of performers—from YouTube gospel singers to Brazilian pop artists have drawn inspiration from her performances and image. The authors show how Beyoncé's music is a source of healing and kinship for many fans, particularly Black women and queer communities of color. Combining cutting edge research, vivid examples, and accessible writing, this collection provides multiple lenses onto the significance of Beyoncé in the United States and around the world.

Christina Baade's profile page

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CHRISTINA BAADE (Ontario, CA) is professor and chair in the Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia at McMaster University and author of Victory through Harmony: the BBC and Popular Music in World War II. KRISTIN MCGEE (Groningen, ND) is associate professor of popular music at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and the author of Some Liked it Hot: Jazz Women in Film and Television, 1928–1959.