Beyoncé Sparks Nostalgia As She Marks 10 Years Of Self Titled Album
By Afouda Bamidele on December 13, 2023 at 12:50 PM EST
Beyoncé's eponymous album is ten years old!
The highly acclaimed singer and businesswoman marked the anniversary milestone by sharing a compilation of content from the groundbreaking record on social media. Highlighting hit tracks like "Drunk In Love" and "Pretty Hurts," the self-titled album was pivotal in Beyoncé's music career.
Fans Applaud Beyoncé For Changing The World With Her Eponymous Fifth Studio Album
In 2013, Beyoncé shocked the world with the unexpected release of "Beyoncé," presenting each track with its accompanying short film. The surprise album stirred a frenzy among fans, generating 1.2 million tweets in the first 12 hours following its release.
The self-titled album also quickly made history as the fastest-selling album on iTunes and climbed to the top of the Billboard music charts within a remarkable three days of its release.
Celebrating the ten-year milestone, the Grammy winner shared behind-the-scenes footage of the album's creation, snippets from the music videos, and fan reactions on her Instagram page. Speaking in the video, Beyoncé disclosed:
"I still get scared of every album release. I am constantly searching for the deeper purpose of my art. Thoughts about life, my dreams, or my fantasies."
View this post on Instagram
Later in the clip, the singer-songwriter is seen walking on the beach with her daughter, Blue Ivy, who she welcomed in 2012, in the crook of her arm. "Just because you become a mother doesn't mean you lose who you are," the mother-of-three shared before addressing her decision to release the studio album without any hype. She said:
"I don't want anyone to give the message of when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it's ready…and from me to my fans."
As for fans' reactions, three of them were spotted wearing headphones as one expressed, "Wait a minute," another shared, "I'm sorry. I think Beyonce just released an album on iTunes," and the third exclaimed, "What, OMG."
Concluding the video, Beyoncé reflected on the album, describing it as the "anti-perfection," adding, "Happy 10 year anniversary."
In the comment section, one fan claimed, "It's officially "Give yourself your own d— flowers" season," a second noted, "Everyone remembers where they were when this dropped," and a third stressed, "Anti-perfection, and yet... perfect in every way!!!"
"I loved renaissance but this album I think was my favorite. It was the s—. I still bop to those songs," a fourth Instagram user revealed as a fifth recalled, "I remember my husband waking me up in the middle of the night to tell me this album had dropped. I couldn't get to iTunes fast enough!!!! This release cemented her icon status."
Emphasizing her power, a sixth fan penned a line from Beyoncé's "Feeling Myself" collaboration with Nicki Minaj. They wrote, "CHANGED THE GAME WITH THAT DIGITAL DROP!!!!!," while a seventh pointed out, "Those videos dropping simultaneously was insane."
Even the 42-year-old's sister, Solange, joined in the conversation, simply typing, "HISTORY !" in the comments.
Beyoncé Was Named The Mayor Of This City Earlier This Year
Beyoncé became the one on the receiving end of a surprise when she landed in Santa Clara, California in August as part of her Renaissance World Tour. As it turned out, she was crowned the Mayor of the town and she expressed her feelings about the achievement during the concert at Levi's Stadium. Talking to the overflowing crowd, the "Irreplaceable" hitmaker said:
"I am so excited; I am so honored to be on this stage. And all these faces are so beautiful. You know today is so special because today, I am the Mayor. I am honored, thank you."
She continued, "This is my gratitude, too; I don't take any of this for granted. After 25 years, I am still able to do what I love, and it is because of your loyalty and your prayers."
As for the honorary event itself, The Blast reported that Santa Clara City Council had given Beyoncé the key to the city and declared her its Mayor ahead of her show. Santa Clara spokesperson Michelle Templeton spoke on the occasion, asserting the city's joy of having the megastar in their midst.
In her words, "The city of Santa Clara is excited about Beyonce's upcoming visit to the world-renowned Levi's Stadium. Her concerts will certainly bring a great deal of energy and excitement."
It is worth noting that Beyoncé's publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, accepted the key to the city on her behalf.