Beyoncé Dedicates Album ‘Renaissance’ to Late Gay Uncle

Author: Isabella A. Lieberman

Beyoncé drops her seventh album, RENAISSANCE, on Friday. It will mark six years since Queen B’s last solo album, Lemonade. It was confirmed Thursday that her latest is dedicated to her family, including her late gay uncle.

We were all lucky to get a sneak peek of the album with the song “Break My Soul” that came out this past June. The song not only made it onto Billboard’s top 10, but it also became the anthem for the Great Resignation.

The single samples from LGBTQ+ artist Big Freedia. For CNN, Jacquelyne Germain wrote that the song is inspired by the Black queer beginnings of house music.

As fans anticipated this new album’s full release, they turned to search for any clues that might reveal details of the project. Since Break My Soul’s debut, Beyoncé has only given fans a glimpse of the art on and inside the CD and Vinyl editions. It’s enough to have drawn immense speculation on what’s to come.

However, on Thursday, the singer posted to her website a special message giving thanks to her family, which will be featured in the hardcopy of the album. The photo of her snuggling with her kids and a picture of her mother Tina Knowles and her uncle Johnny caught the eye of many fans.

Johnny is Tina’s nephew, but, growing up, Beyoncé and her sister Solange, referred to him as “uncle.” In the message, she expressed her love and gratitude for him, writing, “A big thank you to my uncle Jonny. He was my godmother and the first person to expose me to a lot of the music and culture that serve as inspiration for this album. Thank you to all of the pioneers who originate culture, to all of the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognized for far too long. This is a celebration for you.”

This was not the first time the singer has spoken about their bond. In 2019, the 40-year-old music icon detailed how he has inspired her while

At the end of the note, Beyoncé wrote to her fans about how she hopes her music can inspire them, just as much as her family inspired her; “To all of my fans: I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.”

Original Article on The Advocate
Author: Isabella A. Lieberman