Beyoncé makes a triumphant return with a vengeance in the elaborate music video for her ladies on the empowering female anthem "Run the World (Girls)," the first single from her highly-anticipated fourth solo album "4," dropping June 28. Beyoncé explained to Billboard magazine that the album title, "4," is a number that has great significance in her life. "We all have special numbers in our lives, and 4 is that for me," she explained. "It's the day I was born. My mother's birthday and a lot of my friends' birthdays are on the fourth; April 4 is my wedding date."Set to a marching beat which heavily samples the martial drum beat "Pon de Floor" by dancehall duo Major Lazer, following the same alternative hip hop-dancehall genres, mixed with the pop and R&B sounds of Beyoncé. The song's title and lyrics contain an unapologetically aggressive message towards female empowerment. Beyoncé sings in a choppy, emphatic style. As a lead single, it was bluntly effective. The track is just under four minutes of sassy, girl-power lyrics paired with marching-band beats and club appeal. The song is loud and proud in its relentless message: Beyoncé and girls everywhere are in charge now. The 29-year-old entertainer is clearly rallying the troops to her side in this first single.
The Texas songstress explained to Billboard magazine that she felt a powerful connection to the song. "It's definitely riskier than something a bit more... simple. I just heard the track and loved that it was so different: it felt a bit African, a bit electronic and futuristic," Beyoncé said. "It reminded me of what I love, which is mixing different cultures and eras - things that typically don't go together - to create a new sound. I can never be safe; I always try and go against the grain. As soon as I accomplish one thing, I just set a higher goal. That's how I've gotten to where I am."
Pop's commander-in-chief leads an army of over 200 dancers in the heavily-choreographed visuals directed by award-winning director Francis Lawrence, featuring a menagerie of wild animals, outrageous fashion, and epic dance sequences. The video finds Beyoncé navigating through an apocalyptic world and leading a determined army of supporters while sporting a slew of eye-popping outfits. Beyoncé will once again command the spotlight this Sunday night(May 22), when she is honored with the Billboard Millennium Award at the Billboard Music Awards. Nonetheless, Beyoncé is leading yet another female-empowerment revolution that is sure to dominate dancefloors this summer.
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