Year of 4

 

1999 was an iconic year for me.  It was the year that I purchased the first album I ever owned - The writings on the wall by Destiny's Child. 

Like most girls around that time I was boy band and girl group crazy.  The pop culture had submerged me in the sounds of the Backstreet boys, *NSYNC, Boyzone, Westlife, Eternal, TLC, All saints and lest we forget the Spice girls.  My bedroom was full of the faces of celebrities that I pulled out from Mizz Magazine and Smash Hits.  In my head I was married to all the members of backstreet boys (except Howie - I never really connected with Howie) and I genuinely believed I was the lead singer of a successful girl band who were yet to be discovered.

I knew all the words- to The Writings on The Wall (including the intro) and I will hold my hand up and admit that the times I was called downstairs for dinner but did not emerge from my room, was because the album was on full blast- and I was too consumed with singing along and mimicking the famous head movement from the Say My Name video.

Destiny's child, for me, was something new.  Up until that point, in the UK there were no successful all black girl groups and it was not until the ‘00 (noughties) that bands such as The Honeyz, Fierce and Cleopatra, invaded our radios and TV screens with Destiny’s child as the foundation and eventual platform.

Somehow or other, my desire for the album decreased as I became infatuated with newer bands and was more concerned about forging an identity for myself as I grew up.  My pocket money at the time of purchase only allowed me to buy the album on cassette so inevitably, it got lost amongst the other collection of tapes in my house and my parents car.   

This week however, I walked into a shop with the intention of getting a few items and ended leaving with more than I expected.  I re- bought The Writings on the Wall, this time on CD.  And just as I imagined when I put the CD in my laptop and it began to play I remembered all words just as if I’d never left my bedroom all those years ago. 

In the last ten years we’ve seen bands come and go - now only remembered by the fragments of our childhood- as we link songs and albums to events from our past.  But many individuals from successful groups have broken free and have made a name for themselves in their own right.  Beyoncé fully encapsulates this. 

Now let it be known, Beyoncé was never my favourite member of Destiny's child, I was and still am strictly Team Kelly.  I bought Beyoncé's solo album purely off the back that I adored Destiny's child and their decision to separate hurt me knowing that I had never made it to one of their concerts- but I was buzzing that there was life after Destiny's child in the form of “Dangerously in Love”.  Yet after the hype around that album subsided, my like for Beyoncé and her musicality kind of died off, so the albums that succeeded Dangerously in love in, I did not consider buying. 

I was surfing YouTube for something and this video (see below) happened to be in the side bar and out of sheer curiosity I clicked on it.  Watched it.  And it spurred me on.

Let it be known that this blog post is not a review on Beyoncé's latest album - but simply a reminder why Beyoncé is the leading female artist of our generation. Some may choose to debate about it but I believe when you’ve reached a point where people know who you are without stating your last name- you’ve reached iconic status. Madonna, MJ, Prince- need I say anymore?

And personally I’m not a fan of how women's empowerment has been portrayed in Beyoncé's last dozen videos.  There is a worry that young girls who recognise Beyoncé but not Destiny's Child will grow up with a blurry understanding that female empowerment and being scantily dressed go hand in hand.  But I’ll save those views for another blog post ;)

I cannot deny that Beyoncé is;

1) An incredibly gifted singer- and in my lifetime the best female vocalist ever, period.

2) Gives 100% every single time- In comparison to artists such as Amy Winehouse - who’s music I also adore -  but who’s lack of appearances at her own concerts has made her infamous in past occasions.  And I admire anyone, regardless of race, religion, gender or social status who strives for 100% because it pushes me to do better.

So even if you’re not a fan of the artistry of her music, or you’re like me- a bigger Destiny's child fan than a Beyoncé fan- the very least you can do is admire the dedication she possesses. I guarantee it will only push you to want to be greater yourself. 

And who knows, I may even decide to buy ‘4’ if I can get the last of my pocket money from out of my piggy bank.

I came.  I saw.  I blog.

Ruthie