Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is one of the most celebrated pop icons of the decade. Popularly known as Queen Bey, Beyoncé’s talent spans beyond her vocal abilities—albeit her greatest selling point. It’s transmitted in her dance moves, her acting, and her overall artistry as a standard performer.
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Over the years, Beyoncé’s sound has evolved from being the sultry member of a girl group to being a solo R&B singer, to a pop star, a hip-hop crooner, and a dance music performer. The 32-time Grammy Award-winner has created many hits over the years, from her famous single “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” and “Crazy in Love,” to “Irreplaceable,” “If I Were a Boy,” and “Run The World (Girls).”
Beyond her extraordinary talent, a significant factor in her success lies in the collaborations with producers and significant collaborators who have contributed to crafting her signature sound. In this exploration, we’ll reveal some of the creative minds behind Beyoncé’s music, highlighting five producers and collaborators who have made her sound the way it is.
1. Jay-Z
Jay-Z’s partnership with Beyoncé extends beyond marriage; it also encompasses musical collaborations that have shaped her sound. Jay-Z was behind Beyoncé’s first solo recording, as he featured her on his song “03 Bonnie & Clyde,” released in October 2002. The hip-hop and R&B mix track received major positive reviews from music critics, who praised the combination of Beyoncé’s softer vocals and Jay-Z’s rapping style. Based on the success of this blend, Jay-Z collaborated with Beyoncé on “Crazy in Love,” which was the lead single of her first solo album, Dangerously in Love. The song spent eight consecutive weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100, including winning Grammy Awards for Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Two more prominent collaborations between the couple featured the release of “Drunk in Love” and “Deja Vu”.
“Drunk in Love” marked the point at which trap became a part of Beyoncé’s sound. These sounds are testaments to their creative synergy. Jay-Z’s lyrical prowess and charismatic presence complement Beyoncé’s vocals, resulting in memorable, chart-topping hits.
2. Sean Garrett
Sean Garrett, a songwriter and music producer, is responsible and credited for the production of chart-topping songs for popular artists like Usher, Ciara, Mario, and Beyoncé. Garrett’s collaboration with Beyoncé can be found on her singles “Ring the Alarm,” “Get Me Bodied,” “Upgrade U,” “Check on It,” “Diva,” and “Video Phone.” “Get Me Bodied” was produced in collaboration with Swizz Beatz, as the regular album version, radio edit, and a six minutes long extended mix.
Garrett joined Beyonce to produce “Diva” from her I Am… Sasha Fierce album. The collaboration influenced her venture into using a stuttering beat with a hip-hop groove. It marked a change of direction from the regular Beyoncé sounds, as it showed her talent with cadence rapping. Garrett’s collaborations with Beyoncé always ensured that different ranges of her voice were utilized.
3. Ryan Tedder
Ryan Tedder’s collaboration with Beyoncé resulted in the anthemic hit “Halo.” His ability to craft catchy and memory-retaining melodies and poignant lyrics elevated the song to become one of Beyoncé’s most beloved tracks. Tedder was a composer, lyricist, and producer for “Halo”, which earned him two Grammy nominations. The song was inspired by Ray LaMontagne’s song “Shelter” (2004), as a way of diverting Beyoncé’s sound into power ballads.
Tedder made sure the song featured drum, piano, keyboard, string, synthesizer, and percussion. “Halo” was involved in a controversy when Kelly Clarkson claimed it had the same arrangement as “Already Gone,” a ballad that was also written and composed by Tedder. However, he denied this allegation and maintained that both songs had different concepts, melodies, and lyrics. Beyoncé’s collaboration with Tedder had mostly positive reviews from music critics for the new sound style by Beyoncé.
4. BOOTS
BOOTS gained recognition in 2013 after he collaborated with Beyoncé on her self-titled fifth studio album. He produced 85% of the Beyoncé album, which included four original songs from him. Also, he contributed additional production, background vocals, and instruments to “Drunk in Love,” which was the album’s second lead single. BOOTS took Beyoncé’s sound into the sensual style, focusing on her confidence and powerful female sexuality, rather than just her fun and romantic style. Beyoncé herself credited BOOTS as a producer she respects, an “innovator”, and someone she was “proud” to work with.
“Haunted” was one of the earlier songs he wrote and produced for Beyoncé. He focused on Beyoncé’s rap while the lyrics emphasized desire and the sensuality he wanted to associate with Beyoncé’s new sound. His experimental approach to production and willingness to push boundaries aligned seamlessly with Beyoncé’s artistic vision, leading to the magical album.
5. Diplo
DJ Diplo’s first collaboration with Beyoncé was as part of the writers for her chart-topping single “Run The World (Girls)” in 2011. The lyrics he wrote were a success as the song became one of the most popular girl-power anthems of all time. In 2016, Diplo joined Beyoncé again in another collaboration to write and produce two tracks—“All Night” and “Hold Up”— on her acclaimed album, Lemonade. In “All Night,” Diplo switched up Beyoncé’s sound by leaning into her dabbles with reggae. The song featured horns and strings in the instrumentation, while he sampled the brass line of Outkast and Sleepy Brown’s song.
Diplo’s production style at the time featured sampling and this was heavily used in “Hold Up,” the third single on Lemonade. It sampled “Can’t Get Used to Losing You” by Andy Williams, “Maps” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and “Turn My Swag On” by Soulja Boy. Her collaboration with Diplo marked a major shift in her sampling sound style.
The collective efforts of these producers and collaborators have contributed to shaping Beyoncé’s distinct musical identity. Through their creative partnerships, they have pushed artistic boundaries, experimented with genres, and crafted hits that became hits with audiences worldwide. As Beyoncé’s journey continues, her collaborations with these visionary minds continue to play a significant role in the evolution of her sound as an artist.
Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood
