Hi there, it’s Hillarie! Rewilding Mind is a reflection on my experience leaving modern city living to pursue homesteading. It’s a calming read to help you slow down, be present, and find wonder in the everyday. Read on for ideas on returning to nature, finding ourselves, and creating community. 💚
Audio Newsletter
Hey friends,
I usually write about nature and homesteading, but I am pausing the usual programming to do a review of Beyonce’s latest album, because OMG. I am by no means a culture critic, nor have I bothered to read a single professional critique of the album. I am simply a lover of music and know that music has an incredible ability to move, soothe, and heal us. A good beat can be felt deep in our bones and through our bodies. It can make or break a moment. It creates the vibe and sets the tone. Music has always been an essential part of how I understand this world, and Beyonce is a big part of that experience.
You should know that I am a low-key high-key Beyonce fan, and her albums continue to be the backdrop of various seasons of my life. Her Black-girl magic speaks to my soul and her lyrical prose are brilliant. Her songs are balm to every Black girl who wants to love ourselves without the implications of what is "proper" or "respectable". I admire her ability to lean into her creative capacity in bold new ways. She is a pace setter, a bar raiser, category crusher, and swimmer in lanes unknown. She reminds us every time that she did not come to play, and this latest album is no exception. She sets the direction and we just watch as everyone else gets in line behind her.
I've been anticipating this album for weeks after my husband shared the news earlier this summer. He is a student of hip-hop and knows that my real love language is ‘new Beyonce drops’. Over the years, he has gifted me several of her albums that I've played countless times, committing her words to memory. We’ve listen to them together, admiring every sample, key change, guest artist, and snarky cultural reference. In 2016, we saw her live when we were living in the SF Bay. One of my few regrets in life was getting cheap seats that left us surrounded by a bunch of Stanford sorority girls that were too drunk to appreciate the incredible artistry on stage before us. It was not the vibe.
Each Beyonce album has me waiting eagerly to see exactly how she was reinvent and recreate herself after the last great piece of work. Lemonade was pure artistry, coming off the heals infidelity in her marriage and a miscarriage. She channeled every bit of her sadness, anger, rage, heartbreak, and hope into that album, and we did not deserve it. That hell-storm of emotions inspired a once-in-a-lifetime piece of work that was deemed inferior to another one of Adele's (good but predictable) heartbreak albums. It solidified for me that awards, no matter how prestigious, lack a fundamental understanding of how culture is created and reminded me that Black art is sacred beyond any award acknowledgment.
Then Homecoming hit and I had no idea if I would ever pick my jaw up off the ground. It was stunning and a testament to the incredible range of talent, beauty, and possibility that she has the power to elevate. It was Black culture in so many forms and an honoring of the range of humanity that exists within Blackness. It was joy, love, and empowerment that we rarely get to celebrate at that level. That album showed her raw talent in her ability to take highly produced music, play it back with a live marching band, and create an experience that is untouchable by any other artist.
This summer brought us Renaissance and it was a soundtrack to this summer I didn't know I was missing. At this point, I have listened to the album cover-to-cover no less than two dozen times, and each time I discover more to love, appreciate, and groove to. I have no idea how culture at large is viewing this work and I generally don’t care. It has been giving me all the feels, and based on what I am seeing from other Black girls I know and love, I am definitely not alone.
The first single from the album, Break My Soul, is a revival of 90s electronic dance music and an absolute banger. It was a beat that was ready to be excavated and Beyonce gave it new life with another sample for Louisiana artist, Big Freedia. This was was an immediate signal that Beyonce would not be playing it safe and she still has big energy to bring into her music. The lyrics are a glorious fuck-you to anyone who thought that Beyonce’s best work was behind her. If I went to dance clubs, this song would pull me out to any dance floor immediately, but my kitchen is the second best option.
When the full album dropped, it took time to find my groove spots and appreciate the arch of all tracks. I am a believer is in listening to the songs in order, the way the artist arranged them, at least until I have a good feel for everything. Unlike many of my favorite albums, this album is listenable cover-to-cover and there is nothing that feels extra. For an album packed with 16 tracks, every song feels like it has a place and it flies by.
Since no one asked, here are my favorite tracks on the album:
COZY: Simply amazing. This song is a celebration of a body that has birthed babies, a knowing of self beyond labels, and celebration of a free spirit. The thing I enjoy most about this song is a reference to her younger sister, Solange, in the line: Might I suggest you don't fuck with my sis / 'Cause she comfortable. I love to imagine Solange pumping up her big sister to face whatever obstacle Beyonce Knowles Carter is struggling to face. Her baby sister is known to speak her mind and I aspire to be at that level of coziness with who I am.
CUFF IT: Somebody transport me to a dank roller skating rink immediately! I need to be gliding through space, laughing with my girls, and bussin’ some dance moves—all while trying to look cute and graceful. The instrumentals on this are bright, joyful, and undeniable. It is an all-around fun, light-hearted track that has me smiling every time it comes around.
MOVE: An afrobeat inspired song about going out with the ladies that feels like power and poise. She perfectly captured the energy of a ladies-only night when we dress to love ourselves, our bodies, and witness each other stand in the glow of femininity. It is bold, sexy, and smooth celebration that speaks to the energy generated when you are rolling band of boss bitches. It is a reminder that womanhood is about uplifting and making space for each other, not competing.
Finally, I have to mention HEATED because it is an anthem for not getting swept away by the BS that doesn’t matter. We all need that reminder sometimes and why not have a good beat to help us cool off? The breakdown at the end is everything and is a beautiful encapsulation of the fuckery of everyday life. My favorite line: Monday, I'm overrated, Tuesday, on my dick / Flip-flop, flippy, flip-floppin'-ass bitch. Ah yes, Beyonce is human, just like us.
By the end of the album I find myself restarting it to make sure I didn’t miss a thing. The full experience is regal, playful, joyful, and all the things I have come to love about Beyonce. She is a true artist of our time and I am so glad to have this album to capture the feels of summer 2022.
Thanks for taking a detour from the regular nature programming to celebrate culture in the making. Back to the garden next week. Take care, be kind, and we'll talk soon.
Hillarie