Show Notes
"Forget being cool, I'm going to be honest," states a defiant Beyoncé in her 2013 documentary Life is But a Dream. "I'm going to be sad, I'm going to be passionate, I'm going to be vulnerable. And I'm going to sing from my heart." It was with this mindset that Bey embarked on her fourth solo album, 4.
Fresh from a pretty public separation from her father's management, Bey was determined to prove that she could run things in accordance with her own agenda. The outcome was a reflective and triumphant album that re-introduced R&B to commercial radio, and reminded audiences that the bitch got pipes.
It's taken six cycles – and some change – for us to summon the energy required to tackle arguably the most prolific female solo artist of our generation. As such, we enlisted a card-carrying, honey-making member of the Beyhive to join the conversation. Enter stage left Shana Sumers – former Head of Community at HER, a dating app for lesbian, bisexual and queer womxn, and co-host of Bad Queers, a podcast for anyone who feels like they came out of the closet and immediately got placed in a box. Shana stood for 12 hours with no food or bathroom breaks to secure her place at the front of Beyoncé's 2019 Coachella set so you know she's legit.
Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at [email protected]. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare, Drew on @with.all.drew.respect and Shana on @shanahasagram.
Our big gay thanks, as ever, to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney. Finally, enjoy our playlist which is the best thing you've never heard.
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Andy here – as I'm putting the finishing touches on Tracks of Our Queers' second season, I thought I'd share some previews from my favourite episodes so far.