From Kevin Aviance to Grace Jones to Right Said Fred, Beyoncé’s Renaissance has dominated the charts, taken over the dance floors, and given listeners a master class in house music and the influences who have laid the groundwork to make it what it is today. Queen Bey dropped a remix album for the lead single from Renaissance ,”Break My Soul” and it is chock full of remix goodness from house luminaries like Nita Aviance and Honey Dijon. Now, Beyoncé has once again shocked the world and dropped another remix of “Break My Soul”-this one with Madonna herself.
The remix (which you can hear a portion of here) is titled “Break My Soul (The Queens Remix)” and is credited “by Beyoncé & Madonna’. Renaissance gained a great deal of it’s influences from the Chicago house music scene and from ballroom music, and that is evident in this reimagining of one of Madonna’s biggest anthems. Madonna’s original influence for ‘Vogue” also came from the ballroom scene of New York City and that is once again, showcased in ‘The Queens Remix’. Queen Bey pays homage to specific ballroom houses, calling them out by name (a clip of which you can listen to here) where legendary ballroom houses such as The House of Ninja, The House of Aviance, and The House of LaBeija are all paid homage to (along with many others) by Beyonce as Madonna’s familiar “Vogue” chorus plays in the background.
Break My Soul (THE QUEENS REMIX) by Beyoncé & @Madonna. 👑👑 Available now.https://t.co/OYr4SinG4Y#THEQUEENSREMIX pic.twitter.com/ttduMgqOUF
— Shop Beyoncé (@shopbeyonce) August 5, 2022
The legendary rap portion of “Vogue” are probably some of the most well-known lyrics in all of modern music, and Beyoncé’s recreation sees her paying homage to an entirely brand new set of musical heroes. With the familiar throbbing bass-line in the background (along with Madonna’s legendary vocals), Queen Bey launches into the familiar refrain of “Break My Soul” merged with “Vogue”! Calling out musical legends (in part) “Rosetta Tharpe, Santigold (Vogue) Bessie Smith, Nina Simone (Vogue) Betty Davis, Solange Knowles, Badu, Lizzo, Kelly Rowl’ (You know you can do it) Lauryn Hill, Roberta Flack, Toni, Janet, Tierra Whack (Let your body move to the music) Missy, Diana, Grace Jones, Aretha, Anita, Grace Jones (Hey, hey, hey) Helen Folasade Adu, Jilly from Philly, I love you, boo” shows that Bey not only wanted to show some of her current chart compatriots some love, but she is also keenly aware of the ladies that paved the way for her to hit that very dance floor.
@frootytreblez madonna x bey 🫶🏽 happy pride! 🏳️🌈 #beyonce #madonna #breakmysoul #mashup #djmashup #djtiktok #gay #queer #vogue #gaypride #dj #lgbt #bewhoyouare #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #soundcloud
“Vogue” may have found its origins on the ballroom floors of New York City, but it wouldn’t have become the iconic anthem that it is without the legendary Shep Pettibone, co-writer and co-producer of “Vogue”, and a creative force who helped define dance music as we know it today. Pettibone (owner of Paradise in Asbury Park) is thrilled to see “Vogue” get a refresh for the new generation and told me exclusively that he was in a “mad rush approve it this morning after Bey decided to go in the studio last night and remake it; I hope it is well received”
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She should remix Summer Renaissance with Donna Summer’s original vocals from I Feel Love.