A year full of ups and downs for Beyoncé

That it was a tumultuous year for Beyoncé is perhaps the understatement of 2024. Her new path in music turned out to be yet another one-way ticket to success; but in the meantime, her family was constantly under a magnifying glass due to Diddy-gate. But as we know Queen B, she doesn't let herself be easily knocked down and there were still plenty of milestones to celebrate. We gathered the most striking ups and downs from her past year.

A new musical path

Although the Super Bowl halftime show was in the hands of Usher this year, most eyes were still on Beyoncé. During a commercial, she announced her new album Renaissance Act II, which later received the title ‘Cowboy Carter’. With the release of the first two singles ‘16 Carriages’ and ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’, the path to the country genre was officially set. ‘Cowboy Carter’ debuted at number one in several countries and became her eighth consecutive number one album on the Billboard 200. However, there was also a lot of criticism; several radio stations refused to play the songs, and country music critics accused her of meddling in a music style and culture that doesn't belong to her. Beyoncé had previously been unwelcome in the country genre with her song ‘Daddy Lessons’ in 2016. That criticism actually motivated her to create this new album. And with the title of the first black woman with a number one hit in the American country charts, this turned out to be a successful move.

No CMA nomination

Although ‘Cowboy Carter’ was a great success in the charts and among fans, the critics still managed to make their influence felt: Beyoncé was completely excluded from the Country Music Association Awards 2024. The exact reason is still unclear, but the earlier criticism certainly played a role. However, part of the country world was also surprised, including singer Billy Ray Cyrus. In an Instagram post congratulating the nominees, he also reflected on Beyoncé's exclusion. “I was surprised that Beyoncé was not nominated. Her album was brilliant, her single was the best. But she knows that. She doesn't need a CMA trophy or permission or approval from any of their jury members.” Words that Queen B will probably agree with, although she undoubtedly must have been disappointed.

SirDavis Whisky

Whoever has a birthday treats was this year’s thought of Beyoncé. From her birthday on September 4, her own whisky brand ‘SirDavis’ was available for purchase; a collaboration with Moët Hennessy. The drink is a tribute to her grandfather Davis Hogue, who worked as a farmer and liquor dealer in the southern US during Prohibition. The promotion and branding of the brand fit perfectly with Beyoncé's Texan roots and her latest country album. With mountains of pre-orders even before the release and good reviews from whisky experts, the launch was immediately a success.

‘The list’ from Diddy

Not long after the arrest of P. Diddy in September, ‘the list’ emerged. A list of celebs linked to the rapper who were said to have attended his ‘White Parties’. Near the top of the list were Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z. He and Diddy worked closely together, and Beyoncé would certainly have to know what had happened. Her PR team.

chooses to this day to say nothing about the case, but people on the internet are convinced. On almost every post, she receives heaps of criticism, and millions of people have unfollowed her by now. We don't know exactly what Beyoncé thinks about all this, but it has probably cast a dark shadow over her otherwise successful year.

Collaboration with Levis.

Moët Hennessy was not the only partner Beyoncé collaborated with this year. She also teamed up with Levi's. In the REIIMAGINE campaign, she transformed the denim-on-denim look into a feminine perspective. According to the singer, the jeans belong to American country style and to her song 'Levii's Jeans'. The collaboration was, especially for the brand, a great success. But there was also criticism; the timing of the campaign was not ideal. While the rumor mill surrounding Diddy was in overdrive, the launch was seen as a way to divert attention from that. A bitter aftertaste for the collaboration.

Grammys.

Despite all the rumors and criticism, there was still positive news at the end of the year. With 11 nominations, Beyoncé is the big contender for the Grammys to be awarded in February 2025. With this, she has received a total of 99 nominations in her career, making her the most nominated artist ever. During the 2023 show, she was already the artist with the most Grammy Awards won ever, and she can further extend that next year. With all the criticism on her album and her family, this success will be more than welcome.

The accusations against Jay-Z Jay-Z Unfortunately, the year ends for Beyoncé on a negative note. After all the rumors, her husband.