Beyoncé remastered ‘B’Day’ for a new generation and paid tribute to the Latin legends who came before
Twenty years later, Beyoncé is revisiting the era of Spanish-language remixes and honoring legends like Selena and Celia Cruz along the way.
Last night, Beyoncé took us back to 2006 with the 20th anniversary deluxe edition of her second solo studio album, “B’Day.” In addition to remastering songs from the original the 13- track album, Queen Bey released 8 unheard songs on streaming, including fan favorites like “Creole,” “Lost yo mind,” “Can I Watch You,” and more.
“I wanted the album to be big, percussive, hard, up-tempo, and energized, and it was important to me that we used live instrumentation,” Beyoncé said in a press release. “Hip-hop was taking over at the time, but I was fighting to preserve the bridges, melodies, and harmonies that have always been at the heart of R&B. The goal was to blend those two worlds through the art of sampling. I loved the minimalism of a beautiful vocal arrangement over a simple drum loop or a classic guitar like ‘Irreplaceable’…but only if that 808 was banging underneath.”
In addition to revisiting what fans jokingly call her loudest album, Beyoncé revisited a popular industry trend from the 90s and early 2000s: Spanish remixes of hit songs. When the “Ring The Alarm” singer released the deluxe version of “B’Day,” she had included Spanish remixes of her singing tracks like “Listen,” “Irreplaceable,” and “Beautiful Liar.” And now for the album’s 20th anniversary, Beyoncé intentionally revisited these tracks to include samples from cultural icons like Celia Cruz, Selena Quintanilla, and Julio Voltio, as well as collaborations with modern Hispanic artists like Maluma, an ode to her love and admiration for Hispanic culture.
“Beyoncé has long admired Cruz’s pride in her African culture; her refusal to bend in the wake of racism, colorism and the narrow definition of beauty. In a time when society wanted her to be bitter and broken down, she boldly claimed her Blackness. The sample was the perfect fit for a song that pushes strength and confidence on the dancefloor and in life.” Parkwood Entertainment said of the star’s choice to sample Cruz’s “La Negra Tiene Tumbao” in her new song “Cuerpo Tumbao.”
Similarly, Beyoncé, who grew up hearing Selena’s music on the radio in Texas, honored the late Tejano singer in “Irreemplazable (Como La Flor),” a rare duet featuring Quintanilla’s voice. Beyond the rare features and samples, like many Beyoncé projects, the beauty lies in the details and backstory of the album.
At 24, Beyoncé recorded her sophomore album in two weeks’ time. Describing it as the album that gave her “permission to be free,” the upbeat tempos of “B’Day” produced anthems that empowered women to reclaim their power, embrace their flaws, and voice their frustrations. Additionally, it laid the groundwork for her career as a visual artist in the industry. Shooting the visuals for the project in her family’s hometown New Orleans, “B’Day” was also intended to remind everyone of the beauty of the city that had just been struck by hurricane Katrina.
“The world of B’Day was shaped by bayous, moss-covered trees, swamps, alligators, and iced tea with lemonade. I didn’t fully understand what I was setting up at the time, but in hindsight, it was the precursor to Lemonade,” Beyoncé writes in the exclusive “B’Day” 20 vinyl book reflecting on the album. “More than anything, this album gave me permission to be free […] A woman free to sing, scream, dominate, sweat, kick, smash guitars, cry, experiment, spit her rhymes, and speak her mind.”
And since then, fans have witnessed her unapologetic creative expression. From surprise, industry-altering album releases, to cinematic visual albums to concert experiences that led fashion trends, Beyoncé has been cemented in pop culture as one of the greats while simultaneously honoring the many legends across genres and cultures that came before her.
“B’Day walked, so I can now fly.”
Happy B’Day.