Beyoncé didn’t just release a 12-track album; she released an intense and insightful visual masterpiece and biography of her life. “Lemonade” is Beyoncé’s most personal and honest album to date. The powerful images and depictions that go along with each song in the movie album, “Lemonade,” enhance the listener’s experience so much and provoke many different emotions to ensure that one can feel the same way that Beyoncé felt as she wrote the songs.

What’s great about “Lemonade” is that Beyoncé didn’t just put together a bunch of songs with the hope that a few of them would become singles, as many artists do nowadays. Instead, Beyoncé created an album that tells a story. Yes, there are standout songs in “Lemonade,” such as “Hold Up,” “Sorry,” “Formation” and “All Night,” but when you listen to (and watch) the entire album at once, Beyoncé creates a truly magical experience for the listener because each song is packed with emotional and commanding lyrics.

In “Lemonade” each song is a chapter of a part of Beyonce’s life, whether that be about her marriage, or her experience as a black female, Beyoncé shares intimate and meaningful details about her life in each song. She starts the album with “Pray You Catch Me,” a wistful and quiet song with a soft piano arrangement that sets the tone for the first half of the album—hurt and loss. Opening with the words “you can taste the dishonesty, it’s all over your breath as you pass it off so cavalier,” alluding to the alleged affair that her husband Jay-Z has had. As the album progresses, it grows to become more and more intense and powerful, both musically and lyrically. For example in “Sorry,” Beyoncé says “middle fingers up, put them hands high, wave it in his face, tell him boy bye.”

In “Sandcastles” Beyoncé seems to have a shift to a more forgiving and optimistic tone. In the visual aspect, there is footage of Beyoncé and Jay-Z embracing each other, suggesting forgiveness. The remaining four songs of the album portray the much more optimistic and light tone.

Beyoncé seems to wrap-up the album with her 11-track: “All Night.” In this warm love song, Beyoncé’s airy and light voice is highlighted and although it isn’t the last song of “Lemonade,” it is the last song in the visual album and she ends it on a nice, sweet note that leaves the listener with a hint of hope, singing “they say true love’s the greatest weapon to win the war caused by pain.”

This album not only proves that Beyoncé has a stellar voice, but it also proves that Beyoncé can invoke emotional responses to her songs. In “Daddys Lessons” Beyoncé utilizes a more country-folk style when she sings, yet she still highlights her booming vocals, confirming just how talented and versatile Beyoncé’s voice is.

“Lemonade” has standout features by The Weeknd, Jack White, Kendrick Lamar and James Blake, with each singer bringing a different element to the table to create a sound that influences and moves listeners. In the visual album, Beyoncé has cameos by Serena Williams, Zendaya and the most compelling being the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown and Eric Gardner.

Bottom line: “Lemonade” is more than just an album with songs thrown together. “Lemonade” is a story. It tells the story of intimate details from Beyonce’s life and provides influential messages that Beyoncé wants to share with every listener. 5/5 paws