Beyoncé defends polarizing decision to not release music videos for ‘Renaissance’ and ‘Cowboy Carter’ songs

She’s still the visual.

Beyoncé defended her decision to not release music videos for her “Renaissance” and “Cowboy Carter” songs.

“I thought it was important that during a time where all we see is visuals, that the world can focus on the voice,” she said in her October 2024 GQ cover story published Tuesday.

“The music is so rich in history and instrumentation. It takes months to digest, research and understand. The music needed space to breathe on its own.”

Beyoncé defended her decision not to release music videos for her “Renaissance” and “Cowboy Carter” songs. Bryce Anderson/GQ “I thought it was important that during a time where all we see is visuals, that the world can focus on the voice,” she said in her October 2024 GQ cover story published Tuesday. Bryce Anderson/GQ

The “Crazy In Love” singer, 43, said visuals can sometimes “distract from the quality of the voice and the music.”

She added, “The years of hard work and detail put into an album that takes over four years! The music is enough. The fans from all over the world became the visual. We all got the visual on tour. We then got more visuals from my film.”

Despite not giving fans accompanying music videos for her groundbreaking seventh and eighth studio albums, the projects have still left a lasting impact on music.

The “Crazy In Love” singer said visuals can sometimes “distract from the quality of the voice and the music.” Bryce Anderson/GQ “The music is enough. The fans from all over the world became the visual. We all got the visual on tour. We then got more visuals from my film,” she explained. WireImage for Parkwood Despite not giving fans accompanying music videos for her groundbreaking seventh and eighth studio albums, the projects have still left a lasting impact on music. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

With “Renaissance,” which was released in July 2022, Beyoncé achieved her highest-grossing tour yet with 56 stops in Europe and North America.

When concertgoers inquired about music videos for the dance album with homemade signs, the mom of three simply replied, “You are the visual, baby.”

Following the success of the tour, Beyoncé released the “Renaissance” concert film, which showcased all of the hard work the 32-time Grammy winner had to put into making the performances a reality.

Meanwhile, the “Cuff It” singer has yet to release any visuals for her latest album, “Cowboy Carter,” which was released in March.

With the July 2022 release of “Renaissance,” Beyoncé achieved her highest-grossing tour yet and released a concert film. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. “Cowboy Carter” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top Country Albums, making Beyoncé the first black woman to top that chart since it was founded in 1964. PARKWOOD ENTERTAINMENT LLC.

Instead, Beyoncé has opted to release lyric videos for each song, including her No. 1 single “Texas Hold ‘Em,” on YouTube.

Despite not having music videos, both “Renaissance” and “Cowboy Carter” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The country album, which received zero nominations at the 2024 CMA Awards this week, also debuted at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums, making Beyoncé the first black woman to top the chart since it was founded in 1964.