Beyonce's New Single May Not Be Her Own

There was a time when a great new group had burst onto the scene. The group was called Destiny's Child. Beyonce was the centre piece of this three piece all female singing group. In the spirit of the times there was no sign of any musicians when they would perform. As has become common with many performers in the music business today, there is no need for musicians or even a band. Typically, what will be done is a group of attractive girls or guys will be put together and they will sing songs collectively. As a group, it is usually difficult to tell how horrible each one is as a singer individually. It is a great marketing ploy.

However, Destiny's Child wasn't like that. These three young girls could really sing. I had the pleasure of hearing them do some accapella renditions of a couple songs that were fantastic. So, here in an ocean of low-grade performers were three incredibly talented young girls. It tends to happen once in a while in the business.

The girls were all pretty young and their egos must have been large because for whatever reason they couldn't hold the group together for very long. It started with them having to replace the third girl a couple of times and then eventually Beyonce decided she wanted to go solo. Unfortunate, but at the same time, they were talented and with the right marketing, could each have relatively successful careers.

As most people know, Beyonce went on to international success as a solo act and has even had a few turns in film. She is attractive, talented, young and has the drive and support to continue her run. Her family happens to manage her career.

One time I was watching an award ceremony. It must have been around January or February, I can't tell you exactly which one it was but what transpired was interesting. Beyonce won an award for something related to her singing. When she went up to accept the award she said "I am really happy to accept this as my first award for this year." I was wondering if I heard her correctly but apparently I did. She did say "my first award for this year." I couldn't help but think that this kid sure is arrogant. As if having a music career should guarantee her a certain number of awards every year. I'm sure all the musicians out there struggling to gain some kind of recognition for their art really appreciated her remarks.

Then I started thinking that perhaps it was something even more diabolical. Perhaps there isn't anything legitimate about the awards shows that we see. In reality, these are all predetermined and are simply part of the PR that these artists put together to boost themselves. It would be understandable. It wouldn't be the first time that I had heard of these kinds of things being more political than anything else. If so, I could forgive Beyonce for giving away the plans for that year. Perhaps she just wasn't thinking. Perhaps she truly believed that going to and accepting awards each year was indeed a part of what you do when your music is selling period.

Then the latest news hits. Beyonce is releasing her newest single 'If I were a boy.' It looks like the song is not even hers. This is disturbing. The song was supposedly recorded by a lesser known artist who is getting ready for her break with RCA. I know that it has been a long time practice for musicians to rip off other acts. There is an entire category of music that exists now based on ripping off, oh sorry I mean 'sampling' other musicians work. What I don't understand is how an artist like Beyonce feels the need to take an entire song from another artist without paying due consideration or worse, make her fans believe it was her own. Funny how in the movie Dreamgirls, she plays a character who exposes her manager/husband for ripping off a song from her friend and former band mate. Life imitates art once again.

Beyonce is a hugely successful recording artist. There is no need to be stealing songs from other recording artists trying to make a name for themselves. Hopefully, it isn't something she has been doing for a while. Hopefully, it isn't something that will continue. Hopefully it isn't something that she believes she is entitled to do as part of being a successful artist. Hopefully, we will get to see her and others like her, perform great original works in the future without the need to steal from other talented people.