The arrival of Beyoncs 4 is one of the most anticipated music events of 2011.
The album is the singers first batch of new songs since 2008s double record I AM...SASHA FIERCE. Early reviews of the record have described 4 as a girl-power-filled ode to the power of love: its highs, lows and all the sublime moments in between. One of the songs off the record is a collaboration with Andre 3000 titled Party and produced by Kanye West and Consequence. Another is Countdown, which samples the Boyz II Men tune Uhh Ahh.
Other highlights of 4 are Run the World (Girls) and 1+1, which was performed on the American Idol season finale. Also adding something special is End of Time, which samples late Afrobeat superstar Fela Kuti In an early review on MTV, 4 was described as being all about throwback jams, in the vein of R&B power girls like Mary J. Blige and SWV....
With fewer dance-floor fillers and more swirling ballads, Beyoncs voice is the true star of the album, as evidenced on I Care, a power ballad that recalls slow jams like the ones Phil Collins used to spill his heart on.
Beyonc expressed her belief in the album in a statement issued to MTV after 4 leaked online. My music was leaked and while this is not how I wanted to present my new songs, I appreciate the positive response from my fans, the singer wrote. When I record music I always think about my fans singing every note and dancing to every beat. I make music to make people happy and I appreciate that everyone has been so anxious to hear my new songs.
South African fans of Beyonc are in for a real treat with the release of the Deluxe version of 4. The package features the full 4 album plus a bo- nus disc with six tracks including Schoolin Life, Lay Up Under Me, Dance For You and three superhot remixes of Run The World (Girls) the Kaskade Club Remix, the Red Top Club Remix and the Jochen Simms Club Remix.