<p id=”par-1_79″>Beyoncé said the “Single Ladies” music video came out of a point of irritation. When Beyoncé started <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/secret-beyonces-success-involves-more-than-just-talent.html/”>her company, Parkwood Entertainment</a>, she said she prioritized hiring creative, independent people. She wanted people who wouldn’t blindly follow what she said. Still, she also didn’t want people to tell her definitively that she couldn’t do something. Her team told her she shouldn’t do anything in black and white. She pushed back firmly against their advice, resulting in several <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/beyonces-creative-director-shared-rehearses-heels.html/”>iconic creative decisions</a>.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-beyonce-said-pushback-from-her-creative-team-led-to-her-single-ladies-music-video”>Beyoncé said pushback from her creative team led to her ‘Single Ladies’ music video</h2>
<p id=”par-2_29″>When Beyoncé hired people for Parkwood Entertainment, she said she wanted to hire creative visionaries, with <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/beyonce-revealed-women-proud-diva.html/”>a priority on women</a>. She also wanted people who didn’t shut down ideas.</p>
<p id=”par-3_49″>“I wanted collaborators who had not been jaded by the corporate world and wouldn’t be afraid to rock with me when I came up with unconventional ideas, a team that would challenge me but wouldn’t be conditioned to say you’re not supposed to do something,” she told <a target=”_blank” href=”https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a37039502/beyonce-evolution-interview-2021/” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Harper’s Bazaar</a>.</p>
<p id=”par-4_23″>She recalled a time when an agency told her that a survey of her fans showed she shouldn’t use black and white photography.</p>
<p id=”par-5_44″>“I remember being in a meeting discussing analytics, and I was told the research discovered that my fans did not like when my photography was black and white,” she said. “They told me I wouldn’t sell if it wasn’t in color. That was ridiculous.”</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-1″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe loading=”lazy” title=”Beyoncé – Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) (Video Version)” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/4m1EFMoRFvY?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p id=”par-6_38″>She said that hearing this made her feel “pissed.” She didn’t think she should base creative decisions on a survey. This anger ultimately inspired Beyoncé to make the “Single Ladies” music video and more in black and white.</p>
<p id=”par-7_68″>“It triggered me when I was told, ‘These studies show…’ I was so exhausted and annoyed with these formulaic corporate companies that I based my whole next project off of black and white photography, including <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/beyonce-said-iconic-music-video-actually-cheapest.html/”>the videos for ‘Single Ladies’</a> and ‘If I Were a Boy’ and all of the artwork by Peter Lindbergh for <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/beyonce-revealed-killed-sasha-fierce.html/”><em>I Am…Sasha Fierce</em></a>, which ended up being my biggest commercial success to date.”</p>
<p id=”par-8_9″>Beyoncé wanted her decisions to feel human, not corporate.</p>