A celebrity icon is always judged on everything he or she does, says, or wears.  Whether it be something positive or negative said about them.  Celebrities are always being preyed on by society.  Beyoncé is a celebrity that is talked about by majority of society.  In her music video “Formation” she uses the eyes and ears of society in her favor to get people to watch how powerful formation is.  She displays many different themes by the many different outfits she wears, but particularly when she wears all black.  These outfits can provide the themes of power, sorrow, innocence, and distraught to show the damage caused by Katrina and the government. Throughout the different scenes we as viewers can see how the themes are displayed.

This music video is one that can be very powerful.  At first glance it seems to be a lot to take in but once seen multiply times things begin click and make since.  The themes are not displayed on a sliver plater.  They are hidden throughout the music video.  This video can signify many different powerful things such as Katrina and “black lives matter”.  Beyoncé uses this video to channel both of those things.  She wants us to know that the government did not help New Orleans during Katrina as much as they should have.  Also she wants us to know that everyone matters in this world that we live in.  In some of the scenes pain is being shown and it hits hard with some viewers.  Like when Beyoncé is laying down on top of a New Orleans police car that is sinking in water from Katrina or when the little kid is dancing in front of a whole row of police officers that are fully geared up.  We as Americans can relate to these scenes because these things have been seen in our country, and have struck us with pain and heavy hearts. 

Beyoncé is a women of power.  No one could ever take that power away from her. Beyoncé has in the spotlight for many years and she knows how to use the spotlight to her advantage.  That does not mean she is perfect or does not make mistakes. She has just learned from her years of experiences.  During her music video Formation, Beyoncé is seen in an all-black outfit multiply times.  I think that one of the themes is displayed through the all black outfit.  Since Beyoncé sits on this throne of celebrity icons, she can wear black and distinguish it with power.  To me Beyoncé is on cloud nine and on a whole another level from everyone else. So this all-black outfit she wears in formation shows her power to the people.  She is fighting for what she believes in and will not let anyone take her down for it.  

I do not only think that the black outfit only represents power.  I also think that Beyoncé is wearing all-black because she is mourning from what happened to New Orleans from Katrina. New Orleans was hit by Katrina pretty hard.  Loved ones were lost, memories were taken, and homes were destroyed.  To me Beyoncé is wearing this black outfit to show us that she is sorry for all of the people who were affected.  Her heart goes out to all of New Orleans.  She herself feels the pain of those who were affected even though she was not effected personally.  There are scenes in the video that show the damage that Katrina left is devastating to look at and remember.  Right in the beginning of the video we see a home that is almost fully submerged under water due to Katrina.  That was someone’s home who has nowhere to go anymore.  I think Beyoncé wants us to understand the pain that these people who were effected.

The color white signifies purity and innocence.  Being true to your beliefs and faith, and not being guilty of anything are things that Beyoncé shows when she is seen in a white 1920s style dress. During this scene Beyoncé is sitting down in a living room that comes from and old house.  This dress is not something that is worn on a day to day life by anyone. You can tell by the decorations displayed in the room.  She is sitting a little stool that pushes her knees up and back up straight.  Also the lamp is an oil lamp, that is placed behind her.  The pictures that appear on the wall are black and white.  I believe that Beyoncé is showing us that before Katrina hit New Orleans the city was innocence and old fashioned in its ways.  Nothing that the city had done made it deserve to get hit so hard by Katrina. 

During Katrina the Federal government did not help New Orleans as much as you would have they would.  In the video in a scene you see Beyoncé laying on top of a New Orleans police car in a stripped long red dress.  In this I think she wants us a views to know along with New Orleans the local government sank.  There was so much they could do and they just could not do it all.  The dress that Beyoncé wears is showing those who are not as fortunate as others.  In others words someone who is poor.  Not everyone was lucky enough to have the resources to get out.  Just as the local government could only do so much to help those before it could not help anyone anymore. With this disaster the Federal government should have stepped up to the plate and helped New Orleans. I think Beyoncé is showing hatred toward the Federal government in this picture/scene.

This music video “Formation” has a lot of different themes and lessons that we all should take from watching it.  Beyoncé did not just put everything in the video just because she liked it.  Every different scene or picture had a purpose in showing the viewers the themes.  Beyoncé has so much power she used it when making this video because she knew that all of her fans would watch it.  Her outfits make a big difference in this video because they show the different emotions and themes of Beyoncé. 