
Beyoncé’s song “Formation” which she first performed at the Super Bowl 50 didn’t only make people fall more in love with her but also made a political statement. When the music video was released we saw the references to police brutality, Hurricane Katrina, and what happened after New Orleans. From the opening shot of Beyoncé lounging on a sinking police car, to the graffiti in the background, these themes are continuous throughout the video. Another theme seen is feminism. In today’s society African Americans are given a negative view but even more so women. African American women are looked down upon and classified as dead beat single moms. They are viewed as insignificant and worthless. Beyoncé says something different about African American women. In “Formation” Beyoncé uses the reoccurring theme of being proud of who you are, breaking out of formation set for women, and standing together through the use of visual images. Images in her video of the women dancing and banding together, Beyoncé wearing a variety of outfits that require body confidence, and Beyoncé using her daughter in the video. 

Forty-five seconds into the music video “Formation” by the flawless Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, Beyoncé’s daughter, is shown with two other little girls. All three girls are African American and are all dressed in light pink and they are shaking their hips back and forth. The two girls in the back have their hair done proper while Blue Ivy has her hair in an afro showing her individuality. They look what you would call ‘picture perfect’ except the two girl’s faces in the back don’t look happy. They don’t look happy because they are being forced to conform to society’s view of women, even at their young age. Their faces show us sadness and jealously of Blue Ivy. They have their hair pulled in tight curls and fancy hats. Their dresses cover them fully because that’s how society told black girls they should dress. They got in ‘formation’ with the standards. But then we look at Beyoncé’s daughter who also has a reciprocal gaze but her eyes aren’t sad. She looks happy. She has a dress that looks more comfortable and her hair in a big afro. She is being herself and smiling. Beyoncé is confident in who she is and loves herself and her heritage. She makes it clear in this scene she is proud about her African American heritage and encourages her daughter to feel the same. 

But does this shot really show a difference in the girls? Do the two little girls eyes in the back show us fear? This scene may not be showing us that Beyoncé is encouraging her daughter to stand out and be proud of her heritage but the opposite. Through the use of visual imagery, we see that Blue Ivy is being looked down upon by her peers. If we read closer into this scene we see that Blue Ivy is positioned a step in front of the two other girls. She is dressed differently and her hair is done differently. All three girls have a reciprocal gaze with the audience but their faces all say something different. Blue Ivy does have a seemingly joyful look to her but the other two show judgment. They may be judging Blue Ivy because she isn’t conforming to the world view of women. The two girls may not be jealous of Blue Ivy but opposed to her. Beyoncé may not be conveying the message of standing out, but of the little two girls in the back standing up and obeying what people have told them to do. Nevertheless, this scene is showing Blue Ivy standing out in pride for her African American heritage and Beyoncé is encouraging her daughter to do so. When analyzing this scene further and the scenes that surround it, it makes no sense for Beyoncé to want her daughter to conform. Beyoncé herself is stepping in out in more risky outfits, her hair done the way she likes it, and vulgar dance moves. Siding with my original theory, the little girls in the back are given a reciprocal gaze to show us they are sad and jealous of Blue Ivy that they can’t represent who they truly are. Therefore, this scene reaffirms the theme of being proud of your heritage and stepping out of the formation.

Shortly after a minute into the video we are shown a picture of ten black women sitting in the same position, backs up, hands straight behind, and legs out straight, in the bottom of an empty swimming pool. This is shot from a bird’s eye view, making the women look small, weak, and vulnerable. The women are staying quiet and playing the part of what some man probably told them to do. It is a formation men and police officer’s put black women in and they are literally drowning by trying to conform and obey what people say they should be. Fast forward to 1:25-1:45 seconds and we are brought back to the same scene with the women in the bottom of the pool. This time the women are being shown from further away. The women are all doing the same dance moves until the beat drops and we are faced with a close up of Beyoncé and the ladies break out their own dance moves. This is significant because they aren’t only breaking out of the formation they were put in but they are doing it together. It shows support and unity among the ladies and the black community in fighting the “establishment.” 

Together these two visual scenes prove the theme, breaking out of formation and being proud of who you are. It is proven through Beyoncé’s usage of visual imagery. The gazes, shots, and chorography all add to the bigger picture that without seeing it we may miss. In the lyrics we only understand so much. Example being there are no lyrics that lead us to believe Beyoncé uses her daughter to establish loving yourself or breaking out of formation in unity in the empty pool. Because we got to see this visually everything is tied together. Both of these scenes are representative of how African American females have to go through life and Beyoncé’s is giving these beautiful women advice on how to do that and how to do it together. 

Throughout the music video “Formation” by Beyoncé, we see the reoccurring theme of breaking out of the traditional roles and formation and loving who you are. In our society and era, conforming to what others say about you has become the norm. This results in women not knowing who they are and being self-conscious about themselves. It makes women look in the mirror and find all the flaws instead of finding something beautiful. This video and the two specific scenes above are trying to break this stereotype and find the individual uniqueness in each person. We shouldn’t be arrogant, but should be comfortable have pride in ourselves. Beyoncé uses her popularity, her beauty, and her fame to make a statement in the video Formation.  This statement is both political and social. Blacks should have equality and should recognize and celebrate their beauty.  They should unite to bring impact to this movement and break out of “formation”.  Beyoncé embraces her heritage and uses her strengths as a singer and videographer to align herself with these goals of equality and uniqueness.  