Pure/Honey Explained

Pure/Honey
Artist:Beyoncé
Album:Renaissance
Studio:The Juicy Juicy, Kings Landing West, and Parkwood West, Los Angeles
Genre:

"Pure/Honey" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé. It is the fifteenth track on her seventh studio album, Renaissance (2022), which was released on July 29, 2022, through Parkwood and Columbia.

Composition

Similar to many songs in Beyoncé's career, the song consists of two parts, "Pure", a "steely and sexy" ballroom track, and "Honey", a "paisley and passionate" disco track.[1] [2]

"Pure" samples "Feels Like" by MikeQ & Kevin Jz Prodigy and "Cunty (Wave Mix)" by Kevin Aviance and features sharp synth-bass-led instrumentation with Beyoncé rapping in the same vein as a ballroom emcee.[3]

"Honey" samples "Miss Honey" by Moi Renee and features Beyoncé singing over a "soulful", funk-influenced brass production, done by Raphael Saadiq. This part of the song was compared to Beyoncé's 2013 track "Blow".[4]

Critical reception

In a ranking made by Billboard, Kyle Denis ranked the song at number six, calling the second half of the song an "overall highlight" in Beyonce's career and praising her versatility of going from "full ball emcee" to a "funky, sultry vocal performance".

Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, a writer at Pitchfork, called the track "stunning", saying it braided together years of ballroom culture.[5] Jordan Danville of The Fader compared the second half of the song's vocal melodies and funkiness to Janet Jackson and Prince respectively.[2] In a review by Rolling Stone, Will Dukes commended the song, deeming it a "vogue-friendly bop" that showcased Beyoncé's vocal abilities that was reminiscent of Etta James and Tina Turner.[6]

Craig Jenkins of Vulture wrote that along with many other songs on the parent album, "Pure/Honey" illustrated Black dance music history, saying it "juxtaposed '80s radio pop, brash beats, braggadocious commentation of ballroom competitions, and rhythmic gymnastics of New York rap".[7]

Use in other media

In 2024 the song was use by Rabanne for fragrance campaing directed by Mert Alas and Manu Cossu, with Gigi Hadid as ambassador.[8] [9] [10] Tamara Santillán of Elle Mexico wrote that the song " seems to be created for the perfume thanks to the verse that goes, “It should cost a billion to look this good.”"[11] Marie Claudel of Harper's Bazaar France wrote that the song rappresent the message of the campaing about "the ultimate anthem of female empowerment and success".[12]

Commercial performance

After the release of Renaissance, "Pure/Honey" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 64 and on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 26.[13]

Personnel and credits

Samples

Recording locations

Personnel

Performers

Musicians

Technical credits

Live performance

Beyoncé first performed "Pure/Honey" in Stockholm, Sweden on the opening night of the Renaissance World Tour.[14] The song takes place in the "Mind Control" act of the tour, following "America Has a Problem". The performance begins with an introduction by Kevin Jz Prodigy, calling Beyoncé the "Mother of the House of Renaissance".[15] During this introduction, a fish-eye lensed selfie camera is brought to Beyoncé, which is then held by her while her and her dancers are voguing. During the "Honey" portion of the performance, Beyoncé includes elements of "Blow".[16]

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Position
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[17] 29
Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Position
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[18] 99

Notes and References

  1. Denis . Kyle . July 29, 2022 . Every Song Ranked on Beyonce's 'Renaissance': Critic's Picks . November 1, 2023 . Billboard . en-US.
  2. Web site: Danville . Jordan . August 1, 2022 . Song You Need: Beyoncé brings us to her ballroom on "PURE/HONEY" . November 1, 2023 . . en.
  3. Web site: Brain . Eric . August 2, 2022 . Dissecting Beyoncé's 'RENAISSANCE' Samples . November 2, 2023 . Hypebeast.
  4. Web site: Morris . Wesley . July 30, 2022 . America Has a Problem and Beyoncé Ain't It . The New York Times. November 2, 2023 . en . On "Pure/Honey" Beyoncé breaks through wall after wall until she gets to the chamber that holds all the cousins of her 2013 sizzler "Blow.".
  5. Web site: Escobedo Shepherd . Julianne . August 1, 2022 . Beyoncé: Renaissance . November 2, 2023 . . en-US.
  6. Dukes . Will . July 29, 2022 . Beyoncé Hits a Seductive Sweet Spot on 'Renaissance' . November 2, 2023 . . en-US.
  7. Web site: Jenkins . Craig . August 1, 2022 . Beyoncé's Sequined Revolution . November 2, 2023 . Vulture . en.
  8. Web site: Longabaugh . Aj . August 26, 2024 . Gigi Hadid is Pure Million Gold for Rabanne . August 27, 2024 . V Magazine.
  9. Web site: Weil . Jennifer . August 26, 2024 . Gigi Hadid gets snap happy for Rabanne's Million Gold for Her: the supermodel appears in the fragrance's campaign set to Beyoncé's "Pure/Honey." . August 27, 2024 . WWD.
  10. Web site: Romagnuolo . Vittoria . August 26, 2024 . Beauty, Gigi Hadid è il nuovo volto di Million Gold For Her di Rabanne . August 27, 2024 . . it.
  11. Web site: Santillán . Tamara . August 26, 2024 . Gigi Hadid es la imagen de Million Gold de Rabanne y baila al ritmo de Beyoncé . August 27, 2024 . . es.
  12. Claudel . Marie . August 26, 2024 . New face : Gigi Hadid devient l'égérie du parfum Million Gold For Her de Rabanne . August 27, 2024 . . fr.
  13. Web site: Zellner . Xander . August 8, 2022 . Beyoncé Sends All 16 Songs From 'Renaissance' Onto Billboard Hot 100 . November 1, 2023 . Billboard.
  14. Web site: Ruggieri . Melissa . May 10, 2023 . Beyoncé Renaissance tour set list: See all the songs on her nearly 3-hour show . November 1, 2023 . . en-US.
  15. Web site: Greenberg . Zoe . July 1, 2023 . The voice of Beyoncé's 'Renaissance Tour' is a Philly legend. Kevin JZ Prodigy told us what it was like to work with the Queen. . November 1, 2023 . . en.
  16. Web site: Calise . Gabrielle . August 17, 2023 . Review: Beyoncé's Tampa concert was a fierce celebration of Black, queer love . November 2, 2023 . . en . There was a sprinkle of "Blow" during "Pure/Honey".
  17. Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2022. Billboard. November 22, 2023.
  18. Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2023. Billboard. November 23, 2023.

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