Beyoncé’s 2016 album centered on themes of infidelity and Black womanhood is Lemonade.
Columbia Records released Lemonade on April 23, 2016, alongside an hour-long film broadcast on HBO. The album is often described as a visual album because its songs were presented with an accompanying film containing poetry, imagery, and narrative chapters.
Lemonade moves through emotional stages including intuition, denial, anger, apathy, accountability, reform, forgiveness, hope, and redemption. Its lyrics and visuals address marital betrayal, family history, race, womanhood, and resilience. Jay-Z appears on “Family Feud,” while Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson, appears in the visual film.
The album received widespread critical acclaim and won the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. It is distinct from Beyoncé’s self-titled 2013 visual album and from Renaissance, her 2022 album inspired strongly by dance and club music.