Lemonade was Beyoncé’s 2016 visual album exploring infidelity and healing.
The album was released on April 23, 2016, after an HBO premiere of its accompanying hour-long film. Its songs move through stages such as intuition, denial, anger, apathy, accountability, reform, forgiveness, hope, and redemption. The project blends R&B, pop, rock, soul, hip-hop, country, and blues.
Lemonade drew major attention for its portrayal of betrayal and reconciliation, especially in songs such as “Sorry,” “Hold Up,” and “Formation.” Beyoncé’s husband, Jay-Z, appears in the narrative context, but the album is not a straightforward documentary of their private life. Its themes also encompass Black womanhood, family history, race, and cultural identity.
The visual project features poetry by Warsan Shire and appearances by Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy, her mother Tina Knowles-Lawson, and tennis player Serena Williams. It is sometimes confused with the 2013 self-titled album, which was also released with visual films.