BC Jean co-wrote Beyoncé’s 2008 hit song “If I Were a Boy.”
“If I Were a Boy” was written by BC Jean and Toby Gad, who also produced the recording. Beyoncé released it as one of the lead singles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce, in 2008.
The song presents a role-reversal narrative in which the singer imagines how a romantic relationship might change if she occupied the position of a man. Its lyrics contrast emotional neglect with the desire for trust and respect, helping make the track one of the album’s most recognizable ballads.
BC Jean recorded an earlier version before Beyoncé’s release. Beyoncé’s version became a major international hit and reached number one in several countries. It is sometimes mistakenly credited to Ne-Yo because he wrote numerous contemporary R&B hits, but the song’s credited writers are BC Jean and Toby Gad.