Energy

Album: Renaissance (2022)
Charted: 27
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, Beyoncé flexes about the big energy she creates when she walks into the room. Jamaican-American singer-rapper Beam contributes the hook around the same theme, giving it a dancehall feel.
  • Beam also lent additional vocals on the Renaissance tracks "Heated" and "Cuff It," but "Energy" is the only song where he's credited as an official featured vocalist.
  • Beyoncé interpolates Teena Marie's 1988 single "Ooo La La La" in the second verse. She used the same interpolation on the previous Renaissance track, "Cuff It."

    At the end, "Energy" also samples the "Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka" from Big Freedia's 2014 song "Explode." It provides a smooth transition to the next track on Renaissance, the Big Freedia-sampling "Break My Soul."
  • "Energy" originally interpolated the "la la la la" refrain from Kelis' 2003 single "Milkshake." Though Kelis co-wrote the song with Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes, Beyoncé only credited Williams and Hugo. Kelis reacted with a fiery Instagram where she criticized both Bey and the Neptunes for not contacting her about the sample. In response, Beyoncé removed the vocal interpolation of "Milkshake" from the song on streaming services.
  • Beyonce and Beam co-wrote "Energy" with The-Dream, Jordan Douglas, Tizita Makuria and the track's producers Skrillex, Al Cres and Nova Wav.

    "Energy" marks Beyoncé's first collaboration with Skrillex. The Los Angeles electronic producer enjoyed success in the early 2010s with his own releases such as "Bangarang" and "Where Are U Now" before producing hits for the likes of Justin Bieber ("Sorry") and The Weeknd ("Wasted Times").

    Songwriter Jordan Douglas is a frequent collaborator with both Skrillex (Skrillex and Justin Bieber's "Don't Go") and Beam (Justin Bieber and Beam's "Freedom").
  • At 1:56, "Energy" is part interlude, part song. It is the shortest track on Renaissance.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Desmond Child

Desmond ChildSongwriter Interviews

One of the most successful songwriters in the business, Desmond co-wrote "Livin' La Vida Loca," "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)" and "Livin' On A Prayer."

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.

Album Cover Inspirations

Album Cover InspirationsSong Writing

Some album art was at least "inspired" by others. A look at some very similar covers.

Tommy James

Tommy JamesSongwriter Interviews

"Mony Mony," "Crimson and Clover," "Draggin' The Line"... the hits kept coming for Tommy James, and in a plot line fit for a movie, his record company was controlled by the mafia.

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.

Graham Parker

Graham ParkerSongwriter Interviews

When Judd Apatow needed under-appreciated rockers for his Knocked Up sequel, he immediately thought of Parker, who just happened to be getting his band The Rumour back together.