Beyoncé
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NYLON talked to ten artists, designers, and photographers responsible for some of the year’s best album covers to learn how Beyoncé’s mirror-covered Renaissance horse came together, Steve Lacy’s delightfully weird collage for Gemini Rights was assembled, beabadoobee’s whimsical Beatopia was conceived, and more.

Beyonce’s Renaissance horse by set designer Nicholas des Dardins

How did you get involved with Beyoncé's Renaissance?
Not the most exciting story, but producers reached out to me based on previous work of mine. Not entirely sure what previous stuff of mine got me the gig.

How did you conceptualize covering the horse with disco balls?
The horse came about working with her and her creative team. Originally we were going to do a giant 8-inch disco ball that was already in production when we shifted ideas. The job from the start was under an immense time crunch, so for a while I was hesitant about the horse. Install was Monday after Easter weekend and the concept came about on Thursday night. We negotiated down to just doing a saddle covered in disco ball mirrors, but me and my studio manager knew it would be so worth it if we could pull it off, so we scoured the greater Los Angeles area for an available life-size horse. We waited until we knew it was possible to pull it off before we let her and her team know that we were going to deliver the full horse that inevitably became the cover.

What was the biggest challenge you faced bringing the horse to life?
Time. We had very little. Thankfully, we discovered a secret source for old fiberglass horses, as many of the current manufacturers had months-long wait periods. We found and picked it up that day and immediately started to work on covering it in 1/4" glass mirror pieces. The mirrors were coming in shipments from different vendors to get enough in time. Me and the rest of the team were literally waiting for the mail person and ripping the boxes open and continuing the task as the mirrors trickled in.

Zach Campbell talks about a conversation he had with Beyonce at this year's Wearable Art Gala.

Beyonce paid tribute to the late Irene Cara.

On Saturday, the hippest trip awards show in America—a.k.a. the 2022 Soul Train Awards—took place.

On the winners front, the most awarded recipient of the night went to Beyoncé, who walked away with wins in the categories of Song of the Year (“Break My Soul”), Album of the Year (Renaissance), and Best Collaboration (“Make Me Say It Again, Girl” Ronald Isley & the Isley Brothers feat. Beyoncé).

Congratulations!

Beyoncé’s Renaissance album, which was released in July by Parkwood/Columbia Records and debuted atop the all-genre Billboard 200, as well as Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top R&B Albums, now arrives on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart at No. 1 (on the list dated Nov. 26). The set’s arrival on the list follows a reevaluation of its album genre chart categorization by Billboard, after Renaissance’s further embrace by the dance community in the months following its release.

Upon its release, the 16-track album launched a quartet of hits on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart (“Break My Soul,” “Pure/Honey,” “Summer Renaissance,” and “Thique”). Since then, the album spawned a new dance hit in its second single, “Cuff It.” The song debuted on the Hot Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart dated Nov. 19 at No. 28, following its explosion as a viral dance phenomenon (termed the “Cuff It” Challenge). The disco-leaning track was co-written by dance icon Nile Rodgers, who also plays bass on it.

Starting in September, “Cuff It” was added to dance-focused playlists across all major streamers, including Amazon, Apple Music and Spotify. Beyond “Cuff It,” further album cuts picked up new dance playlist adds in the months following the album’s release.

The 50th American Music Awards took place on Sunday night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Out of 6 nominations, Beyoncé won in two categories:

Favorite Female R&B Artist
Beyoncé *WINNER
Doja Cat
Muni Long
Summer Walker
SZA

Favorite R&B Album
Beyoncé, “Renaissance” *WINNER
Drake, “Honestly, Nevermind”
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak), “An Evening with Silk Sonic”
Summer Walker, “Still Over It”
The Weeknd, “Dawn FM”

I updated the gallery with older photos of Beyonce in Croatia.

Beyonce was spotted in New York on Thursday.

“Renaissance” is a different kind of accomplishment: a piece of music gargantuan in its carefully crafted density. It already feels timeless. “Most of the writing took place not in a fancy place” — he waves a dismissive hand at the multicolored petit-fours and the bottle of Brut on the table in front of him. While the recording HQ was a house in the Hamptons, The-Dream posted up in a trailer out front. He wanted to be forced to feel hungry. “I need to write like I’m trying to get out of here,” he says. It was that feeling that led to lines like “Now, I just fell in love / And I just quit my job,” on “Break My Soul.” “Now everyone’s saying, ‘Oh, my God, this is crazy, where did this come from?’ It came from us in the dark in a f— trailer.”

During the creative process, The-Dream says, “I don’t have any fear at all. I welcome whatever — I want all the smoke. Bey is unafraid too. That’s my Virgo sister.” Together, they put their heads down and push through songwriting blocks. “I can try it a thousand times,” he says. “I have no ego. The only thing she can do is make me write a part better, make me play a part better.”

While The-Dream was one of her primary co-writers, “Renaissance” was made by a swirling pool of talent, orchestrated by Beyoncé. Everyone from Skrillex to Grace Jones has credits. “We could have easily made it about a money grab and spent the whole time just me and her writing the whole thing,” The-Dream says. But Beyoncé wanted a collective effort. “We haven’t even spoken about it that much, but in our minds — the world was in a space. What better place to gather than here on Beyoncé's album?”

Who Should Be TIME's 2022 Person of the Year? Vote Now

Cast your vote for the person or group who had the greatest influence on 2022—for better or worse.

Check back in December to see who will be named Person of the Year, which is ultimately selected by TIME's editors.

Beyoncé is the top nominee for the 2023 Grammy Awards, which were announced on Tuesday (Nov. 15). Bey received nine nods. This is the sixth time Beyoncé has led (or co-led) the annual Grammy nominations.

This brings Beyoncé’s career total of nominations to 88, which puts her in a tie with her husband Jay-Z for the most Grammy nominations in history. Jay received five nods this year.

Beyoncé moves ahead of Frank Sinatra to become the artist with the most career record of the year nods. Beyoncé and Sinatra had been tied for that record with seven nods each

Beyoncé is the first woman of color to receive four album of the year nominations (as a lead artist). She had been tied with Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and H.E.R. with three nods each in the category.

Here’s the complete list of Beyoncé's nominations:

The 2022 MOBO Awards are soon to be upon us and at long last, we have this year’s full list of nominees.

Beyoncé is nominated for Best International Act. Make sure to vote here.

The MOBO Awards will take place on November 30 at London’s OVO Arena.

Best International Act
Beyoncé
Burna Boy
Chris Brown
Drake
Jack Harlow
Jazmine Sullivan
Kendrick Lamar
Skillibeng
Summer Walker
Tems

Beyonce wrote a foreword to the new Ty Hunter's book "Makeover from Within: Lessons in Hardship, Acceptance, and Self-Discovery". You can read the entire foreword and buy the book on Amazon.

Beyonce posted another round of CUFF IT Picks.

Beyonce paid tribute to the late rapper Takeoff.

Beyoncé shared her family’s Halloween photo on Thursday, which saw them recreating the characters from Disney’s The Proud Family, with Jay-Z and their three kids, 10-year-old Blue Ivy, and five-year-old twins Rumi and Sir joining in the fun as well. Bey posed as Trudy Proud and Suga Mama, donning a green blazer, orange top, and orange pants to complete Trudy’s look. For Suga Mama, the singer wore a grey wig, blue dress, pink coat, pink shoes, and square glasses, nailing the outfit.

“Family every single day and night,” Bey wrote.

Beyonce sent flowers and a thank you note to the "Plastic Off The Sofa" writer Syd:

"Thank you for contributing so much to the film. I’m looking at the footage and you’re inredible.
I’m forever grateful."

The full list of nominations for the 2022 People’s Choice Awards were released last week! Beyonce is nominated in three categories.

Fans can vote 25 times per day in every category at votepca.com. Voting will close on November 9.

The People’s Choice Awards airs live on NBC and E! on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 9 p.m.

The Female Artist of 2022
Beyoncé
Camila Cabello
Doja Cat
Lady Gaga
Lizzo
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Taylor Swift

Last week, Beyonce celebrated her cousin Angie Beyince's birthday.

Beyonce shared more photos from the 2022 Wearable Art Gala.