Beyoncé
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Beyoncé. The name carries weight. She's not just a world-renowned artist, a famous wife, and soon-to-be MILF; she's a brand. And her creative crew, Team Beyoncé, is made up of busy foot soldiers that go to war daily to maintain her carefully crafted image. During a recent, expectedly busy week, director Adria Petty joined this frenzied infantry to serve as co-director on Beyoncé's new music video for "Countdown," or as Petty describes it, a "very personal and sexy love song," from the singer's new LP, 4. Ms. Knowles was also shooting other music videos that week so time was limited. But Petty (whose father is the musician Tom Petty) worked with Beyoncé once before on the "Sweet Dreams" video, so she knew the deal. This go-round though, something special popped off. Petty, no stranger to celebrity, saw the 30-year-old entering a "coming-of-age" moment. For the director, a classic film enthusiast, there was no better way to depict Knowles's transitional moment than by paying homage to those that shaped her. So "Countdown" became a prissy pop culture menagerie: in just over four minutes, Beyoncé is Audrey Hepburn and Alex Owens, Diana Ross and Danyale Luna. We let Petty hash out the rest of the details during a chat that touched on Beyoncé's pregnancy, the video's iconography, and why it was not an act of plagiarism.

GQ: Working with Beyoncé, who is always evolving, must be a beautiful challenge.
Adria Petty: I think whenever you work with Beyoncé it's a collaboration. She has a lot of input. And then you have the time constraints that come with working with her that push you into different directions

GQ: There are countless homages to pop culture of the past in this video.
Adria Petty: I think we were playing with Mod, and '60's and '80's iconic stuff that responded to and related to.

When she revealed her pregnancy at the VMA’s, Beyonce made headlines without saying a single word. Now, the pop superstar tells her side of the story, from fashion to music to how she balances work and family. See the photos from the fashion shoot and watch a behind-the-scenes video from the set.

Although the gender of her baby is kept secret, Beyonce Knowles is willing to share her due date. In a recent interview with Australia's Sunday Night, the mom-to-be revealed she's going to give birth to the baby sometime in February 2012.

Beyonce Knowles performs via video link in rehearsals for the 'Michael Forever' concert to remember the late Michael Jackson at The Millenium Stadium on October 8, 2011 in Cardiff, United Kingdom.

Following his debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story taking the top spot on on the Billboard charts last week, it seems like J. Cole is on a straight up winning spree. According to reports on Hot Hip Hop Detroit the King B Beyonce has recruited J. Cole for the remix of the Kanye West produced, Andre 3000 featuring “Party” from the 4 album. Apparently the video was shot on October 7th in Michigan, so hopefully we will hear something soon. Stay locked for more details.

J. Cole is celebrating the good life. On October 5, the rapper was announced as a champion of Billboard Hot 200, thanks to his debut album "Cole World: The Sideline Story". Soon afterwards, he was showered with congratulatory messages and texts from his acquaintances including Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles. In a press release issued on Wednesday, the Jiggaman said of his protege's achievement, "J. Cole's success is testament to amazing artist development and Cole's hard work." The Roc Nation founder added, "I want to congratulate him on a #1 album and more importantly a great body of work." In addition to the press release, the Hov also contacted Cole to personally salute him. "I actually woke up today from the plane ride and had the most texts I've ever had in my life," Cole told radio personality Angie Martinez. "I got the Jay-Z call, got the Mark Pitts congratulations conversation, got the Beyonce congratulations email." In return to those congratulations, Mr. Nice Watch said, "Thank you very much to everybody, to the fans, to all the magazines, blogs, BET, MTV, the label, Roc Nation, Columbia, my management, my DreamVillain team. Number one album in the country, I can't believe it. It doesn't make sense, but it does."

Don't miss SUNDAY NIGHT this Sunday from 6.30pm on Channel 7 to see Molly Meldrum's exclusive interview with Beyoncé. SUNDAY NIGHT will also be featuring the WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVE first look at Beyoncé's new video for Love On Top!

Two of the biggest voices in music are coming together. Mary J. Blige and Beyoncé have recorded a duet for Mary’s 10th studio album. The song, entitled “Loving a Woman,” will appear on My Life II… The Journey Continues (Act I), Rap-Up.com has exclusively learned. The R&B divas have remained fans and friends throughout the years, but this marks their first major collaboration.

Beyoncé's "Countdown" video plays up the singer's theatrical side. It pays homage to iconic films like "West Side Story" and "Funny Face," as well as '60s icons like the Supremes and Audrey Hepburn. The clip, co-directed by Adria Petty, is an eye-catching glimpse at the pop culture moments that reside in the creative conscience of the pop star. While a lot of the video displays the singer's personality and spunk, as well as her ever-expanding baby bump, it's clear that Petty and her team worked hard to make sure they captured the spirit of the milestones they re-created in the video. "I brought Beyoncé a number of references and we picked some out together. Most were German modern-dance references, believe it or not. But it really evolved," she told MTV News, calling it "an evolving, spontaneous process." "The references were then dispersed to her creative team (hair, makeup, wardrobe), and they interpreted them on the set in their own special way. Of course, one of the strongest wardrobe references was Audrey Hepburn in 'Funny Face' when she does the beatnik dance scene. I think a lot grew from there," Petty continued. Shot over the last few months in New York City warehouses, the shoot was all about being able to squeeze in all of her work commitments while also trying to finish the elaborately set video. "The shoot was great. We had a number of brilliant dancers and musicians and a top-notch crew. Beyoncé brings in a number of her own people who are so hardworking. Our video was the fourth they had shot in five days," Petty said. "I love the creative team that works with Beyoncé because they can roll with anything and keep smiling. Everyone was really upbeat and excited because we all love the track and the opportunity to work with Beyoncé so much."

Beatniks, bobby socks and ... Beyoncé? On Thursday night, King B premiered her eagerly anticipated, Adria Petty-directed "Countdown" video, doing a bit of time travel back to the Swinging Sixties. The colorful clip is packed with references and looks — spanning the '60s to the '80s, from vintage Vogue covers to a head-to-toe homage to the Hollywood musical "Funny Face."

The Banana Dance: Josephine Baker was just too hot for these United States, so she took her provocative act to the one place where a black girl in the 1920s could get down without the prude police knocking down your door: Paris. While B isn't topless with a fistful of ripe Chiquita bananas strung around her waist, she does La Baker proud in a series of twirls and booty-popping twists.

"Blow-Up": Influential Italian filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni captured London's Mod scene in this 1966 flick. "Countdown" not only recalls the film's Technicolor glow and quick-cut technique, but B's exaggerated high-fashion poses also feel inspired by the ones depicted in the motion picture.

"Fame": Ragtag bunch of gifteds dance on tables at a New York City performing arts high school in early-80s TV series. Their leader (played by Debbie Allen) kicked off each episode with a pep talk about the high price of fame, but it's the studio and the modern dance duds that come to mind when we watch Petty's 2011 clip.

"Flashdance": Pittsburgh welder/exotic dancer has her heart set on getting into a prestigious ballet company in the 1983 cult classic. King B tugs at the shoulder of her gray sweatshirt, and pop culture welcomes another Jennifer Beals homage into the universe.

Olitunia made a new layout for our lyrics center! I've also added all the missing lyrics. Be sure to check it out!