"Break My Soul" is a song by Beyoncé, released as the lead single from her seventh studio album Renaissance, on June 20, 2022. The song samples Big Freedia's 2014 bounce song "Explode", written by Big Freedia and Adam Pigott, and Robin S.' house song "Show Me Love", written by Allen George and Fred McFarlane.
"Break My Soul" has been described as a dance pop and house track. The song was met with widespread acclaim upon release, with critics praising its production and lyrics and dubbing it the anthem of the Great Resignation. It reached number one in four charts around the world and the top ten in several other countries including the United States and United Kingdom.
On August 3, Beyoncé released an EP of four remixed versions of the track, produced by will.i.am, Terry Hunter, Honey Dijon, and Nita Aviance, respectively.
Background and release[]
In an interview with the British Vogue in June 2022, Beyoncé announced her upcoming seventh studio album Renaissance, the first part of a trilogy series, for release on July 29, and called it "her most ambitious musical project to date". The song title and its release date were revealed through the singer's social media bios on June 20, 2022; no further announcement was made. Several streaming services, including Spotify and Apple Music, immediately confirmed the news.
"Break My Soul" was revealed to be the title of the album's first single, via Beyoncé changing her Instagram bio to "6. BREAK MY SOUL midnight ET". Originally intended to be released at midnight Eastern Time on June 21 to coincide with the 2022 June solstice, the song was released to music streaming service Tidal and YouTube two hours prior, on June 20. "Break My Soul" marks Beyoncé's first single release from a solo studio album in six years.
Robin S. told British TV morning show Good Morning Britain that she only found out that "Show Me Love" had been sampled when her son called her to tell her that she was trending on Twitter. She told the hosts that she was grateful and open to collaborating with Beyoncé in the future. The sampling also led to the singer being inundated with requests from record labels, corporations and other artists to license the song's master recordings for various purposes. Robin S. further praised Beyoncé for acknowledging and appreciating her music, calling it "one of the highest compliments ever". American singer Crystal Waters, who helped make house music mainstream in the 1990s, stated she was "ecstatic" when she heard "Break My Soul", and expressed gratitude for Beyoncé for helping shine a light on underappreciated house singers.
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Lyrics[]
I'm 'bout to explode, take off this load
Bend it, bust it open, won't ya make it go
Yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka
Yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka (Release ya wiggle)
Yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka
Yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka (Release ya wiggle)
La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la, la
You won't break my soul
You won't break my soul
You won't break my soul
You won't break my soul
I'm tellin' everybody
Everybody
Everybody
Everybody
Now, I just fell in love
And I just quit my job
I'm gonna find new drive
Damn, they work me so damn hard
Work by nine
Then off past five
And they work my nerves
That's why I cannot sleep at night
I'm lookin' for motivation
I'm lookin' for a new foundation, yeah
And I'm on that new vibration
I'm buildin' my own foundation, yeah
Hold up, oh, baby, baby
You won't break my soul (Na, na)
You won't break my soul (No-no, na, na)
You won't break my soul (No-no, na, na)
You won't break my soul (Na, na)
I'm tellin' everybody (Na, na)
Everybody
Everybody
Everybody
Release ya anger, release ya mind
Release ya job, release the time
Release ya trade, release the stress
Release the love, forget the rest
I'ma let down my hair 'cause I lost my mind
Bey is back and I'm sleepin' real good at night
The queens in the front and the doms in the back
Ain't takin' no flicks but the whole clique snapped
There's a whole lot of people in the house
Tryin' to smoke with the yak in your mouth
(Good at night) And we back outside
You said you outside, but you ain't that outside
Worldwide hoodie with the mask outside
In case you forgot how we act outside
Got motivation (Motivation)
I done found me a new foundation, yeah (New foundation)
I'm takin' my new salvation (Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, new salvation)
And I'ma build my own foundation, yeah (Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Oh, baby, baby
You won't break my soul (You won't)
You won't break my soul (Break my soul)
You won't break my soul (You won't)
You won't break my soul (Break my soul)
And I'm tellin' everybody (Everybody)
Everybody (Everybody)
Everybody (Everybody)
Everybody, yeah
If you don't seek it, you won't see it
That, we all know (Can't break my soul)
If you don't think it, you won't be it
That love ain't yours (Can't break my soul)
Tryin' to fake it, never makes it
That, we all know (Can't break my soul)
You can have the stress and not take less
I'll justify love
We go 'round in circles, 'round in circles
Searchin' for love ('Round in circles)
We go up and down, lost and found
Searchin' for love
Looking for something that lives inside me
Looking for something that lives inside me
You won't break my soul
You won't break my soul
You won't break my soul
You won't break my soul
I'm tellin' everybody
Tellin' everybody
Everybody
Everybody
You won't break my soul
You won't break my soul, no, no
You won't break my soul
You won't break my soul
And I'm tellin' everybody (Oh yeah, yeah)
Everybody (Oh yeah, yeah)
Everybody
Everybody (Oh yeah, yeah)
I'm takin' my new salvation
And I'ma build my own foundation, yeah
Got motivation (Motivation)
I done found me a new foundation, yeah (New foundation)
I'm takin' my new salvation (New salvation)
And I'ma build my own foundation, yeah (Own foundation)
I'm 'bout to explode, take off this load
Bend it, bust it open, won't ya make it go
Yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka
Yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka (Release ya wiggle)
Yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka
Yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka, yaka-yaka (Release ya wiggle)
Release ya—, release ya—, release ya wiggle
Release ya anger, release ya mind
Release ya job, release the time
Release ya trade, release the stress
Release the love, forget the rest