Beyoncé’s ‘Formation’ Video Wins Prestigious Grand Prix Award at the Inaugural Cannes Lions Entertainment for Music Awards

Beyoncé’s Lemonade album has been on the receiving end of many accolades since its release in late April, however it’s ‘Formation’ video has just been awarded one of music’s most prestigious awards! Of 13 other videos, it came out on top in the super competitive Excellence In Music Video category.

Grey Group’s evp-director of music and jury president of Lions Entertainment for Music, Josh Rabinowitz, praised Queen Bey for being so daring considering her celebrity status and for quite frankly, not giving a zamn! “[You have] the biggest artist on the planet taking serious risks,” Rabinowitz said in a press conference. “This is a mainstream pop artist pushing the limits on the way we perceive things of race in culture, and the perception of women in culture.”

Taking a step beyond just pushing limits, Beyoncé has forced a way for uncomfortable topics to be discussed worldwide through a very compelling work of art and that is why Marcie Allen, Music Lions Juror and president and founder of Mac Presents in the U.S., says that ‘Formation’ was selected as the winner. “We didn’t select Beyonce because she’s the biggest star,” she said. “We selected [her] because of the conversation. She could have continued to go along and do ‘all the Single Ladies’ and songs that didn’t really move the needle and the conversation with race. And because of everything going on in America right now, the jury felt it was very important that we take a stand to say that even though something is controversial and uncomfortable to discuss, because of its creativity and the conversation, we picked it.”

Thanks to Beyoncé’s audacity, discussing race relations and real feminism has become mainstream, which is great! For artists who are, perhaps, motivated by prestigious awards such as the Grand Prix, maybe it will challenge them to rebel against authorities in hopes that it will create avenues for change.

Besides, I’m sure Bey sent her thank-you from Hawaii this week!

TSR STAFF: Talia O. @theclosetratchet on Instagram & @tallyohhh on Twitter!
Source: http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7416509/cannes-lions-beyonce-formation-video-grand-prix, http://adage.com/article/special-report-cannes-lions/york-times-beyonce-a-shocking-supermarket-ad-win-entertainment-lions-grand-prix/304689/