To Visualize the Queen Diva!

Abstract

This article discusses the sonic presence and visual absence of legendary gender-nonconforming New Orleans–based bounce music artist Big Freedia in Beyoncé's music video “Formation.” “Formation” was released in February 2016 as the first piece of Beyoncé's visual album Lemonade. In this analysis the author considers the implications of Big Freedia's visual absence in the video as well as the black feminist potential of Big Freedia's vocal presence in “Formation.”