Beyoncé has snagged her first Oscar nomination
It’s only a matter of time before our queen reaches EGOT status.
God and everyone’s favorite, Beyoncé, has finally received her first Academy Award nomination today for Best Original Song for “Be Alive.” The 40-year-old superstar co-wrote “Be Alive” with songwriter Dixon for King Richard, the recent biopic starring Will Smith that focused on the father of Venus and Serena Williams. The song was also Beyoncé’s first new music since she released her 2020 visual album Black Is King to Disney+.
Bey will certainly have some competition in the category. She is up against notorious awards darlings Billie Eilish and Finneas for “No Time To Die,” which won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song earlier this year and was written for the James Bond hit film of the same name. Also up for the award are country star Reba McEntire’s “Somehow You Do” from Four Good Days, pandemic denier Van Morrison’s “Down to Joy” from Belfast, and problematic short king Lin Manuel Miranda’s “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto. Miranda will hold the coveted EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) title if he wins.
“Be Alive” is an anthemic, beat-driven track reminiscent of early solo Beyoncé and also songs from her fan-favorite, critically acclaimed record Lemonade, but it is also carried by the singer’s enduring power vocals that punctuate all of her work. The song discusses themes like sisterhood, family, perseverance, and Black pride with lyrics like, “It feels so good to be alive / Got all my family by my side / Couldn't wipe this black off if I tried / That's why I lift my head with pride.” The song has the standout placement in the film of playing in the end credits, alongside real video footage of the Williams family.
Bey already holds the record for the most Grammy wins of any woman artist, having pushed bluegrass crooner Allison Krauss out of the title when she won her 28th statue at the Recording Academy honors last year for best R&B performance for “Black Parade.” Other pop stars to have taken home the Best Original Song Academy Award in recent years are Elton John for “Rocketman” in 2020 and Lady Gaga for “Shallow” in 2019.
Even though it’s Beyoncé’s first Oscar nomination, it’s not her first foray into film awards. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her 2006 role in Dream Girls. She also had a standout performance (that should have been nominated for something) as Etta James in 2008’s Cadillac Records, and she voiced Nala in the 2019 live-action version of The Lion King, which she also recorded music for. Regardless of the competition, the Bey Hive is ruthless in supporting its queen, and Beyoncé will certainly have hoards of fans rooting for her to take home an Oscar.