5 storytelling lessons from Beyoncé’s “Black is King”
The music icon released a visual album on Disney+ that has some important takeaways for PR pros and communicators looking to engage in the digital age.
On July 31, Beyoncé—the undisputed queen of visual albums and surprise drops—premiered her newest project “Black is King” on Disney+ to instant acclaim.
“Black is King” is a lush visual album that retells the story of “The Lion King” by weaving together music and visuals that demonstrate and celebrate Black culture and history. The story spans locations, traditions and history to create a universal narrative about finding identity.
This kind of epic storytelling isn’t accidental. What does it take to tell a story with this much aplomb? Here are five lessons we can take away from the spectacular achievement:
1. Tell authentic stories.
In her Instagram post sharing the trailer, Beyoncé says, “I believe that when Black people tell our own stories, we can shift the axis of the world and tell our REAL history of generational wealth and richness of soul that are not told in our history books.” If you want to tell a compelling story, let it be told by the voices of those who have experienced it.
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