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Bodyguard (Beyoncé song)

From Wikipedia - Reading time: 9 min

"Bodyguard"
Song by Beyoncé
from the album Cowboy Carter
ReleasedJune 6, 2025
Studio
Genre
Length4:00
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Raphael Saadiq
Lyric video
"Bodyguard" on YouTube

"Bodyguard" is a song by American singer Beyoncé. It is the eighth track on her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter (2024), which was released on March 29, 2024, through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records as an album track. At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, the song was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance, becoming Beyoncé's third nomination in the category.[5]

Composition

[edit]

The line ‘Sometimes I hold you closer just to know you’re real’ is one of my favorite lines I wrote for the whole record. Melody and lyric together can make something feel so much more beautiful. I think that melody, the way she sings it, and the line itself feels cute and intimate. I love that part of the song.

— Ryan Beatty, a co-writer of the song, speaking to Billboard the month after the album's release.[6]

The song was written by Beyoncé herself with Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Shawntoni Ajanae Nichols, Leven Kali, Ryan Beatty and Raphael Saadiq, who also produced the song.[7] Critics described the song as a country pop, with elements form R&B and soft rock,[8][9] with music influence from British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac.[10][11]

Critical reception

[edit]

The song received rave reviews from critics after the album release and was considered one of the best songs of 2024.[12] Michael Cragg of The Guardian defined the song "excellent" witch "unspools like a lost Fleetwood Mac classic, all rippling 70s soft-rock melodies".[13] Chelsey Sanchez of Harper's Bazaar described the song as "a bouncy dance anthem that illustrates her desire to protect and care for her lover".[14]

Dan Rys, ranking the best songs of 2024 for Billboard, wrote that "Bodyguard" is "maybe musically the simplest though also the most engaging" song of the album, in which "Beyoncé's vocals really begin to soar, which elevates the song beyond what it could have been in anyone else’s hands".[15]

Select year-end rankings of Bodyguard
Publication List Rank Ref.
Billboard The 100 Best Songs of 2024
7
[15]
The Independent The 20 Best Songs of 2024
4
[16]
New York Post The 10 Best Songs of 2024
8
[17]

Promo video

[edit]

On November 5, 2024, Beyonce released a video for the song, the first full performance visuals featuring the singer for her music since her release of Black Is King in 2020.[18]

The video, alternately titled "Beywatch", pays homage to actress and model Pamela Anderson, with Beyonce dressed in three costumes worn by Anderson: the first one referencing Anderson's role as C. J. Parker in Baywatch (1992–1997), the second one referencing her role as Barb Wire in Barb Wire (1996), and the third one referencing her outfit at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.[19] The video ends after the second verse, with white text on a black background saying "Happy Beyloween" and encouraging viewers to "Vote", as the video was released on Election Day in the United States.[20]

Anderson told Variety that she had been unaware of Beyoncé's homage prior to its release.[21] In August 2025 on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Anderson told Cohen that she hadn't even known Beyoncé knew who she was.[22]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Upon the album release, the song debuted and peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.[23]

Live Performances

[edit]

Beyoncé performed "Bodyguard" for the first time during the Cowboy Carter Tour. [24]

Accolades

[edit]
Awards and nominations for "Bodyguard"
Organization Year Category Result Ref.
Grammy Awards 2025 Best Pop Solo Performance Nominated [25]
Canadian Country Music Association 2025 Songwriter(s) of the Year Pending [26]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "Bodyguard"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Brazil (Brasil Hot 100)[27] 89
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[28] 40
France (SNEP)[29] 81
Global 200 (Billboard)[30] 19
US Billboard Hot 100[31] 26

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for "Bodyguard"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[32] Gold 20,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Cowboy Carter (Media notes). Beyoncé. Columbia Records, Parkwood Entertainment. 2024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ Petridis, Alexis (March 28, 2024). "Beyoncé: Cowboy Carter review – from hoedown to full-blown genre throwdown". The Guardian. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  3. ^ Lounsbery, Madigan (April 4, 2024). ""COWBOY CARTER" is proof that Beyoncé really can do anything". Cavalier Daily. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  4. ^ Rose, Jordan (March 29, 2024). "7 Things You Need to Know About Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter'". Complex. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  5. ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (8 November 2024). "Grammy Nominations Facts: Female Acts Dominate, Ariana Grande and K-Pop Snubbed, Beyoncé Makes History (Again)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  6. ^ LeDonne, Rob (April 26, 2024). "Ryan Beatty On His Crazy 2024, From Writing With Beyoncé to Touring With Noah Kahan & Maggie Rogers". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  7. ^ Dailey, Hannah (April 2, 2024). "Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' Songwriting Credits: Here's Who Wrote Each Song". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  8. ^ Hopper, Alex (April 1, 2024). "Behind the Meaning of "Bodyguard" by Beyoncé–and the Man Fans Think Inspired It". American Songwriter. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  9. ^ Denis, Kyle (March 29, 2024). "Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter': All 27 Tracks Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  10. ^ Shepherd, Julianne Escobedo (April 1, 2024). "Beyoncé: Cowboy Carter". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  11. ^ Emily, Yahr; Kelly, Chris; Andrews-Dyer, Helena; O’Neill, Shane (March 29, 2024). "10 takeaways from Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter'". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  12. ^ Yvonne, Stacey (April 10, 2024). "'Cowboy Carter' takes us back to reclaim Beyoncé's roots (REVIEW)". Out. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  13. ^ Cragg, Michael (April 6, 2024). "Beyoncé: Cowboy Carter review – takes country music by its plaid collar and sets it on fire". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  14. ^ Sanchez, Chelsey (March 29, 2024). "Beyoncé Shows Off Her Lover-Girl Side on "Bodyguard"". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Staff List: The 100 Best Songs of 2024". Billboard. December 5, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  16. ^ "The 20 best songs of 2024 Ranked". The Independent. November 18, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  17. ^ "The 10 best songs of 2024, from Kendrick Lamar and Chappell Roan to Beyoncé". New York Post. December 20, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  18. ^ Saponara, Michael (November 5, 2024). "Beyoncé Channels Pamela Anderson While Encouraging Fans to Vote in Spicy 'Bodyguard' Video". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  19. ^ Aswad, Jem (November 5, 2024). "Beyonce Channels Pamela Anderson, Urges People to Vote in New 'Bodyguard' Video". Variety. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  20. ^ Guglielmi, Jodi (November 5, 2024). "Beyoncé Channels Pamela Anderson and Encourages People to Vote in 'Bodyguard' Music Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  21. ^ Riley, Jenelle (2024-11-14). "'The Last Showgirl' Star Pamela Anderson on Beyonce's Tribute". Variety. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  22. ^ Bell, Kevin (2025-08-07). "Pamela Anderson was shocked Beyoncé paid homage to her". Hip-Hop Vibe. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  23. ^ Zellner, Xander (April 8, 2024). "Beyoncé Surpasses 100 Career Hot 100 Hits, Thanks to 'Cowboy Carter'". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  24. ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (2025-04-29). "Beyoncé Set List: Every Song Played on 'Cowboy Carter' Tour Opener in Los Angeles County". Variety. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  25. ^ Atkinson, Katie (February 2, 2025). "Here's the 2025 Grammy Awards Winners List (Updating Live)". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  26. ^ "2025 CCMA Awards Nominees Revealed". www.iheartradio.ca.
  27. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Brasil Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  28. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  29. ^ "Top Singles for the week of April 5". SNEP (in French). Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  30. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  31. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  32. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Beyoncé – Bodyguard" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
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