MTV and BET to Unveil the Musical and Artistic Journey to Beyonce's New Album, '4,' 6/30

"Beyoncé: Year of 4" is the story of Beyoncé's return as an independent woman navigating her company through the rough waters of the music industry, making a personal album that's unlike anything she's ever done. After the much anticipated "I AM..." tour ends, Beyoncé finds herself in dire need of a break.

Being a workaholic, and wholly dedicated to her career, she never considered taking a year off, but finally listens to her mother's advice and disappears from the public's eye. On her year off, Beyoncé travels the world, spends time with her family and husband, Jay-Z (documented by her with her own camera). She gives herself time to reflect on what she's accomplished and decide what the next chapter of her life will look like. She refuses to let her meteor-like career pass her by and decides to take control of her business, while making an album that is heartfelt and personal.

She returns to the studio where she opens up the range of musical choices and invites artists of all genres and styles to collaborate with her. Drawing from the music she grew up listening to in the 90's, like Michael Jackson, Prince and Boyz ll Men, she creates a sound that is warm and familiar, yet futuristic and experimental. On "4," Beyoncé makes a conscious effort to do something completely different without playing to the mainstream expectations of her... and she succeeds.

Even though she feels completely at home at the studio, the process of taking over her company proves to be harder than expected. Having her father by her side all those years, Beyoncé is - for the first time in her life - in charge of all aspects of her business.

Beyoncé discovers that her new found independence might be a difficult challenge, but she won't give up because she wants to set an example for women all over the world. Women can be the masters of their own universe.

"4"

Inspired by a variety of music genres she loves, Beyoncé refers to the songs on "4" as her "musical gumbo." The new collection of ballads, mid and up-tempos incorporates live instrumentation, classic songwriting and Beyoncé's undeniable vocal ability. Beyoncé's highly-anticipated and extraordinary new album "4" is set for release today, Tuesday, June 28th.

About Beyoncé

Beyoncé has sold more than 75 million records and is one of the most notable artists in the world, having earned a total of 16 Grammy Awards - 13 as a solo artist and three as a member of Destiny's Child. Beyoncé's fame blossomed in the '90s as lead singer of the group, which became one of the best-selling music ensembles of all time. Later Beyoncé released her debut solo album "Dangerously in Love," which produced the No. 1 hits: "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy," making it one of the most successful albums of 2003. Beyoncé's sophomore album and subsequent third studio release produced the household hits "Irreplaceable," "Beautiful Liar" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." It also earned her a top spot on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2008, "I AM... SASHA FIERCE" earned six Grammy Awards - the most Grammys ever won by a female artist in one night. Beyoncé was honored this May at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards with the Millennium Award.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Palladia, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Shockwave, Neopets,COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, and GameTrailers.

About BET Networks:

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and Production Company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

 

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