“Yes, and?” attempts to marry the two sides of her music, providing a retrospective musical canvas that embellishes with her responses to those who gossip about his appearance and her latest relationship with her “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater. While its essence is unmistakably rooted in “Vogue,” the song takes some turns: A soaring vocal sample makes the song feel busy, and Grande, a talented singer, can’t resist the urge to fill its empty spaces with high-pitched trills. . and flowery careers. As she approaches the final chorus, she sings the song's title line as if she were the world's most effusive improvisation enthusiast.
Paying homage to an iconic song is risky business (just ask the many stars who have interpolated or sampled recent hits, only to look like craven imitators) and “Vogue,” in particular, is a masterpiece of elegance and restraint. Unlike many Madonna singles, “Vogue” is a remarkably selfless effort; was inspired by the bold and creative queer pioneers of New York ballroom culture and pays homage to the scene without claiming it or taking on its struggles.
While Madonna's song is magnanimous and universal, Grande's is primarily internal and specific. It turns the original's temptation to get lost on the dance floor into a thoroughly modern pop theme: ditch the haters. And by slipping between lyrics about self-affirmation (“I don't care what you think anymore”) and queer self-determination (“Boy, come on, put on lipstick”), she inadvertently falls into a trap: combining A billionaire pop star has problems with the struggles of a repressed and persecuted community.
Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul — The Queens Remix” fuses “Vogue” with her own song of defiant joy from “Renaissance,” an album that celebrates and highlights Black dance music with roots in the queer underground. The remix corrects Madonna's ultra-white name while acknowledging the pop star's role in integrating vogueing, lounge culture, and queer art. (Erykah Badu, Missy Elliott and Grace Jones are among the names replacing Madonna's list of movie stars.) As with “Vogue,” “Break My Soul — The Queens Remix” is a generous gesture downplayed by a dazzlingly powerful star. power for a few minutes, in an effort to share the light with her predecessors who helped pave her path.
Like “Vogue”, “Yes, so?” It came along with a tsunami of sensational headlines about a controversial on-set romance. But Madonna, unlike Grande, rarely uses her success to challenge her public narrative. Grande’s song vacillates between “Vogue”-esque inspiration in its chorus (“If you find yourself in a dark situation/Just turn on your light”) and pettiness in its bridge (“Why do you care so much who I ride? ” he sings, with a strategic pause), making both modes seem half-hearted. By drawing attention to her difficult months, she avoids a golden rule that kept Madonna on top even when she was most criticized: never apologize, never explain, and let the music speak for itself.
This article is supported by Critical Minded, an initiative to invest in the work of cultural critics from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
