South African Twitter users were quick to point out that Grammy award-winning artist Beyoncé is “channelling” the late South African pop star Brenda Fassie on the cover of her new single, Break My Soul.
Beyoncé dropped her new single, Break My Soul, on Tuesday 21 June from her upcoming studio album, Renaissance.
IS BEYONCE CHANNELLING BRENDA FASSIE?
On the single’s cover, Beyoncé stands behind a window with some burglar bars. She can be seen wearing a black dress and gloves with her right hand stretched to the side. She is wearing a headdress (inkehli) with polka dots.
Brenda Fassie also appeared on one of her covers in similar fashion behind burglar bars, wearing a black dress with her hand stretched out and polka dot headdress.
DID BEY PLAGIARISE?
Some tweeps went as far as comparing Beyoncé’s Break My Soul to Brenda’s Ngiyakusaba from her I Am not A Bad Girl album saying the two songs sound familiar. However it is MaBrr who actually sampled Got A Love For You by Jomanda for her song Ngiyakusaba.
In 2019, Beyoncé was accused of plagiarism after she released the music video for her single Spirit which was said to be similar to another music video shot in the Namib desert.
According to Mail & Guardian, Spirit allegedly borrows its visual cues from La Maison Noir: The Gift and The Curse, an 18-minute visual album accompanying Petite Noir’s eponymous 2018 EP.
WHO WAS MABRR?
-Brenda Nokuzola Fassie was born in 1964 in Langa, Cape Town
-MaBrrr as her fans called her was well known for her hits such as Weekend Special, Vulindlela, and My Black President.
-She worked with well known music producer, Sello “Chicco” Twala who produced most of ther albums.
-She toured the world and in 2001, Time magazine featured a three page special on her , calling her “The Madonna of the Townships”.
-She passed away in 2004 when she was 39-years-old due to cardiac arrest.
Source Link Did Beyoncé ‘steal’ Brenda Fassie’s look on ‘Break My Soul’ cover?
