Brown Skin Girl

"Brown Skin Girl" (stylized in uppercase) is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, Guyanese singer Saint Jhn and Nigerian singer Wizkid, featuring Blue Ivy Carter from the 2019 album The Lion King: The Gift.[1][2] The song was sent to Top 40/Rhythmic radio on July 23, 2019 as the second single from the soundtrack.[3][4] Billboard magazine ranked "Brown Skin Girl" as the 68th best song of 2019, saying the song "bolsters Beyoncé's crusade for cultural pride and female empowerment".[5] The song was the most streamed female song of 2019 on Apple Music in Sub-Saharan Africa.[6]

"Brown Skin Girl"
Single by Beyoncé, Saint Jhn and Wizkid featuring Blue Ivy Carter
from the album The Lion King: The Gift
ReleasedJuly 23, 2019 (2019-07-23)
Format
Genre
Length4:08
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Beyoncé
  • P2J
Beyoncé singles chronology
"Spirit"
(2019)		 "Brown Skin Girl"
(2019)		 "Savage (Remix)"
(2020)
Saint Jhn singles chronology
"Trap"
(2019)		 "Brown Skin Girl"
(2019)		 "Anything Can Happen"
(2019)
Wizkid singles chronology
"Money (Remix)"
(2019)		 "Brown Skin Girl"
(2019)		 "Dis Love"
(2019)
Blue Ivy Carter singles chronology
"Brown Skin Girl"
(2019)

Background

The song marks the second collaboration between Beyoncé and her daughter Blue Ivy Carter, following "Blue", a song from Beyoncé's 2013 album Beyoncé. Carter is also credited as a songwriter and contributed vocals.[7] The song caused the #BrownSkinGirlChallenge to go viral upon release.[8][9]

Composition and lyrics

The song contains "spare, syncopated African rhythms", while its lyrics deal with "colorism faced by darker-complexioned women": "Brown skin girl / ya skin just like pearls / Your back against the world".[5] Billboard magazine called the lyrics "compelling", noting how the song shout-outs pioneering brown girls such as Naomi Campbell, Lupita Nyong'o, and Beyoncé’s former Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland.[5]

Critical reception

In a positive review, Imani Bashir of Teen Vogue described the song as a "celebration of dark-skinned women".[10] Amanda Mitchell at The Oprah Magazine complimented the song for being "unapologetically and fearlessly Black".[7] Time magazine praised Blue Ivy Carter's appearance, calling it a "gracious cameo".[11] Ellise Shafer of Billboard noted that she added a "sentimental tone to the track".[8] Alexis Petridis writing for The Guardian pinpointed "Brown Skin Girl" as one of the album highlights, describing it as "brilliant".[12]

Lupita Nyong'o also reacted by posting a video of herself on Friday, July 19, 2019 via Instagram, singing and dancing along to "Brown Skin Girl", in which her name was specifically applauded by Beyoncé.

At the 2019 Soul Train Music Awards, "Brown Skin Girl" won the Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award and was also nominated for Best Collaboration.[13]

Cover versions

In September 2019, Stormzy covered "Brown Skin Girl" for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge.[14] The song was also covered by Kanye West and Sunday Service Choir in December 2019.[15]

Charts
Chart (2019) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] 60
Ireland (IRMA)[17] 50
Lithuania (AGATA)[18] 67
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 82
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[20] 6
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[21] 6
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[22] 42
US Billboard Hot 100[23] 76
US Rolling Stone Top 100[24] 32

Release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States July 23, 2019 Rhythmic contemporary
[4]

References
  1. "The Lion King: The Gift / Beyoncé". Tidal. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  2. "The Lion King: The Gift / Beyoncé". 8o8wave. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  3. "Beyonce's 'Brown Skin Girl (ft. Wizkid)' To Receive Single Treatment". That Grape Juice. July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  4. "Top 40/R Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  5. Billboard Staff (December 11, 2019). "The 100 Best Songs of 2019: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  6. https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/top-songs-of-2019-sub-saharan-africa/pl.331cfc7a801a48fea654bf2c5377da52
  7. Mitchell, Amanda (July 23, 2019). "The Lyrics of Beyoncé's "Brown Skin Girl" Are A Love Letter To Black Women". The Oprah Magazine. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  8. Shafer, Ellise (July 22, 2019). "Beyoncé & Blue Ivy Spark #BrownSkinGirlChallenge With 'Lion King'-Inspired Song". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  9. Richards, Kimberley (July 23, 2019). "Beyoncé's New Song Inspires Celebratory #BrownSkinGirlChallenge On Twitter". Time. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  10. Bashir, Imani (July 23, 2019). "Beyoncé's "Brown Skin Girl" Is Not for Every Brown-Skinned Girl". Teen Vogue. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  11. Lang, Cady (July 22, 2019). "Blue Ivy Paved the Way for the Joyful Challenge Taking the Internet By Storm". Time. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  12. Petridis, Alexis (July 19, 2019). "Beyoncé: The Lion King: The Gift review – superstar shows impeccable taste". The Guardian. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  13. Respers France, Lisa (November 18, 2019). "2019 BET Soul Train Awards: The winners list". CNN. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  14. "Watch Stormzy cover Beyoncé's "Brown Skin Girl"". The FADER. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  15. "#SundayService: Watch Kanye West's Gospel Cover of Davido's "IF" and Beyonce's Brown Skin Girl"". Temydee.com. 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  16. "Beyonce Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  17. "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  18. "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. July 26, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  19. "Dutchcharts.nl – Beyoncé, Saint Jhn & Wizkid feat. Blue Ivy Carter – Brown Skin Girl" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  20. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  21. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 30". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  23. "Beyonce Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  24. "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
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