Beyoncé has released a deluxe edition of her sophomore album, “B’Day”, to mark its 20th anniversary, adding remastered recordings, Spanish-language versions, rare material and previously unheard songs.
Originally released on September 4, 2006, the expanded edition arrives with 31 tracks, including new collaborations with Colombian singer Maluma and the late Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla.
The anniversary release also features “Can I Watch You”, produced by Beyoncé and Pharrell, alongside “Morning Dew (Donk),” “My First Time,” “Lost Yo Mind,” “Creole” and “Back Up.”
Among the new Spanish-language recordings is “Cuerpo (Tumbao) (Get Me Bodied)” featuring Maluma. The track samples Celia Cruz’s “La Negra Tiene Tumbao” and marks Beyoncé’s first collaboration with the Colombian artist.
The album also includes “Irreemplazable (Como La Flor)” featuring previously released vocals by Selena Quintanilla. According to the release notes, Selena’s estate approved the duet.
Beyoncé has previously spoken about Selena’s influence on her Spanish-language music, recalling listening to the late singer’s music while growing up in Houston, Texas.
The reissue also contains Spanish versions of “Listen,” “Beautiful Liar,” “Irreplaceable” and “Get Me Bodied”, as well as the previously released “Amor Gitano” with Alejandro Fernández.
Reflecting on the album’s creation, Beyoncé said she wanted “B’Day” to have a strong rhythmic sound while retaining the musical elements associated with R&B.
“I wanted the album to be big, percussive, hard, up-tempo, and energized, and it was important to me that we used live instrumentation,” she said.
“Hip-hop was taking over at the time, but I was fighting to preserve the bridges, melodies, and harmonies that have always been at the heart of R&B.”
She added that she aimed to combine hip-hop and R&B through sampling, pointing to “Irreplaceable” as an example of the approach.
Alongside the remastered music, Beyoncé has also updated the album’s visual material, with the videos recoloured and finished in 4K.
A revamped version of the “Déjà Vu” video, featuring her husband Jay-Z, has also been released as part of the anniversary project.
Ademide Adebayo
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