Over a month has passed since Beyoncé debuted “Break My Soul,” a dance bop that has inspired a bevy of social media reactions, memes and job walkouts, and the first single from her album "Renaissance."
So far, “Break My Soul” has been lauded as a critical success. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 15 and became the first song in 26 years to debut in Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay top 10.
The bounce track’s lyrics were written by Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z. The song also features additional lyrics from gay rapper Big Freedia’s 2014 song “Explode.”
With a sound that draws inspiration from house music (the church music of ballroom culture) and a release date overlapping with Pride Month, Juneteenth and Black Music Month, the song has been embraced as an anthem for the Black LGBTQ community.
The song has also become a talking point for those plagued by work burnout and galvanized by concepts of the "great resignation," the economic trend that has seen employees leave their jobs.
Departing from the ‘grind ’til I own it’ mentality she once promoted in her 2016 song “Formation,” Beyoncé's latest hit calls on her trove of fans to demand better for themselves.
In the song Beyoncé sings, “And I just quit my job/I’m gonna find new drive/ Damn, they work me so damn hard/ Work by nine, then off past five.”
Big Freedia chimes in with the chant, “Release ya anger, release ya mind / Release ya job / Release the time.”
It’s these lyrics that sparked fans to jump on social media and express how, for them, “Break My Soul” served as a call to action.
“Beyonce ‘quit your job,” another user quipped with a video. “Me in HR this morning:”
“An hour into the work day, and I see why Beyonce told me to quit my job,” one user shared in a post on Twitter.
“Is she telling us to quit our jobs??,” another fan tweeted. “Because I will, Beyoncé, I will!”
Former first lady Michelle Obama tweeted after the song came out, “‘Break My Soul’ is the song we all need right now, and I can’t help but dance and sing along while listening to it. Can’t wait for the album!”
Before the song was released, in 2021, Beyoncé spoke with Harper’s Bazaar in an interview about the inspiration for songs on the upcoming album.
“With all the isolation and injustice over the past year, I think we are all ready to escape, travel, love, and laugh again,” she explained. “I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible.”
You can catch up on the song that has fans vowing to quit their jobs below, and check out the other 16 songs from Beyoncé's next album.
"Break My Soul"— the full lyrics
I’m ‘bout to explode, take off this load
Spin it, bust it open, won’t ya make it go (come on)
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka (release ya wiggle)
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka (release ya wiggle)
Ahh (release ya anger)
La-la-la-la (release ya anger)
La-la-la-la (release ya mind)
La-la-la-la (release ya job)
La-la-la (release the time)
La-la-la-la (release ya trade)
La-la-la-la (release the stress)
La-la (release the love, forget the rest)
You won’t break my soul
You won’t break my soul
You won’t break my soul
You won’t break my soul
I’m tellin’ everybody (ohh, let’s go, let’s go)
Everybody (ohh, let’s go, let’s go)
Everybody
Everybody
Now, I just fell in love
And I just quit my job (oh)
I’m gonna find new drive
Damn, they work me so damn hard (oh)
Work by nine, then off past five
And they work my nerves
That’s why I cannot sleep at night
I’m lookin’ for motivation
I’m lookin’ for a new foundation, yeah
And I’m on that new vibration
I’m buildin’ my own foundation, yeah
Hold up, oh, baby, baby
You won’t break my soul (na, na)
You won’t break my soul (no-no, na, na)
You won’t break my soul (no-no, na, na)
You won’t break my soul (na, na)
I’m tellin’ everybody, na, na
Everybody
Everybody
Everybody
Release ya anger, release ya mind (ohh, let’s go, let’s go)
Release ya job, release the time (let’s go, let’s go, let’s go)
Release ya trade, release the stress (ohh, let’s go, let’s go)
Release the love, forget the rest (ohh, let’s go, let’s go)
I’ma let down my hair ‘cause I lost my mind
Bey is back and I’m sleepin’ real good at night
The queens in the front and the Doms in the back (ohh, let’s go, let’s go)
Ain’t takin’ no flicks but the whole clique snapped (ohh, let’s-)
There’s a whole lot of people in the house
Tryna smoke with the yak in your mouth
(Good at night) and we back outside
You said you outside, but you ain’t that outside
Worldwide hoodie with the mask outside
In case you forgot how we act outside
Got motivation (motivation)
I done found me a new foundation, yeah (new foundation)
I’m takin’ my new salvation (oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, new salvation)
And I’ma build my own foundation, yeah (oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah) oh, baby, baby
You won’t break my soul (you won’t)
You won’t break my soul (break my soul)
You won’t break my soul (you won’t)
You won’t break my soul (break my soul)
And I’m tellin’ everybody (everybody)
Everybody (everybody)
Everybody (everybody)
Everybody, yeah
If you don’t seek it, you won’t see it
That we all know (can’t break my soul)
If you don’t think it, you won’t be it
That love ain’t yours (can’t break my soul)
Tryna fake it never makes it
That we all know (can’t break my soul)
You can have the stress and not take less
I’ll justify love
We go ‘round in circles, ‘round in circles
Searchin’ for love (‘round in circles)
We go up and down, lost and found (‘round in circles)
Searchin’ for love (yeah, yeah)
Looking for something that lives inside me
Looking for something that lives inside me
You won’t break my soul
You won’t break my soul
You won’t break my soul
You won’t break my soul
I’m tellin’ everybody (let’s go, let’s go, let’s go)
Tellin’ everybody
Everybody (ohh, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go)
Everybody
You won’t break my soul
You won’t break my soul, no, no
You won’t break my soul
You won’t break my soul
And I’m tellin’ everybody (motivation, oh, yeah, yeah)
Everybody (oh, yeah, yeah)
Everybody (I done found me a new foundation, yeah)
Everybody (oh yeah, yeah)
I’m takin’ my new salvation (hey, yeah-yeah)
And I’ma build my own foundation, yeah (yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah, yeah)
Got motivation (motivation)
I done found me a new foundation, yeah (new foundation)
I’m takin’ my new salvation (new salvation)
And I’ma build my own foundation, yeah (own foundation)
I’m ‘bout to explode, take off this load
Spin it, bust it open, won’t ya make it go (come on)
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka (release ya wiggle)
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka
Yaka, yaka, yaka, yaka (release ya wiggle)
Release ya wiggle
Release ya wiggle
Release ya anger, release ya mind (ohh, let’s go)
Release ya job, release the time (let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go)
Release ya trade, release the stress (ohh, let’s go, let’s go)
Release the love, forget the rest (ohh, let’s go, let’s-)