One has reigned over world pop for fifteen years, the other has struggled to impose itself. Following in the footsteps of the Beyoncé and Solange Knowles sisters in Houston, their hometown, this documentary paints the cross portrait of two exceptional artists.
Famous, the Knowles sisters embody two models of strong women, even if they display a decidedly different style. One is arguably the biggest pop star of our time, the other places artistic rigor above commercial success. This parallel evolution is not the result of chance. When Beyoncé, born in 1981, was immediately made a star by her parents, Solange, her junior by five years, who claims to be today womanist, an intersectional current close to the Afro-feminist claims of Angela Davis, had to struggle to be encouraged as an artist. In Houston, Texas, the duo grew up between an inspiring mother, Tina, and a father, Mathew Knowles, who was one of the first black men to enter a mixed school in this segregationist South. The patriarch does not lack ambition for his offspring and Beyoncé becomes leader of Destiny’s Child, the group of which he is manager. From the end of the 1990s, this gifted woman began a dazzling career with her glam R’n’B band, before separating in 2006. Propelled, solo, to the top of the world charts, the star, formidable businesswoman and wife by rapper Jay-Z, signs seven studio albums, numerous artistic collaborations and wins thirty-two Grammy Awards. First a dancer for Destiny’s Child then a composer for her sister, Solange, on the other hand, did not come out of the shadows until late. But his third album, A Seat at the Table – the aptly named!, acclaimed by critics, finally brings him at 30 the long-awaited recognition, crowned by a first Grammy.
Rivals and accomplices
To understand their prodigious journey, this documentary follows in the footsteps of the Knowles sisters in Houston, their hometown. Collecting the testimonies of fellow travelers and friends, such as singing teacher David Lee Brewer or pastor Rudy Rasmus, it highlights the many facets of these talented artists with contrasting profiles. An immersion in the life and career of contemporary icons, both rivals and accomplices, who have dominated the music industry for fifteen years.