Beyoncé wasn't kidding when she sang: "OK ladies, now let's get in formation."
The singer has quietly formed a formidable roster of emerging female talent to her record label, Parkwood Entertainment, as revealed in her recent ELLE magazine cover interview. As well as a multi-page spread on the star, the magazine also introduced to the world the three artists Beyoncé has recently been mentoring: YouTube duo Chloe x Halle, singer Sophie Beem and rapper Ingrid.
With the public introduction of her musical protégés, and the launch of her own sportswear brand Ivy Park, it seems 2016 is the year the "Formation" singer segues into an entrepreneurial force all on her own—just like husband Jay Z, whose business endeavors include nightclubs, bespoke alcohol and, of course, TIDAL.
In her ELLE interview—the star's first big sitdown with a publication in three years—Beyoncé spoke of feminism, saying: "If a man can do it, a woman should be able to. It's that simple. If your son can do it, your daughter should be able to."
Of course, the singer has a long history of embracing her status as a figure of empowerment for women, from Destiny's Child song "Independent Woman," to the word "feminist" in block capitals appearing behind her onstage and having an all-female band on her tours.
An all-female roster of artists on her record label seems like a logical next step.
"She's using the power and position she has to good effect. Creating a record label for women is really fantastic," Sam Smethers, chief executive of women's rights group Fawcett Society, tells Newsweek.
Smethers particularly praised Beyoncé for embracing the next generation by signing unknown artists, some of whom are still in their teenage years. "She's strengthening generations who are following her," she said. "That's an important role women should play for each other—across generations it's really valuable.
"She's really living her values and saying, 'I'm going to do my bit to help the next generation of young women succeed', because she's recognizing the barriers they've got to overcome. That's really significant."
But just who are these anointed ones plucked from obscurity and seemingly destined for success under Beyoncé's tutelage? Newsweek takes a closer look at the acts:
Chloe x Halle
Sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey have been posting covers of hit songs on YouTube for seven years and gained notoriety when they sang Beyoncé's "Pretty Hurts" in 2013. The cover came to Beyoncé's attention and it was posted on her Facebook page in 2014. But Chloe has an earlier link to the singer—she played a younger version of Beyoncé's character Lilly in the 2003 film The Fighting Temptations.
Reports of Chloe x Halle being signed to the "Halo" hitmaker's label began circulating in May 2015, with their deal said to be worth $1.5 million.
And on Tuesday, as the ELLE issue hit newsstands and buzz grew around Beyoncé's label, the duo released the music video for their first official single, "Drop."
Sophie Beem
New Yorker Beem, 16, was apparently signed by Beyoncé in 2015 at the same time as Chloe x Halle. She is a singer-songwriter who had been toiling away in New York's club scene before being noticed, by chance, by Lee Anne Callahan, a former executive at Parkwood Entertainment. Some fans may recognize her from an appearance on reality show The X Factor , on which she auditioned in 2012.
Since being signed by Beyoncé, Beem has begun getting her name out there, collaborating with Fetty Wap on the track "I Got It" and has supported singer Charlie Puth on tour. One gig in March was even attended by her boss—no pressure!
Like Chloe x Halle, Beem debuted a new music video for a song titled "Skyline" in early April, and even released a self-titled EP in March. Listen to some of her tracks on her Soundcloud page.
Ingrid
Rapper Ingrid, 29, grew up "one street over" from Beyoncé in Houston, Texas, she told ELLE . In fact, her mother is good friends with Tina Knowles, Beyoncé's costume designer mom. "Our relationship is very personal but I never expected anything from it," she added to the magazine.
Moving to New York to try and make it as an artist in her own right, Ingrid was surprised when she was asked by Beyoncé to join her in the Hamptons in 2013 to work on her multi-platinum selling album BEYONCÈ . She told FADER magazine in 2015 that her influence can be heard on buzz track "Bow Down" and album track "Flawless."
That collaboration led to Ingrid being signed by Parkwood and she is currently putting together her own album, which will have a similar Southern hip-hop sound to the tracks she made with Beyoncé.
Listen to one of her tracks, "Double Pedigree," below:
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