Brief analysis on the song

Skin color is a spectrum it’s either you’re light skin or dark skin.  The song opens and closes with Guyanese musician Saint Jhn and little Blue Ivy Carter singing “Brown skin girl / Your skin just like pearls / The best thing in the world / Never trade you for anybody else.” The lyrics encourage young girls to love their skin particularly in a culture that often upholds lighter skin as the standard of beauty. Sung over an African-infused beat, it’s the standout track on the curated soundtrack album, and also the kind of song this young Black girl needed to hear when she was Blue Ivy’s age. To “throw shade” means to criticize someone often in a subtle manner. Rather than take any disrespect, Beyoncé references melanin, a natural pigment that serves as the primary factor in determining human skin color. In addition to protecting skin cells from harmful ultraviolet sun rays, higher levels of melanin in Beyoncé’s eyes also serve as a source of pride counter to any criticism.