Did Beyoncé copy her 'Spirit' music video from SA artist Petite Noir?
It's not the first time Queen B has been called a copycat. Here's a reminder of some of the other plagiarism accusations against the star

Beyoncé’s Spirit music video had social media abuzz last week. Praised for its beautiful visuals, great garments and overall aesthetic, it affirmed what we’ve long known — Beyoncé is a living icon.
The track is off The Lion King: The Gift — the companion album to Disney’s live-action remake of the classic animated film — the singer’s “love letter to Africa”.
However, it seems Queen B may not be able to take all the credit for the video — it looks too similar to South African singer-songwriter Petite Noir’s visual album La Maison Noir: the Gift and the Curse for many people’s liking.
A few more near identical frames that Beyoncé’s team lifted from The Gift and the Curse. The film I worked on with @PETITE_NOIR pic.twitter.com/KqcumIBKZS
— Gabrielle Kannemeyer (@GabbiKannemeyer) July 20, 2019
The ridiculousness of how bluntly @Beyonce chopped @PETITE_NOIR work is beyond my comprehension. Frame for frame ?? pic.twitter.com/nrQqvSNIHQ
— Justice Mukheli (@justice_mukheli) July 20, 2019
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
Are the two videos too similar? Watch them now and decide for yourself.
WATCH | Petite Noir's visual album 'La Maison Noir'
WATCH | Beyonce's 'Spirit' music video
3 OTHER TIMES BEYONCE WAS CALLED A COPYCAT
Spirit isn’t the first time the Queen has been accused of plagiarising other artists’ work. Here are some other instances
1. COUNTDOWN 2011
In October 2011, leading Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker criticised Beyoncé for using her dance moves in her Countdown music video without her permission.
Remember when Beyoncé did a scene-for-scene rip off of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for the Countdown music video? pic.twitter.com/atnDQ0WEEM
— Zaldrīzes buzdari iksos daor (@annihiIation) May 2, 2019
The moves in question were taken from the 1983 dance Rosas Danst Rosas, in which four seated women perform a series of fiercely exaggerated ordinary gestures like fiddling with their hair, twitching and slouching.
2. BILLBOARD AWARDS 2011
In her rendition of Who Run the World (Girls), the singer was accused of copying her dance moves from one of Italian dancer Lorella Cuccarini’s productions. She later admitted Cuccarini had inspired her stellar performance.
"My makeup artist showed me the performance of Lorella Cuccarini a year ago, and it inspired me so much. I then met with the talented people who worked on it. The technology and concept were so genius. She was inspired after discovering Cuccarini's performance online.“ - Beyoncé pic.twitter.com/ckR8iGCDvz
— okladies (@yallflops) May 2, 2019
3. FORMATION, 2016
Currently sitting at over 54 million views on YouTube, Beyoncé’s Formation music video was also the subject of plagiarism claims.
Filmmakers Abteen Bagheri and Chris Black said the singer had used visuals they shot for their documentary That B.E.A.T. for the video without crediting them.
Lots of shots from Beyonce's #formation are taken from @abteen's film: https://t.co/k1pRgip3Y7, without credit. pic.twitter.com/1FwBPsTHig
— dan barker (@danbarker) February 7, 2016
• This article is adapted from one that first appeared on the S Mag section of the SowetanLIVE website. Read the original article here.
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