TikTok users are having fun with a meme that makes them want to thank Beyoncé – a kind of satirical conspiracy theory that claims the singer has enormous, almost god-like power.

What is the “Thanks, Beyoncé” meme?

Beyoncé is a highly respected and accomplished figure in the music industry and is often mentioned at awards shows.

TikTok users noticed a pattern, pointing out that major artists often mention or thank Beyoncé in acceptance speeches, even for albums created without Beyoncé’s involvement.

TikTokers began copying the trend and making comedy skits about the importance of thanking Beyoncé after almost every occasion; Sneeze or before handing in a task so that no misfortune happens to them.

Some have made memes about the dangers of skipping a Beyoncé song on Spotify.

Artists often thank Beyoncé on stage

In 2017, Adele won album of the year at the Grammys and during her emotional speech, she called Beyoncé a huge inspiration and described her as “the artist of my life.”

Later that night, Adele accidentally broke her Grammy and needed a replacement. Photos of Adele holding the broken award sparked rumors that she intentionally broke her Grammy in half to share with Beyoncé.

The story was a fabrication and was soon debunked, but has now been revived on TikTok (the urban legend was apparently inspired by a similar scene). Medium girl).

Lizzo in 2023 and Jay-Z in 2024 also thanked Beyoncé during their Grammy speeches (though the latter is hardly surprising since Jay-Z is married to Beyoncé).

Even the infamous and highly publicized moment when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech at the 2009 VMAs was cited as an example of Beyoncé’s supposed power, as West said:

“I’ll let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!”

Singers paying tribute to an artist they respect is not unusual, but compilations of the awards show clips lead to speculation that artists “fear” the singer, which morphed into the “Thank You, Beyoncé” meme.

Where does the “Thanks, Beyoncé” meme come from?

The meme appears to have originated from a bizarre mix of conspiracy theories about Beyoncé and Jay-Z, some of which are several years old and have been given new life by the recent allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Like Madonna, Beyoncé has often used religious and historical iconography in her music videos, fueling surreal conspiracy theories that the singer is secretly Italian and communicates through symbolism, a bit like that The da Vinci code (According to conspiracy theorists, stage costume is the preferred communication medium of those in power.)

This mindset was aptly satirized by comedian Nick Mullen, who joked:

“Okay, the plan is ready… there’s only one step left – the clues!”

Therefore, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, the music industry’s power couple, have attracted enough conspiracy theory narratives to inspire “Thanks, Beyoncé,” a conspiracy meme.

It didn’t take long for the meme to escape TikTok.

Even the brands started getting into it.

Ironically, Beyoncé is often portrayed as a divine figure in her music videos, and now her name is invoked like a superstition, as if saying it out loud would bring good luck.

Whatever you do after reading this article, be sure to thank Beyoncé.

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