Heres how it all went down.
The expectations were very high.
It wasnt nearly as relaxed as it was before.
There was a sense that the stakes were raised.
When Michelle came, it was never directly spoken about other than like Destinys Child is a trio.
There are member changes in groups all the time.
For somebody at 19 or 20 years old to hear [such] subtleties is not typical.
Generally most young artists are like, Can I be louder or can I be softer?
J.R. ROTEM (Co-writer, Fancy):Beyonce knows a lot of soul.
Their sensibilities were inspired by tastes that are more sophisticated and by jazz.
They taught me the word krunk.
Beyonce can pick songs.
Its like picking a lock.
For Fancy, it took [only] about 30 or 45 minutes to change the hook.
ROTEM:Back then, I was making beats on one keyboard and one drum machine.
There was a real purity to that song.
WILLIAMS:We were just writing and eating, writing and eating in the studio.
Of course Popeyeswhich gave us life-membership cards during theSurvivorera.
WORKMAN:We had funny things start to happen [at Houstons SugarHill studio, where they recorded].
She accepted it very graciously and we got back to work.
MASERATI:When youre with your best friends, you dont need to say everything.
They can do that in their head with music.
She came out [with short hair], and she didnt care at all.
She was among friends and family.
Buzz for the album began when they released Independent Women, Pt.
CORY ROONEY (Co-writer/producer, Independent Women, Pt.
Within 15 minutes the track was created in my studio on Long Island.
We couldnt email big files of music easily back then.
They went right into the studio and made a demo, which became the final cut.
The shoes on my feet, I bought it/The watch Im wearing, I bought it.
All the things [Beyonce] was saying were really empowering for women at that time.
HOULIHAN:It was just a match made in heaven if you think about the iconicCharlies Angelspose.
The legacy ofSurvivoris sisterhood and empowerment.
It had no lyrics, it was just the track.
Then I talked to Beyonce over the phone and she had the Bootylicious concept in her head.
She knew what she wanted to say.
WORKMAN:When I was cutting Bootylicious, I definitely thought it was going to be a hit.
She and Kelly would tap each other in singing the parts.
Sure enough, it was 50 percent of everything.
We kind of had a pissing match in terms of what the record needed.
WORKMAN:Bootylicious was a real-women, real-bodies throw in thing.
We cut it in one 14-hour day.
I remember telling Mathew we did [it], and the phone was just silent.
Oh, no no no!
I was like, Its going to be fantastic.
Sure enough, it was on the radio within a few months.
I took the original record and changed the arrangement and the production.
Thats what captured Mathew because he knew the original.
FUSARI:We were slated to have Happy Face be the last single.
They didnt want to have that lyrical content out at that time in the world.
HOULIHAN:I rememberSurvivorhaving an anthemic second life [as the nation was] getting past the terrorist attacks.
ROONEY:I always say this is the birth of Beyonce.
She didnt need [the writers] there to hold her hand.
FEIST:Look at where Beyonce ended up.
She is our generations Michael Jackson.
