Beyoncé – Work It Out

“Work It Out by Beyoncé

Beyoncé’s first solo single, Work It Out, was released on June 11, 2002, as part of the soundtrack for the film Austin Powers in Goldmember, in which she played the role of Foxxy Cleopatra. The track was later included on some international editions of her debut album Dangerously in Love (2003). Produced by The Neptunes, the song is built on retro funk grooves with strong 1960s and 1970s influence, signaling a bold stylistic break from Destiny’s Child’s R&B-pop sound.

Her role in Goldmember, the third film in the Austin Powers blockbuster trilogy, introduced playfulness into her star persona. Foxxy Cleopatra was a parody of 1970s Blaxploitation heroines such as Pam Grier’s Foxy Brown and Tamara Dobson’s Cleopatra Jones. To reflect this setting, Beyoncé co-wrote the track with Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of The Neptunes in early 2002, drawing heavily on funk and soul of that era for inspiration [1].

The music video, directed by Matthew Rolston and premiered on MTV on June 17, 2002, reinforced the retro aesthetic. Styled as a mix of a 1970s music show and psychedelic disco visuals, it featured Beyoncé in sparkly “Virgo” jeans, hula-hooping, and performing with a live band in cube-shaped sets. Her mother Tina Knowles-Lawson styled the shoot, while Bob Mackie provided archival costumes once worn by Cher and Tina Turner. Turner was a key reference point, with critics highlighting Beyoncé’s commanding stage presence as reminiscent of a “new-millennium Tina Turner” [1].

Commercially, the single did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 but reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Play chart. Abroad, it reached number seven in the UK, number three in Norway, and broke into the top twenty in Denmark and Australia. Remixes by Rockwilder, Maurice Joshua, and Victor Calderone gave it added traction in clubs.

Critics praised the song’s funk revival and Beyoncé’s performance. Entertainment Weekly gave it an A-, while Vibe and Slant underscored the Tina Turner comparisons. In hindsight, Work It Out is seen as a transitional moment: a song that marked Beyoncé’s leap from Destiny’s Child into solo stardom, tying her image to the lineage of soul and funk icons while paving the way for the breakthrough of Crazy in Love the following year.

References

• Andrew M. Mokoena, “Beyoncé’s Funky Solo Debut,” Billboard, 2022. Accessed Sept. 3, 2025.
• “Work It Out (Beyoncé song),” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_It_Out_(Beyoncé_song). Accessed Sept. 3, 2025.
• “Work It Out,” Beyoncé Fandom Wiki. https://beyonce.fandom.com/wiki/Work_It_Out. Accessed Sept. 3, 2025.music