Queen Bey may not have attended Sunday night's Emmys, where she was nominated for Lemonade, but that doesn't mean her absence kept celebs and fans alike from talking about the beloved singer. Typical.
In fact, we can't think of a more appropriate occasion to celebrate Beyoncé's most, well, Beyoncé moments. (That's right. "Beyoncé" is an adjective that signifies "flawless, daring, stunning, surprising and powerful.")
From surprise-releasing her self-titled 2013 album overnight to pairing March'sLemonade with a groundbreaking "visual album," Beyoncé continues to find new and surprising ways to bless our lives.
1. Her explosive, otherworldly performance at the 2016 VMAs
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The Queen surprised fans just hours after her appearance was confirmed with an epic medley of songs from Lemonade.
2. Her surprise album release in 2013.
Everyone remembers where they were when Beyoncé dropped … and how much they cried/screamed. (If you say you don't, you're lying.)
3. The Formation music video.
And her breathtaking Super Bowl performance.
4. The creation of the Blue Ivy, the world's most ***flawless child.
One of Bey's most precious masterpieces yet.
5. Speaking of Blue Ivy … her epic pregnancy announcement.
After performing "Love on Top" at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, she dropped the mike and rubbed her stomach, announcing her pregnancy in a way only Bey could.
6. Her career-defining performance as Foxxy Cleopatra in the third Austin Powers movie, Goldmember.
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Did you forget about that? Well, you MESSED UP.
7. Two words: Single. Ladies.
Ye was right: It's the greatest music video of all time.
8. The 2009 inauguration, when she serenaded Barack and Michelle Obama during their first dance.
The song? Etta James's "At Last," a guaranteed tear-jerker.
9. THIS MET GALA LOOK
There is no other human in the world who could have pulled this off.
10. Her Instagram presence in general.
It's too much but also just enough.
11. Winning the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and being joined onstage by her perfect family.
We're not crying. You're crying.
12. Giving us major #fitspiration with her Elle cover shoot
Bow down! We can't even do these moves in our sleep, let alone for a fancy photo shoot.
13. Tackling hot-button personal AND political issues with Lemonade
After teasing fans with short clips and a mysterious TV guide listing (how 1999!), Beyoncé dropped her latest album, in full, on Saturday night; and like her 2013 work, the new songs are accompanied by full realized music videos.Lemonade continues what Beyoncé started three years ago – appearing to tackle head on issues in her relationship with husband Jay-Z, among other things. The album closes with "Formation," whose music video included references to New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina and police brutality.
14. When she surprised everyone by not showing up at the 2016 Emmys
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It's no secret Queen Bey has a lot of celebrity fans – in fact, James Corden is determined to join the Beyhive, while Laverne Cox practiced not fainting in case she got to meet the singer at the awards show – which is exactly why everyone and their grandmother was super bummed when Bey didn't show up at the ceremony, where she was nominated for her first-ever Emmy for her visual album Lemonade. The singer, who was not in attendance, lost to Grease: Live, but still garnered all of the attention of her peers.
"All I really was thinking about for the last 48 hours is I'm going to be able to look at Beyoncé's head in 48 hours, and she hasn't turned up, so this is nice but this evening generally has a sense of loss," John Oliver joked after his win. "I was going to be staring at the back of her head, and experience happiness that I probably hadn't felt before. But probably wisely she's giving this evening a pass." Until Bey's next album drops, we'll be re-living these moments over and over and over and over.