Some pop stars are treating their teams really well, at least

Unlike some singers we could name, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are reportedly really good bosses

By Mary Kate Carr  |  August 2, 2023 | 6:45pm
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Some pop stars are treating their teams really well, at least
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Beyoncé; Taylor Swift Photo: Emma McIntyre; Monica Schipper

The unfortunate news that Lizzo is being sued for creating a hostile work environment—backed up by several other former employees—may be disappointing, but it’s not necessarily a surprise. That is to say, big stars throughout history have been known for being egotistical, demanding bosses who torment their underlings. To hear that someone in a position of power is being a jerk is actually quite commonplace. But it’s nice to know that some megastars, like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, actually treat the people beneath them really well.

This viral anecdote about Beyoncé comes from production designer Hannah Beachler, who worked on the Grammy winner’s visual album Lemonade. Beachler has nothing but praise for Queen Bey: “She is tentacles of light, and those tentacles wrap you in power, love and confidence,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter). “She is kind and protective and she’s a girls girl.” To illustrate the point, Beachler revealed that when she went to Beyoncé’s Los Angeles office to work on Black Is King, “There was a bunch of little plastic Emmy Awards w/ hand written names on them. They told me [because] they didn’t win for Homecoming, B stayed up after & made everyone their own special one [with] a note.”

It’s hard to top that level of thoughtfulness and care towards her team, but if anyone’s up to the task, it’s Taylor Swift. The Midnights artist made headlines this week for handing out huge bonuses to workers on The Eras Tour. Per TMZ, she gifted truckers working on the tour a total of $100,000. All told, People reports that the bonuses for everybody (that’s dancers, riggers, sound technicians, catering, etcetera, etcetera) totaled over $55 million.

Both of these women, who probably occupy the top two spots for female power players in the music industry (you can argue amongst yourselves who’s first and second), are currently on blockbuster tours which have benefitted not only the people working for them but also the local economies of the cities they’ve visited. It’s all a tangle of parasocial relationships and capitalistic vampirism, but hey, it’s still nice to be nice at the end of the day.

 
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