Antonia Jade King is a life-long member of Beyoncé's BeyHive and a doctoral candidate in the School of Humanities at Royal Holloway, University of London. She is a published poet with Bad Betty Press. Her PhD research focuses on the cultural and historical significance of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Her work has been praised for its depth of analysis and its ability to shed new light on well-known cultural artifacts. Antonia also teaches on Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights Movement, and Malcolm X at Royal Holloway, University of London.
“Through Antonia’s stunning retelling of the formidable Beyoncé’s career, we are reminded of the person behind the artistry. As Beyoncé Knowles continues to forge a legacy unlike any our generation has seen for a Black woman, the precision, wit, and love in Antonia’s delivery render her immortal.” —Kelechi Okafor, author of Edge of Here “As beautifully intimate as it is critically incisive, Antonia Jade King’s Beyoncé—One of One is a sharp, delightful, and altogether exhaustive exploration of one of the greatest, most impactful and innovative pop musicians of all time. Part moving memoir and part deft cultural study, One of One is stacked with Beyoncé pop culture highlights, turning points, and watershed moments that, taken together, amount to modern pop music history. This is the story of popular music culture with one change-making Black feminist icon at its center. With warmth and dynamism, King reveals how, as a result of Beyoncé’s dazzling artistry, both she and the world have been changed for good.” —Daphne A. Brooks, author of Liner Notes for the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Feminist Sound “Like its title and glimmering focal point Beyoncé, King’s debut is original in its bravado and unabashed vulnerability. It is a deft ontological exploration into iconography, fandom, and the power of art, and handles with keeper-like care our Queen and her ever-buzzing hive.” —Ricky Tucker, author of And the Category Is . . . Inside New York’s Vogue, House, and Ballroom Community “Reading Beyoncé—One of One feels like sitting with someone who understands exactly why Beyoncé matters—not just as an entertainer but as a cultural force. Antonia Jade King delivers a beautiful blend of scholarship and devotion. This book is for the Beyhive, yes, but it’s also for anyone who has ever felt seen, saved, or strengthened by a song.” —Marcellas Reynolds, author of Supreme Sirens: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Music