The ‘Blue Man’ in Beyoncé’s ‘Black Is King’ Has a Significant Hidden Meaning That You Need to Hear

The prominent role of the “Blue Man” in the film has a bigger meaning than you might have realized.

Beyoncé’s new musical film and visual album, Black Is King, has been taking the world by storm.

Following the premiere last week, the film received universal acclaim and is currently the highest-rated Disney+ original on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans and critics alike have praised the film for its stunning visuals and emotional storytelling of the African people, as well as the fashion and the strategic use of music to help convey the narrative.

For this project (which was inspired by her 2019 Afrobeat album The Lion King: The Gift) Beyoncé enlisted several African writers, directors, and fashion designers to bring her vision to life. That also included 22-year-old Nigerian dancer and musician Stephen “Papi” Ojo, who has a prominent role as the “Blue Man” throughout the film.

The painted blue skin has several meanings in African culture, representing love, harmony, togetherness, and peace (though, its meaning varies by country). It also has significance in the United States: the color was used for the slave quarters’ ceilings and was called Haint blue, an African-American vernacular referring to a witch-like creature haunting them. The cruel irony lies in the slave owners having the enslaved individuals make the dye used on their own houses, increasing the trade, and ultimately, taking something that originally had positive cultural connotations and turning it against them.

We’ve broken down the meaning in Beyonce’s #BlackisKing – symbols, who the blue/green man is and the messages https://t.co/KYNrzyKjAR pic.twitter.com/Y4EF90Hcr1

— Radio Times (@RadioTimes) August 3, 2020

The role is open to many interpretations and fans have already come up with their own theories about what the “Blue Man” represents. But in an interview with Buzzfeed, Ojo opened up about what he was told the meaning of his role was and how he himself decided to interpret it: “I was told that my role was the prince’s — or Simba’s — subconscious, to lead and guide him through the different stages of life. So I took that role as the blue man being the subconscious of Stephen Ojo, being my subconscious, to guide me and lead me through the stages of life. This is a stage of life that I needed to be guided through. That’s why every time they asked me to perform, I was always going hard because this is a new chapter of my life. This is a game-changer in my life.”

Watch the music video for “Already,” which features the “Blue Man,” below.

Be sure to check out Black Is King, on Disney+ to experience the magic of the film for yourself.