Beyoncé’s “16 Carriages” – carriages filled with her fears and dreams — focuses on staying resilient and making sacrifices through tough times. The song tells the story of someone’s struggles as they work relentlessly to achieve their dreams. In the second verse, Beyoncé sings, “Sixteen dollars, workin’ all day/Ain’t got time to waste, I got art to make/I got love to create on this holy night/They won’t dim my light, all these years I fight.” No matter the hardships they’ve endured, the narrator remains devoted to continuing along their creative path.
The track seems to pull inspiration from Beyoncé’s life and career trajectory. “It’s been 38 summers, and I’m not in my bed/On the back of the bus and a bunk with the band/Goin’ so hard, now I miss my kids/Overworked and overwhelmed,” she sings. Aside from the allusion to her touring experience, the mother of three expresses a longing to be with her children, a feeling Beyoncé is quite familiar with.
Beyoncé has opened up about the difficulties of juggling family and work before. In 2019, she told Elle, “I think the most stressful thing for me is balancing work and life. Making sure I am present for my kids — dropping Blue off at school, taking Rumi and Sir to their activities, making time for date nights with my husband, and being home in time to have dinner with my family — all while running a company can be challenging.”
