How Popcorn and Pizza Inspired Beyoncé’s ‘If I Were a Boy’

The writing of Beyoncé‘s “If I Were a Boy” had nothing to do with Queen B herself. The track was partially inspired by someone’s desire to eat popcorn and pizza. Interestingly, a hunger for snack foods got someone to think a lot about gender.

Beyoncé’s ‘If I Were a Boy’ was inspired by someone trying to stay skinny

“If I Were a Boy” was co-written by BC Jean and Toby Gad. Neither are household names, but Gad is a prominent pop songwriter. He gave us hit songs like Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” John Legend’s “All of Me,” Demi Lovato’s “Skyscraper,” and The Veronica’s “Untouched.” He’s a sonically versatile artist, which might explain the folk-rock/R&B hybrid instrumental of “If I Were a Boy.”

During a 2019 interview with Songwriter, Jean discussed writing “If I Were a Boy” with Gad. “We were walking through Times Square on a lunch break,” he said. “Toby carried around a recorder, and any time I said something ‘weird,’ as he called it, he’d record it. I was trying to fit into my skinny jeans, watching my weight and all that stuff, and I was like, ‘Oh man, I wish were a boy right now. I’d eat the pizza and the popcorn.’ He was like, ‘That’s so weird, how would you sing that?’ He put a recorder in front of my mouth, and I sang, ‘If I were a boy’ just like that.”

What Beyoncé thought of the song when she 1st heard it

Jean said “If I Were a Boy” was a very emotional song for her. “We ran back to the studio, and it was what I like to call a ‘therapy session’ or ‘diary entry’ because I’d finally decided to open my heart, and 20 minutes later, we had a song!” she said. Interestingly, Jean’s words sounded personal coming from Beyoncé. That speaks to Queen B’s immense talent as a singer.

While “If I Were a Boy” is Jean’s most famous composition by far, it didn’t take too much effort on her part. “It was probably the easiest song I’ve ever written,” she admitted. “Then we recorded the demo that day, which I never changed — that was the one that Beyoncé eventually heard.” When Beyoncé heard the song, she wanted to record it immediately. Jean was surprised to think that another artist would ever want to record a song about her personal struggles.

Jean didn’t realize that “If I Were a Boy” would have such an impact on people. She learned that many girls were dealing with the same emotions she was and needed to hear “If I Were a Boy.” Although “If I Were a Boy” has a sad tone, Jean saw it as an empowering song.

How ‘If I Were a Boy’ performed

“If I Were a Boy” became a decent hit for Beyoncé. It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 20 weeks. The tune appeared on the album I Am… Sasha Fierce. That record, the first concept album of Queen B’s career, topped the Billboard 200 for a week, lasting on the chart for 193 weeks in total.

“If I Were a Boy” is a great song that wouldn’t exist without Jean’s hankering for popcorn and pizza.