Beyoncé yethulwe ekugcineni kohlelo X Factor waseFrance, okwenzeke izolo ebusuku eParis, futhi lapho, njengoba sibona, wenza i-single yakhe yakamuva yangasese bukhoma «Qalisa Umhlaba (Amantombazane)"Wabuye wenza ne" Best Thing Engakaze Ngibe Nayo. "
I-albhamu yakhe entsha '4 ' iqale ukudayiswa izolo. Masikhumbule ukuthi umculi wezwi usho lokho «4 iyinombolo yomlingo kimi: wusuku lwami lokuzalwa, lukamama, nabangane abaningi; futhi, u-Ephreli 4 uyisikhumbuzo somshado wami ».
Beyoncé usebenze nomdidiyeli by Kanye West, I-S1 (Symbolyc One) ngale albhamu futhi yena ngokwakhe uthe ugqozi lwakhe nguLauryn Hill noMichael Jackson.