There are spoilers for Swarm Episode 1 . Prime Video's Swarm begins with an unusual disclaimer (or counter-disclaimer). The series was released on March 17, and a card at the beginning reads: "This is not a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people (living or dead) or actual events is Intentional." Of course, the text invites viewers to compare the show to real-world pop culture. Some surprising references appear later in the series, but a pretty big one is introduced within the first few minutes. Swarm stars Dre, a huge fan of Ni'Jah, a pop star who bears a lot of resemblance to Beyoncé.
Interestingly, the show started in April 2016 in Houston, Texas - a very important venue for Beyoncé fans. The "Break My Soul" singer, who hails from Texas, kicked off her Formation world tour in April 2016. Dre was trying to get tickets for Ni'Jah's Evolution tour, which had a similar theme title.
The opening scene of "Swarm" is interspersed with clippings of Ni'Jah's press coverage, further drawing comparisons to Beyoncé. An article titled "World Dominion" featured a photo of "global music power couple" Ni'Jah and Caché posing in a pose similar to that of Beyoncé and Jay-Z in their "Apesh*t" video , even the clothing matching is very similar.
There are also quicker, blink-and-you'll-miss-it Easter eggs that you might miss on your first viewing. For example, the on-screen Spotify profile page reveals that Ni'Jah was discovered on a talent show called Star Seek and led the R&B band XLLENT before going solo. Beyoncé, of course, performed on "Star Search with Girls Tyme," which later became "Destiny's Child." Ni'Jah is also ranked as the 32nd-ranked artist in the world - as is Beyoncé. These artists even joined Twitter at the same time: April 2009.
The episode title is also a tribute to Queen Bey. “Stung” and “Honey” evoke beehive imagery, and the buzzing of bees can be heard (and sometimes even seen) throughout the show. Of course, the show's title "Swarm" also fits the Beyhive code very well. Later, some episode titles more overtly referenced Beyoncé's records, such as "Girl, Goodbye" (a play on the lyrics to "Sorry").
These Easter eggs are just the beginning, though, and you'll likely discover more as you watch Swarm. Janine Nabers, who co-created the show with Donald Glover, told Entertainment Tonight that the show is "100% based on real events, real internet rumors and real other things." .
Nabors explicitly discussed one of these incidents in an interview with Shondaland—quoting a woman who was rumored to have committed suicide the night Lemonade was released, “because it basically confirmed that a very powerful man was deceiving. One of the most beautiful women” and successful pop star of our time. "
Nabors added that the rumor served as a "catalyst" for the series. “That’s when I looked at all the crazy stories that we hear online or that exist in the real world around this particular musician and how we can bring those issues to life and make them our own.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. You can also call the Trans Lifeline at 1-877-565-8860, the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386, or your local suicide crisis center .
