How Beyoncé Inspired A Starbucks Barista To Quit

Plenty of people wish they could quit their job but just don't have the financial backing or another opportunity lined up in order to actually leave. But if Beyoncé told you to quit your job, would you do it? You might be thinking, "Hang on a second, that's easy for Beyoncé to say," especially if you know that her net worth is approximately $500 million. For those working through a high-stress environment, with difficult management or customers, or simply in an uninspiring role, though, a sudden burst of inspiration from their favorite artist is all they need to walk out the door.

At least, that was recently the case for one Starbucks worker. Over the years, employees of the coffee chain have revealed what it's really like to work at Starbucks, with one Reddit user describing it as "like riding a bicycle that's on fire inside of a room that's also on fire." Though Starbucks has increased its average hourly rate to $17, the pay hike came after the Great Resignation wave that began in 2021. Last year, one former Starbucks employee shared with Business Insider that they had decided to leave the company due to understaffing, supply chain issues that made it difficult to fulfill orders, and a lack of support from supervisors. This week, another Starbucks worker joined those who have left the chain — and it was all thanks to Beyoncé lyrics.

In Beyoncé's new song, "Break My Soul," she sings, "I just quit my job / I'm gonna find new drive / Damn, they work me so damn hard / Work by 9 / Then off past 5 / And they work my nerves / That's why I cannot sleep at night." It sends listeners the message that they shouldn't work a high-stress job that doesn't satisfy their soul. That's exactly how Giselle Galindo felt when she heard the lyrics. The 22-year-old former employee of a Starbucks in San Antonio, Texas, told BuzzFeed that she took the song as "a sign" that she should quit her job at the coffee chain, which had been causing her "feelings of burnout and a lack of motivation." The next Monday, she gave her two weeks' notice.

While Twitter is full of jokes about people quitting their jobs after listening to "Break My Soul," it's unclear how many will actually do so as Galindo did. In addition to its recent wage hikes, Starbucks has tried to recruit and retain staff members (and discourage unionization) by exploring other perks, such as "a coffee mastery program for employees" and a potential increase in the number of sick days, reports CBS News. Even though Beyoncé's "Break My Soul" is just a song, it does seem to reflect the mindset of many hospitality workers who are currently unionizing, striking, and quitting their jobs in droves in a display of what The Washington Post calls a "renewed resolve."